Plants On The Move

Are you planning to move house this year? If so, Tamsin Westhorpe has advice on taking your garden with you.

- Tamsin Westhorpe

IT’S often said that moving to a new house is one of the most stressful things you can do. The experience is made even more emotional if you are leaving behind a much-loved garden. Plants and features hold memories, but with a little planning it is possible to take some of your plot with you.

Before I explain how to move your plants to another postcode, I should just clarify that it is completely wrong to remove plants or key features in large numbers without informing the prospective buyer. A good garden is often used as a selling point, and if it’s been dismantled when the new owners move in they could have reason to take legal action. So, be honest from the outset with your estate agent, solicitor, and buyer, and all will be rosy.

Gardener and writer Susie White has hands-on experience in moving a large number of plants from her previous garden in Northumberland. She had rented the site for many years and created a wonderful garden that was open to the public. It was agreed that she could take as many of the plants as she liked from the plot.