Lawn, patio, gravel?

[joe-90]

I've got a house I want to get on the market before too long. ATM, the back garden is full of cement mixers, trestles, and timber.

What I want to know is whether lawn is still the preferred choice?

The area is only about 5 metres by 5 metres and most houses of this type sell to single guys who let out the spare rooms to mates to pay the mortgage.

Any ideas? I could maybe make the patio bigger and gravel half of it?

Do people really want grass that gets muddy? Should I make a paved entertainment area where a table could be set up?

What would you do?

 

[Thermo]

depends on who the target customer is.

mums definetly want grass for the children.

decking and patios are still very popular

shingle type gardens are getting more popular down here due to hose pipe bans etc.

90% of my customers want what i call a bottle of beer garden. looks good all year round, they can have the bbqs and mates around on it, and just come home and relax in it. The only garden care they have to do is picking the odd dead leaf from a plant as they walk around the garden in the evening with a bottle of beer in the other hand!

Grass doesnt get looked after by young blokes. Go for a decent hard surface with stone chippings to the bordering areas and some good evergreen low maintenance planting set into it. eg bamboos, phormiums, cordylines etc.

 

[joe-90]

Thanks for that Thermo - that definitely makes good sense. Will do exactly as you say. Any ideas on what type of chippings to go for?

 

[Thermo]

depeneds on cost and the style you are looking for. Also depends on the part of teh country you are in. Most chippings are waste products from one area and you pay the transport costs on them. Down this way we get pea beach gravel for pennies as they dredge it out of the channel locally. Same in wales with slate etc.

Cotswold buff always looks fresh and new. slates always popular but can darken a garden down. Pea beach looks good, especially when wet, but can be popular with cats!

have a look at www.stonemarket.co.uk they have a selection of chippings on there, but dont get them from them, unless you want a second mortgage!

 

[joe-90]

Will do that. Thanks again.

 

[breezer]

I opted for 20mm gravel