Lockdown sees UK homeowners investing in their gardens
Gardens have become more important to UK homeowners since the start of Covid-19, new research by Quick Move Now suggests.
According to the research, 58% of homeowners feel the global pandemic has made their garden more of a priority and they’re spending considerably more money on it. Usually, just 12% of homeowners spend more than £600 on their garden each year. This figure rose to 22% in 2020, and 27% of homeowners have said they’re planning to spend more than £600 this year.
The most common addition since the pandemic has been new plants, but other popular additions include new garden furniture, new outdoor lighting and growing fruit and vegetables for the first time. It seems we’re still a nation of DIY fans too, with building your own garden furniture and garden bars also featuring in the list.
The full list of garden additions is:
| New plants | 50% |
| New garden furniture | 44% |
| New outdoor lighting | 24% |
| New garden fencing | 21% |
| Children’s play equipment | 20% |
| Growing own fruit or vegetables for 1st time | 20% |
| New outdoor cooking equipment | 18% |
| New patio | 16% |
| New garden shed | 14% |
| New garden ornament / water feature | 13% |
| Decking | 11% |
| Made new garden furniture | 8% |
| New turf | 7% |
| Artificial grass | 7% |
| New summer house / garden office | 6% |
| Built new garden bar | 5% |
| New pergola | 2% |
Danny Luke, Quick Move Now’s managing director, said: “It’s widely accepted that UK homeowners have been spending more time in their gardens as a result of Covid-19 and the associated lockdowns, but the results of the research regarding the number of people who feel the pandemic has made investing in their garden more of a priority, and how much more they are investing financially, are quite surprising.
“Lockdown rules about meeting outside mean that gardens have become even more of a social entertaining space than they have been previously, and therefore homeowners are choosing to invest in items such as new seating and new lighting to be able to maximise their garden as an extension to their living space, where they can relax and socialise with their loved ones.
“Despite the economic uncertainty that Covid-19 has brought, it seems homeowners are viewing their outdoor space as a worthwhile investment, with many spending significantly more on their gardens than they would normally do.”
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