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Original poster

Moving garden plants when moving house

40 replies

PetuniaLop · 04/04/2024 05:59

I have a largish garden with many mature plants. Will be moving house hopefully May/June and want to take some of them with me. Next house has a largish garden, mainly lawn at present.

I know Autumn would be better time for the plants but I can't be choosy. How do I go about this task?

OP posts:
Lonecatwithkitten · 04/04/2024 06:02

If you are selling you should list them in the fixtures and fittings list. I would lift them into its now before they get huge amounts of foliage and flowers. Then it's big pots for the removal men to deal with.

bluecomputerscreen · 04/04/2024 06:30

a bit late but when we moved we put all plants into pots/builder' bag in January so they were not disturbed in their growing phase.

NashvilleQueen · 04/04/2024 06:49

Have you told new buyers that you are taking plants with you?

Luddite26 · 04/04/2024 06:51

Empty Compost bags are good ways of moving them keep them watered dig them up now as long as you have not included them in the sale

Curtainsforus · 04/04/2024 08:01

Are you sure they will suit your next garden? Make sure the plants are gone before you list your property.

Candleabra · 04/04/2024 08:05

Depends how big the plants are. Mature shrubs don’t always transport well, you need to take as much of the rootball as possible and you’d need an enormous pot.
I would put smaller things in pots now, take lots and lots of cuttings and divide up perennials.
Just accept they may not all survive.

notgettinganyyounger · 04/04/2024 08:11

What size plant are we talking? Could you pot them up now? Then they'll settle in before the move, and re plant the other side?
Are your buyers aware you are taking part of the garden?

happystory · 04/04/2024 08:30

Extremely difficult and risky. You will likely lose some in the transition. I was heartbroken to leave some of mine behind, but the ones I inherited in the new garden made up for it!

bluecomputerscreen · 04/04/2024 08:32

you can also take cuttings if removing a plant is not an option.

AlisonDonut · 04/04/2024 08:53

Mature plants? I probably wouldn't bother.

JJathome · 04/04/2024 08:53

how much are you taking. I’d assume the plants stay in the garden unless in pots. Have you told the buyers?

SpringOfContentment · 04/04/2024 10:42

Technically, you can't dig them up without telling the new owners.
Cuttings are a good call.
And I'm sure some of the smaller plants in less obvious places wouldn't be missed. But if you dig out every showpiece plant, expect it to be noticed.

BarrelOfOtters · 04/04/2024 10:43

I took cuttings of ones that I loved so I had back ups. I moved a lot, put in containers before sale and then they lived in those containers some of them for 2 years till I could replant them in new garden.

I talked to the buyers and explained which ones I was going to take that were still in the ground when they had looked at house - they weren't gardeners so didn't care.

Current house, if we sell, it's very likely any new buyer would take out front garden for parking (grrrr) so I'd probably have that conversation with anyone buying and if they are going to I'll move stuff that I would probably otherwise leave and give it a chance in any new place.

TraitorsGate · 04/04/2024 10:44

Are they shown in the sales details, do you need to tell the solicitor and agent first

BarrelOfOtters · 04/04/2024 10:45

A friend sold her house with it's beautiful established garden and was really cautious of digging anything up really, she had taken cuttings, as the garden was a real drawer for the new owner. I was encouraging her to take more but she was saying...oh no that'll be lovely when she moves in.

New owner sold after a year and the garden has been paved over....

ShowOfHands · 04/04/2024 10:51

I'd take lots of cuttings as well as a careful selection of things likely to survive.

As long as you're upfront, I don't think it's a problem. When I sell my house, I'm taking the toilet and sink with me.

TraitorsGate · 04/04/2024 12:18

ShowOfHands · 04/04/2024 10:51

I'd take lots of cuttings as well as a careful selection of things likely to survive.

As long as you're upfront, I don't think it's a problem. When I sell my house, I'm taking the toilet and sink with me.

Why would you take the toilet and sink

daisychain01 · 04/04/2024 12:29

I couldn't imagine digging up shrubs and leaving loads of gaps. Leave the garden as is for your purchasers to enjoy.

