Ideas to Make the Most out of Your Cottage Garden

Having a garden or outdoor space at your property has become a highly requested feature for guests when booking a staycation.

In our Sykes Holiday Cottages Staycation Index 2022, gardens and outdoor spaces were #1 in the top property features influencing Brits’ choice of holiday accommodation in the UK.

Read more to find out our top tips for improving the outdoor spaces of your holiday let.

Privacy

When arriving at a holiday property, knowing you have enclosed outdoor space is a major plus point for any holiday home.

This is also a must for families with young children, having that extra security just allows guests to enjoy their stay even more. Catering for people who holiday with their pets will also require certain enclosed spaces and fenced-off areas.

35% of bookings in 2022 on the Sykes website contained a dog on the booking form, this is up from 33% in 2021. Highlighting your property as a dog-friendly cottage with an enclosed garden will certainly help maximise your property listing.

Privacy is also key if you are adding a hot tub to the property, making sure it is in a private location and under an enclosed space allows guests to fully relax during their holiday.

Parking

Off-road parking has become more popular in guest searches over recent years. The last thing guests want after a long journey to the property is to be worrying about where they are going to park.This can be difficult to provide if your property is in a town or city, but it could be an option to have a parking permit close by, or ask the council to have a dedicated space outside the property if possible.

If your property has some extra outdoor space though, it may be worth considering having a parking space added to the property. With purchases of electric vehicles on the rise, it may also be time to look into electric car charging points.

For more information, here is our guide for Electric Car Charging Points for Holiday Lets

Lawn

Caring for your lawn can be a time-consuming part of garden maintenance due to the number of times you need to cut it. This is especially true for larger properties with equally larger gardens.

This could be a situation where employing a gardener or maintenance manager could be a more time-saving solution. This of course would have to be added to the property’s costs but could save the weekly trips during the summer months.

Considering reducing the size of the lawn area is also an option, allowing you to maintain the area easier and will take up less time when it comes to mowing the grass.

• To keep your grass in top condition, think about raising the cutting height on your lawnmower so that the grass is no shorter than an inch or so. This can help prevent your lawn from getting mossy and succumbing to drought problems (This will mean having less time between cuts though)

Artificial grass

There is also an alternative, which is having artificial grass added. This is a low-maintenance option and will save time from doing the lawn altogether.

The quality of AstroTurf has improved over the last few years and has become a popular option for holiday lets. Choose the right one and it will be fade resistant and can last between 8-15 years. The only maintenance needed will be the odd brush or water to clean.

Paved areas or decking

Laying down a stone patio could also be a consideration; this would allow more time to concentrate on other garden projects and would also be a nice area for guests to sit out on a summer’s evening.

Adding a patio or decking can be better for accessibility for families who may need access with pushchairs or wheelchairs.

Please note: Wood decking will need to be cleaned and treated, which can be a time-consuming task.

If you have sections of the cottage garden that are shadier and can be difficult for grass to grow, having wood chipping can be a great option. Wood chippings are good for protecting the soil and suppressing weeds.

Wood chippings also won’t need to be re-applied for a long time after the initial layer, this is due to it decomposing slowly.

Plants & Trees

Having a garden with a wide collection of beautiful looking flowers and plants may be enticing, but having to maintain these types of plants can become hard work.

With the property being used as a holiday let, making sure you have the correct plants and flowers for the property is important. It will be best not to add flowers that will need a lot of attention, this can include tasks such as deadheading and regular feeding.

It’s best to choose plants that will need less care when you are not around unless you have a property manager or gardener that can look after them regularly.

It will also be best to have perennial plants at a holiday property, they will live year after year and will need less time and attention than annual plants, which will need to be re-planted each year.

Garden Furniture

A selection of furniture outside the property would be a nice addition to the area, there are many products that can be perfect for larger or smaller spaces depending on the size of your outside garden area.

Check when purchasing furniture if you are going to allow guests to use it all year round. If the furniture will be used during the winter period, make sure it is durable and that you have storage areas to be able to keep cushions and throws dry and away from damage.

Materials such as iron should be avoided for garden furniture, these items may look elegant at the time of purchase but will rust after a while if not looked after correctly. Basic plastic furniture is another one to avoid, this can be the cheaper option but can look unappealing and will have more chance of being damaged and or cracked over time.There is of course no such thing as a fully maintenance-free garden. The outdoor area of your property will need an update occasionally, no matter what type of plants or lawn you have.

How to Make the Most of Your Cottage Grounds

With gardens being a popular option with guests, we have put together several potential features that could be added to your property grounds to help your listing and offer guests a more luxurious experience.

Holiday Cottages with Smaller Grounds

For holiday cottages that have less space to play with, there are still plenty of ways that you can make your outside areas more appealing. Small, perfectly formed gardens and patios can still be a big selling point for any holiday home and here are just a few of our suggestions to help you make the most of your grounds:

Patio Furniture

Whether it is a garden bench for reading in the sunshine or a table and chairs for outside dining, having durable and stylish furniture can capture guests’ attention both on the listing site and in person.

Nobody wants to be stuck inside when it is sunny, so having this option, if possible, for your small cottage garden will make it stand out.

Fire Pits

Even with a smaller garden, there are still features that can make a great impression on guests. Having a firepit is one of these options, allowing guests to be able to gather around on summer evenings and enjoy their time into the later hours.

Options like this may lead to positive reviews and see guests book the property again.

• Please be aware that with fire pits, BBQs or woodburning stoves, you will need to leave a starter pack for each guest, including matches or firelighters. Then make guests aware of local shops that offer these products.

Hot Tubs

Investing in a hot tub would be an additional selling point for the property and could see guests more likely to book. Bookings for properties with hot tubs are up 36% compared to 2021.

This feature adds an extra bit of luxury to a cottage or property with smaller grounds. Having a hot tub installed is almost guaranteed to be in high demand, with customers contacting us constantly enquiring about properties with hot tubs.

For more information on Hot Tubs for Holiday Lets

Holiday Cottages with Large Grounds

For holiday cottages with lots of outside space, the possibilities are endless. All too often, large grounds can be neglected and lacking in imagination, though they offer the potential to make your cottage stand out. So here are just a few tips on ways that you can take advantage of your large grounds:

Tennis Courts

If you have plenty of space, an addition of a tennis court can make your property a great attraction, although it will be a high outright cost, your rental amount will be increased with the addition of the feature.

Having rackets and tennis balls as part of the welcome pack is a nice touch but maybe let guests know in advance as they might consider bringing their own if not supplied.

Swimming Pools

A top luxury item for your property grounds is of course a swimming pool. This is a perfect feature to make the most of your cottage grounds.

Children and adults alike will love splashing about in the pool in good weather, adding extras such as inflatables or some pool games will only add to their fun.

Consider if you would like this feature to be used seasonally or yearly. An enclosure around the swimming pool may need to be considered for use in the winter months.