London - The drive to be the best in the street is now such a turf war that two in five of us confess to spying on the efforts of our green-fingered neighbours.
And one in seven admit the garden next door turns them green with envy.
Nearly one in eight – 12 percent – have taken a quick photograph of a garden they like so they can recreate the look at home. It is not just a battle to have the best roses or most perfect lawn, there is even a keen rivalry when it comes to who has the swankiest barbecue or the most elaborate water feature.
As a result, British households are spending up to £14-billion a year on outdoor improvements, a survey indicates.
Nine percent admit to spending more on their garden than the inside of the house. That is because as well as buying blooms and shrubs, households are splashing out on summer houses, ponds and patios.
Annual spending on gardens works out at £657 per household, according to QVC.
Asked which garden improvements they would most like to have, 38 percent said a souped-up barbecue, while 37 percent wanted a summer house or water feature.
But not all improvements have to be costly – experts say that by spring-cleaning paving and patios, feeding lawns and brightening outdoor spaces with plant-filled tubs or hanging baskets, any homeowner can give their garden a quick facelift on the cheap.
Daily Mail