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Will the Chelsea Flower Show inspire you to add value to your property?

For the next five days, the grounds of the Royal Hospital in SW3 will be home to the world’s most prestigious flower show, the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show.

The site has been transformed into a stunning display of floral art and landscape architecture, with world-famous designers florists and plant experts coming together to showcase the very best in cutting-edge garden design that could, among other things, help you add value to your rental portfolio (well, certainly those properties that have outside space, particularly a garden).

It has previously been reported that a well-maintained garden can add up to 20% to the value of a residential property, not to mention help boost the rental value of the property.

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The average residential property in the UK currently stands at £213,000, according to Nationwide. Therefore, by taking care of your outdoor spaces, you could potentially increase the value of your rental property by an average of £43,350, although there are obviously large variations in regional house prices.

If you have left the garden in your rental property to its own devices for a while, giving it a makeover might seem like a huge job.

However, it is certainly worth doing if you’re looking to sell or re-let your property - especially if you want to get the best price possible.

But if you are not a keen gardener, it is not always easy to know where to start. So, here are a few tips for improving the look of your garden, and increasing the price of your property in the process.

Start with some basic maintenance

Before you think about making any big changes, you need to focus on ensuring what you already have is in good condition. You should remove any weeds, prune any trees or shrubs that have become overgrown, and get rid of any plants that are looking particularly worse for wear. You should remove any clutter that you no longer need, as well as use a rake to collect any loose leaves and debris.

Once you’ve done this, the garden will have a new lease of life and it will be easier to identify any areas that require more attention.

Don’t ignore the details

Prospective homebuyers or renters will take note of everything down to the finest details - buying or renting a new property is a huge commitment, after all. So, it’s important that you leave no stone unturned when revamping your garden.

Keep an eye out for fences that could do with a lick of paint, paving stones that would benefit from a good clean, and any garden ornaments that look particularly weathered. If you update these elements, or simply remove them, you’ll be able to improve the look of the garden significantly.

Create as much space as possible

If the property has a spacious garden, it will be far more likely to impress potential buyers or renters. Of course, you can’t increase the actual size of your garden — not without gaining planning permission, anyway. However, it is possible to create the illusion of having more space.

Tall, thin plants, for instance, will allow more light to reach the garden, while it may be worth softening boundaries with climbing plants.

You should also remove and store any large items, such as lawn mowers and barbecues that might be taking up space unnecessarily.

Add personality with flowers

And, finally, you should add some colour and personality to the garden using flowers. You can do this by dotting them around your outdoor spaces in pots, or by creating flowerbeds to plant them in.

Remember that you will be responsible for looking after the garden until you’ve sold or let the your property, so unless you’ve developed a love for gardening during this process, you won’t want to create more work for yourself.

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