Husband's painting

[restofthetimes]

DH has been saying we can't afford to re-do our front garden for 9 years now. It has been tricky to get quotes in from reliable people, and its a massive space - about 1/2 acre. Its quite a wilderness and I want to basically pull it all up and grass it, and also re-cover the drive, which is quite long.
Well, he has quite a lot of assets eg wine, and today I found out that a small nude oil painting we have in our bedroom is by a rather famous artist (Bernard Dunstan) and worth around £10k.
This would probably pay for the front garden.
AIBU to get him to sell it? He's saying no way, as he is in love with the painting and he looks at it every day. I like it, but thinking about that money........ we could easily put up with a print or unknown artist instead.

It's not 'an asset' to him. It's a painting that he loves. Which is priceless.

Start digging your own garden.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles - love it.

I don't even drink wine, so not an option to remain sozzled and ignore it.

I know 0.5 acre not that big, but its quite big for a lazy non-gardener. And its all lump and bumpy, not flat, with a sweeping drive all round it. I would make a massive pigs ear we probably couldn't even approach the house without a jcb, so I'm not going to try with earthworks! Hah.

We probably could have saved up by now, but DH doesn't see the need in doing it. Perhaps that is the thread more than the painting.....

Now I think you've hit the nail on the head OP. You want to get it done and DH doesn't. The painting is a bit of a red herring.

Do you envisage selling at some point? Maybe try to convince him that it will affect the house price in its current state?

You need to throw a garden clearing party. Invite your friends over lay on food and get everyone to pitch in with clearing the ground.

Talk to your OH about how else you can raise the money (you don't sound like you are on the poverty line).

What do you have that can be sold? Its one thing to ask him to sell his painting if you are also parting with something but it's unfair to expect him to sell something he loves to fund something you want if you are contributing nothing. This isn't some soulless investment stored in a bank vault it is something he looks at and cherishes.

You need to work out what you want to do, how much it will cost then work out how to fund it. Speak to your local horticultural college you may be able to hook up with students looking for experience, creating portfolios etc who will be cheaper than fully fledged professionals.

Why do 'non gardeners' always have the places with lovely big gardens?? Move into a bloody flat, and let someone who loves gardening buy your place!

I'm a non gardener, but I love a lovely big garden.