Front Gardens Flourish Anew: Green-Fingered Britons Embrace Plants Over Paving

Across the United Kingdom, a green revolution is taking root as more and more Britons trade in paving and gravel for lush vegetation in their front gardens, according to a recent survey.

The survey, conducted for the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), revealed a significant shift towards greener front gardens, with twice as many people reporting that the area in front of their homes is now entirely planted compared to five years ago. This surge in greenery has led to the creation of almost 40 square miles of plants, trees, and grass since 2015, signaling a positive trend towards urban biodiversity and sustainability.

Notable examples of this botanical resurgence include Dee Hart Dyke’s enchanting garden at Hambledon House, which has been open to the public for 27 years as part of the National Garden Scheme, and Brian Stockley’s delightful front garden in Wiltshire, adorned with a dazzling array of bluebells and daffodils.

The RHS emphasizes the myriad benefits of greener front gardens, citing improvements in mental and physical health, support for wildlife, rainwater conservation, enhanced air quality, and urban cooling during the summer months. Despite the progress, however, the survey also revealed that a third of front gardens still lack greenery, indicating that there is still much work to be done.

Professor Alistair Griffiths, Director of Science and Collections at the RHS, expresses optimism about the shifting trend towards greener front gardens, suggesting that increased interest in gardening during the pandemic has played a significant role. The RHS has long advocated for the importance of incorporating plants into front gardens through initiatives like the Greening Great Britain campaign, launched in 2015.

As interest in gardening continues to soar, the RHS looks ahead to the opening of RHS Hilltop at Wisley garden in Surrey. This new garden space, set to open in June, will showcase the latest gardening science, provide learning facilities, and feature four acres of “living laboratory” gardens, promoting the transformative power of plants for health, wellbeing, and the environment.

In a bid to further encourage greenery, regulations implemented since 2008 require planning permission for paving or concreting more than five square meters of garden, unless a permeable surface that allows drainage into the soil is used.

As the nation’s front gardens burst forth with vibrant blooms and verdant foliage, it’s clear that green-fingered Britons are leading the charge towards a more sustainable and biodiverse urban landscape, one garden at a time.