An artist has conjured up a MAGICAL image of what the perfect dream garden looks like – as Brits prepare to welcome guests outdoors as lockdown ends.
It features a summer house (36%), an outdoor dining area (30%) and quiet place to read (29%) – the most popular features Brits would love in their gardens, according to a poll for MyBuilder.com.
The stunning illustration also shows we’ve truly embraced garden COOKING as well as dining, with outside kitchens (24%) and pizza ovens (19%) high up the ideal wish list.
Many also crave a taste of rural life, with a quarter (25%) saying they’d install a veg patch to ‘grow their own’ and many (23%) dreaming of a stream, mature trees (21%), and even a nature reserve (18%).
Unsurprisingly after a year of social restrictions, 62% will welcome guests into their garden as soon as they are allowed, with entertainment top of mind when fantasizing about their ideal garden. A large seating area for guests would be a priority for 26%, with a firepit (23%), swimming pool (21%), drinks bar (15%), and an outside projector (9%) also making the list.
When it comes to garden style, a third (35%) would favour an English Cottage theme, though Meditteranean (9%), Coastal (8%) and Japanese Zen (7%) were other styles that inspired.
MyBuilder commissioned 3D garden designer Tim Miller to illustrate what the nation’s dream garden could look like.
Since the announcement of a phased lockdown – which sees the return of the ‘rule of six’ or two households able to meet in gardens from 29 March – MyBuilder has seen a 250% increase in homeowners seeking tradespeople for garden projects.
76% of respondents said their garden had positively helped their mental health during the pandemic, with 64% appreciating their garden more as a result.
That is reflected in the survey, with 44% of respondents reporting that getting their garden sorted was a priority for 2021; 30% admitted to being embarrassed about their garden, while 54% per cent owned up to peeking into their neighbours’ plot.
A whopping 92% said their garden was an important ‘room’ in their home, with an average of £1452 set to be spent on improving their outdoor space in the coming year.
Carl Goulding from MyBuilder.com said: “Coming into spring is always a busy time for gardeners and landscapers as people start to emerge from the winter. But this year has been like no other and the glimmer of spring combined with the tantalising prospect of socialising has meant we have seen a record bounce for garden jobs.
“As usual, people are leaving it too late which means many gardeners and landscapers are getting quickly booked up. If you are considering a big garden project in time for the summer, you really need to get your finger out or you could be looking at summer 2022.”
As well as the most desirable garden features, the nation has also had its say on what should be shoved in the shed and never seen again.
A few things you can expect to see less of in gardens this year are gnomes (53%), bunting (34%), and statues (31%) – they were all voted the least stylish garden accessories.