How much would you spend to have a lovely garden? The average Brit spends £345 per year on plant and ornaments, according to the latest research from Policy Expert.
We're competitive as gardeners: the survey of 2,205 people also found almost one in four of us would complain about a neighbour with a beautiful garden that puts all others on the street to shame. And 40% say they keep their garden in shape out of sheer pride.
When it comes to what we want in our dream garden, 30% would like a perfect lawn, and 20% would love to have a water feature.
MORE: IS YOUR BARBECUE A CLEAN, MEAN GRILLING MACHINE?
The easiest way to keep your garden in good shape? Have the right kit. We've tested everything from pressure washers and lawn mowers to garden forks, pruning saws, secateurs, watering cans and trowels to find the best value for youir money.
If you're going to spend money on your garden, making sure its secure and insured is a good idea. The survey found that just over half of us have lighting installed outside and only 58% have locked gates. Meanwhile, one in three of those surveyed were unsure whether their garden is even covered in their home insurance policy, although 86% of us do have a fence to protect the garden.
MORE: GARDENING GLOVES REVIEWED
Recent research from The Crime Prevention Website has found that one in three households have a shed that is easy to break into, and these are a prime target for thieves. The Master Locksmiths Association advices that you fit locks to doors and windows, and make sure there are hinge bolts to protect the door hinges too.
Simon Cocks is Good Housekeeping UK’s Technology Editor, overseeing tech shopping content and strategy for the title. He previously also worked across other titles including Esquire UK, Digital Spy, Men’s Health UK and Women’s Health UK.
Simon specialises in testing the latest smart gadgets, home entertainment gear, headphones, speakers, portable chargers, radios, e-book readers and smartphones. He's reviewed top tech products from brands including Google, Apple, Amazon, JBL and Bose.
A magazine journalism graduate from Kingston University in 2014, Simon also worked on the Discovery and Silkroad inflight magazines. He then gained experience writing about entertainment at SFX and Total Film. He also contributed reviews and interviews to TwitchFilm (later ScreenAnarchy), CultBox and Frame Rated.
He joined Good Housekeeping UK as the Editorial Assistant for Special Projects and was part of Good Housekeeping’s Consumer Affairs Team between 2014 and 2019. In this role, he conducted price comparison research, wrote detailed household and money-saving advice guides and edited thousands of in-depth reviews for the Good Housekeeping Institute.
He has focused on technology and gadgets since 2020, where he started by testing out power banks and instant cameras. He writes reviews, roundups, news articles and deals updates, and also covers top tech deals during sales like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
When not testing out the latest gizmos, you’ll find Simon either catching up with the newest releases at his local cinema or out shooting with his beloved compact camera.
You can follow Simon on Instagram, on Bluesky, on LinkedIn and on Threads.
