GNOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS...
There’s more to improving your outside space than simpy adding a few of garden ornaments
Whether you loved, hated or never even saw the last series of Game of Thrones, the fantasy TV show is over for good. And that could leave Britain’s millions of garden owners with time to get into Game of Gnomes. It seems the much-derided garden ornament could be returning to a toadstool near you. But they don’t come cheap. According to figures from insurer The AA, the one in five of garden owners who want a little friend to keep watch over their plot spend nearly £250 each on these ornaments. It seems those living in the East Midlands are top spenders on novelty decoration – laying out nearly £400 each. It also appears, somewhat randomly, that garden gnomes are very popular with divorcees. Getting the garden summer ready
can eat bank balances as many of us want an instant display that will wow neighbours, friends and family rather than start from seeds. But big spenders are not directing cash to plants and shrubs, even though these can be pricey. Instead, they buy something more permanent – and more fitting with seeing the garden as a summertime room stretching your home. Outdoor furniture is a top purchase – on average people spend about £300 a year. This has moved beyond the odd deckchair and now includes threepiece suites you can leave out for most of the year as well as dining tables and chairs. Many homes are incomplete without a barbecue, too. While you can buy basic or one-use models, the trend is for gas-fuelled cookers to equal grills indoors. Some come complete with outdoor heating systems – so you can continue to eat outside during cooler evenings. But heater/cookers are expensive – expect to pay over £1,000 for basic models. Gardening is usually seen as appealing mostly to older and retired people. They are big visitors to garden centres, but this age group often spends less than younger people. This could be because they already have all the equipment, greenhouses and sheds they need or perhaps some of the big items don’t appeal – it’s unlikely those over the age of 60 will buy into hot tubs or jacuzzis (about £1,000 or more) and they almost certainly won’t be buying outdoor music systems (from £400 to sky’s the limit). Two groups are likely to spend on hired help. The very elderly may pay for gardeners to do jobs they are physically unable to do, while the young with money – and especially those with children – pay for someone to do the work because they are timepressured and want quick results.