A well-maintained and feature-filled garden can add more than just a splash of nature to a home, it has been suggested.

Joe Swift, a gardening expert and presenter of BBC programme Gardener’s World, pointed out that by installing features such as decking and paving consumers can help to increase the value of their home. He stated that plants, containers and summer houses are among the popular items which homeowners are currently purchasing for their green spaces.

However, for those looking to make improvements to their garden, the gardener advised that people invest both time and money to make sure that any work is carried out to a high standard. It was suggested that hiring a garden designer to come their property can help them to come up with ideas which are “well designed rather than plonked in, which is what a lot of amateurs tend to do in the garden”.

For those looking for an effective way in which to finance such investments taking out a personal loan may be recommended.

Mr Swift said: “Gardens add value – there’s no doubt about this, there’s been a lot of research into this over the years – and more value than the investment that’s gone into the property.” However, he suggested that ponds may not be the best feature to install in a garden, as prospective property buyers may be concerned that they will have to spend a significant amount of time maintaining such a water feature. “Try and keep it quite simple, quite classic. [Advice on] decking or paving tends to be whatever goes with the style of the house. Just keep it well maintained and looking good – invest in a few large plants to give some real impact in there,” he added.

Furthermore, Mr Swift stated that consumers may find that a lot of their money goes towards purchasing garden furniture. It was pointed out that over recent months there have been a number of new products which offer more comfort than the “traditional wooden park bench style”.

His comments come after research carried out by Lloyds TSB revealed that just under a fifth (18 per cent) of people have items worth between 1,000 and 3,000 pounds in their garden. Meanwhile, some seven per cent of Britons claimed that they would most like to get a hot tub this summer, with the same proportion of consumers looking to add some decking to their garden.

Those looking for an effective way to finance improvements to their property might wish to consider taking out a homeowner loan. In doing so, borrowers may find that they can purchase expensive pieces of garden furniture, plants and other features quickly and affordably. The financial assistance that a loan brings could also help homeowners to hire qualified workmen to carry out such work as well as purchasing comprehensive insurance cover. Last year Halifax Home Insurance warned that unseasonable weather and lower than normal temperatures could damage bedding plants and turf.

Mark Dawson writes for the the Loan Arrangers where you can compare loans and apply online for cheap payday loans, and the best rate secured loans.