What to look for in the garden when buying a house?

k_webber90

Hello! I'm currently house hunting, does anyone have any hints and tips please of what I should be looking out for in a garden? (Other than do I like it and size) 

I'm guessing sun direction - but what's the best to have please? 

Any ideas welcome!
Thanks,

Hostafan1

for me , privacy. I couldn't buy a house with a garden which was 100% overlooked , unless it could easily be remedied.

Dovefromabove

Keep your eye open for pernicious weeds ... I’d be devastated if I bought a garden and found it was infested with Horsetail 
Also check out that any large trees in the area are manageable and that their roots don’t impact too much on the garden .., some can mean it’s impossible to dig there or that the trees suck all moisture out of the soil. 

Obelixx

If the house feels right and the garden is a decent size - suits your needs and desires - then, apart from being over-looked from all angles, you can pretty much make a lovely garden with any aspect so unless you desperately want a south facing, sun bathing terrace right up by the house concentrate on what th ehouse offers in terms of space, feel and potential.

I'd be more concerned about the soil which dictates, to some extent, what you can grow so have a look at the gardens either side and see what they're growing and how well tended they are as you don't want nasty weeds invading your paradise from neighbours who don't care.   

Don't worry if the garden itself looks overgrown and unloved.  Selling a home and packing it up can put garden maintenance on the back burner but if it's totally out of control and has nothing you like, best avoid it unless you have boundless energy and the time and budget to sort it out.

If you're a huge fan of things like rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias, don't buy a house where none are groiwng around you.  The soil is porbbaly alkaline and therefore not suitable.  

B3

Go there at different times and listen. Noisy neighbours can make your life a misery.

K67

When house searching I use Google maps satellite view and discount any that show trampolines or hot tubs nearby!
As B3 says noisy neighbours are a misery.
Having done 11 gardens from scratch  over the last 50 years, due to a husband that always bought neglected or brand new houses,  I have never found a garden that you couldn't turn into something nice. You just have to go with the soil and amount of sun and  I find researching plants that will suit enjoyable, first from books but now we have the internet and wonderful knowledgeable folk on this forum that makes it so much easier.
Hope you find your ideal house and garden but to find both in one property is pretty rare😞

Hostafan1

most folk say they bought "  a lovely house with a garden" we bought "a lovely garden with a house" 

wild edges

Access. If you're planning on doing a lot of gardening make sure you can get heavy stuff in and out easily. Also a safe storage space for all the garden equipment.

Perki

I agree with dove I would walk from a property with horsetail . I think most of thing have been said but for steep sloping gardens , not impossible to garden but can cost alot to be terraced and who wants to walk up and down steps all the time carrying things etc. 

wild edges

Perki said:

I agree with dove I would walk from a property with horsetail . I think most of thing have been said but for steep sloping gardens , not impossible to garden but can cost alot to be terraced and who wants to walk up and down steps all the time carrying things etc. 

You just described my garden. Steep slopes and full of horsetail. It's been a lot of work but slopes can provide a lot more interest than flat gardens so don't dismiss them entirely.

k_webber90

Fantastic tips everyone! Thanks so much! 
100% agree with noisy neighbours and privacy.

Dovefromabove said:

Keep your eye open for pernicious weeds ... I’d be devastated if I bought a garden and found it was infested with Horsetail 
Also check out that any large trees in the area are manageable and that their roots don’t impact too much on the garden .., some can mean it’s impossible to dig there or that the trees suck all moisture out of the soil. 

- I've just googled Horsetail, a few of you mentioned, thats super helpful thanks! I like leafy areas but i am a bit concerned about tree roots - i guess its the balance of having privacy and getting the right type of tree. I'm most likely going to be in a terrace or at best semi-detached in close proximity so some trees i think are going to be essential. 

wild edges said:

Perki said:

I agree with dove I would walk from a property with horsetail . I think most of thing have been said but for steep sloping gardens , not impossible to garden but can cost alot to be terraced and who wants to walk up and down steps all the time carrying things etc. 

You just described my garden. Steep slopes and full of horsetail. It's been a lot of work but slopes can provide a lot more interest than flat gardens so don't dismiss them entirely.

Yes I do like tiered gardens! Used to live in Huddersfield but now Manchester, so pretty guaranteed it will be flat-ish! 

wild edges said:

Access. If you're planning on doing a lot of gardening make sure you can get heavy stuff in and out easily. Also a safe storage space for all the garden equipment.

Great point! I do want a bit of a project to do to get my teeth into! I wanted to make sure I had enough garden space for a shed (as there won't be enough in the house!) -Has anyone tried an Asgard shed for safely storing gardening equipment? I was looking at this one: https://www.asgardsss.co.uk/5-x-4-metal-garden-shed ?
 
Thanks again everyone, this was really helpful!