This time of year you'd be able to take a few roots and softwood cuttings which will easily take root and establish within a month or two

unless you live in Kew Gardens full of rare specimens, you'd be able to buy new versions of everything.

daisychain01 · 04/04/2024 12:30

BarrelOfOtters · 04/04/2024 10:45

A friend sold her house with it's beautiful established garden and was really cautious of digging anything up really, she had taken cuttings, as the garden was a real drawer for the new owner. I was encouraging her to take more but she was saying...oh no that'll be lovely when she moves in.

New owner sold after a year and the garden has been paved over....

That's a very rare set of circumstances.----

Dancingontheedge · 04/04/2024 12:37

There were rules about not removing established plants from a garden when I last bought a house, I’m not sure if that’s changed, as it was a couple of decades ago.
I took all my potted shrubs and bits with me, they weren’t in the ground, so they didn’t count. So, try potting up favourites, take cuttings and make lists of varieties that you love but leave behind.
A new garden is something to explore and enjoy. So many new possibilities!

JJathome · 04/04/2024 12:40

Dancingontheedge · 04/04/2024 12:37

There were rules about not removing established plants from a garden when I last bought a house, I’m not sure if that’s changed, as it was a couple of decades ago.
I took all my potted shrubs and bits with me, they weren’t in the ground, so they didn’t count. So, try potting up favourites, take cuttings and make lists of varieties that you love but leave behind.
A new garden is something to explore and enjoy. So many new possibilities!

That’s what I thought, you can’t really strip the garden so it all depends on how much she is looking to take.

op, you need to speak to your solicitor. It’s like taking your windows or the bathroom taps. You’ve sold it basically. So depending on how much you want to take you need to let them know as you could face reparation costs after if you go too far.

the etiquette is you take what’s in pots, but if it’s in the ground it’s part of the garden and you have sold it.

bilbodog · 04/04/2024 12:48

Just tell the new owners what you are taking and lift now and put in pots ready for moving. I probably wouldnt bother moving plants that are readily available from a nursery though.

ShowOfHands · 04/04/2024 13:49

TraitorsGate · 04/04/2024 12:18

Why would you take the toilet and sink

Show quote history

Because I like them.

isitbananatimealready · 04/04/2024 13:55

daisychain01 · 04/04/2024 12:30

That's a very rare set of circumstances.----

Show quote history

It really isn't. Happened to BIL and SIL when they moved and left some lovely things behind in their garden.

The new owners chopped a load of things down within a week of moving in, including a beautiful old apple tree that BIL & SIL were really fond of (he'd planted it the day their first dc was born), and they had specifically chosen that buyer because they said they wouldn't cut it down. They did.

daisychain01 · 04/04/2024 15:32

isitbananatimealready · 04/04/2024 13:55

It really isn't. Happened to BIL and SIL when they moved and left some lovely things behind in their garden.

The new owners chopped a load of things down within a week of moving in, including a beautiful old apple tree that BIL & SIL were really fond of (he'd planted it the day their first dc was born), and they had specifically chosen that buyer because they said they wouldn't cut it down. They did.

Show quote history

The new property owners can do what they like, once they've moved in, it's their property. It may not be what the vendors agree with but they don't get to decide by that time. Your BIL / SILs situation is unique to them, that doesn't mean its frequently occurring.

I agree with those upthread, removal of shrubs has to be discussed, specified and agreed with the purchasers then documented in the property details of the sales pack. I suspect people try to do it without consultation and 'on the QT ' because they don't want to start an argument when they're trying to sell their property. But it equates to stealing if it hasn't been agreed.

homeowners planning to uproot their gardens are warned they could face legal action - unless their is made clear in writing to the buyer at time of sale.
Unless otherwise agreed, plants growing in gardens form part of the sales agreement and removing them without explicit permission can invalidate the transaction
Each plant and its location must be itemised carefully and win full agreement from the buyer and their solicitor beforehand

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2556375/amp/House-sellers-stripping-gardens-bare-new-owners-chance-save-beloved-plants.html

House sellers strip gardens before new owners have chance to move in

Researchers have found a huge increase in so-called ‘garden grabbing’ - where people load garden plants into their removal vans alongside their furniture when they move house.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2556375/amp/House-sellers-stripping-gardens-bare-new-owners-chance-save-beloved-plants.html

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