Having a beautiful garden in which to escape is becoming increasingly important to people all over the UK as a result of the pandemic and lockdown, with us all keen to spend more time outside, enjoying nature and the local flora and fauna.
And it also seems that front garden design is proving popular at the moment, as well, with new research from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) revealing that plant cover in this part of the house has increased by nearly 40 square miles (or 25,600 acres) in just five years, reaching 202 square miles today, up from 164 square miles in 2015.
The study also found that over the spring lockdown last year, 48 per cent of those who have a garden say they’ve spent more time in it, with 28 per cent saying they have bought more plants for their outside spaces.
Some 73 per cent said that one of the most important benefits of having a garden is health and relaxation, while 61 per cent said that helping wildlife is a big benefit, as well, with 23 per cent setting out an area of the garden specifically for wildlife. And 26 per cent said they grow their own food in their gardens!
RHS director of science professor Alistair Griffiths said: “RHS science suggests that this substantial increase in greenery will be bringing wide-reaching benefits to people’s mental and physical health and to wildlife; improving air quality, helping conserve water from rainfall and cooling cities in hot summer months.”
With spring just around the corner, no doubt many of you are planning to really get to grips with gardening, perhaps for the very first time. If you are new to the pursuit, take a look at some of these apps that could help you see success, even if you’re not sure what you’re doing with a garden trowel.
For help with landscaping in Chester, get in touch with LW Landscapes today.