The Block 2023: Will garden week prove the difference on auction day?
Gardens can be those curious parts of a property that are often overlooked, especially when it comes to renovating, and definitely when it comes to budget allocation. It’s almost as if some think of a garden as an afterthought, or somehow not deserving. Complete balderdash!
Gardens can change your life. They are good for you. They are good for the planet. They can make the most ordinary of houses shine. They add heart and soul to a property, as well as value. According to Domain research, houses with front gardens have a median price of $80,000 more than houses that don’t.
Thankfully on The Block this week some of the teams understood just what a difference a lush and well integrated garden can make to a property.
It’s not a coincidence that the two strongest gardens this week each had huge, beautiful mature trees in them. I loved that Leah and Ash, as well as Steph and Gian, celebrated these towering giants and incorporated them into their garden’s design.
Also, a deck. Aside from building out or up, there is no greater way to extend the footprint of a house.
Case in point: A few weeks ago, Leah and Ash were copping flak for not having a big enough living and dining space … and this week, voila. The clever way they connected that deck so seamlessly has now given them more square meterage, and it’s transformed their whole home
Steph and Gian did a beautiful job with all 230 square metres of their garden.
Bigger is often harder when it comes to green spaces, but theirs was thoughtfully and strategically divided, and executed to perfection. And if that’s what it looks like now, just imagine how it will look when it grows.
For the record, here are things I don’t think a garden needs: a pizza oven, a sauna or a fire pit (but I acknowledge most would be nice and fun to have). And of course, a garden does not need a pool, but they are a luxury many Aussies enjoy.
Now this may fall into the category of unpopular opinion, but I would have liked one of the houses, at least, to have been brave enough to forgo a pool. Yes, you read correctly.
One team to have had the courage to show us how they could have worked the outdoor space more generously, with deeper garden beds, more lawn, elegant stone paving and an increased sense of space.
There’s no harm done by the fact that all the houses do have pools, but believe it or not, not everybody wants one – and that could have been a differentiator on auction day.
Having said that, the fact these houses have a decent outdoor space is a win, as it’s increasingly becoming a rarity in urban living.
Dave Franklin summed it up perfectly when he saw Steph and Gian’s space and said, “This is a gardener’s garden.” He’s spot on.
And the best bit? The hard work has been done and now it’s time for someone to sit back and watch it bloom.
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