One in five of us are embarrassed by our gardens

Despite nearly half (49%) of Brits saying it is important for them to keep their garden looking nice, it can be a battle to keep on top of it and make sure it always looks bloomin’ lovely.

Taskrabbit has today revealed that even with the best of intentions and efforts, neighbours are leaving Brits self-conscious and ashamed, with one in five (21%) saying they feel embarrassed about the state of their gardens as they don’t live up to their neighbour’s standards, and 52% admitting they don’t pay enough attention to the appearance of their property.

The two-way network, which connects skilled, reliable Taskers with those needing help with household jobs, found that Brits are positively green with envy and jealousy is ripe. In fact, 49% admit they are jealous of their neighbours' perfectly pruned gardens, their garden furniture (48%) or their great size garden (43%). Gardening items topped the lust list, being found to be more enviable than a pantry (26%) a sauna or hot tub (26%), or even kitchen islands (33%)

Indeed, having neighbours with enviable gardens only increases the pressure to raise the standard of Brits’ own lawns, with 44% saying they have made their garden neater in response, and 37% admitting to buying garden accessories or furniture just to impress their neighbours or friends. And it’s not for naught; three quarters of the nation (75%) say they wouldn’t hesitate to complain about a neighbour’s garden, and two in five (42%) say they have previously judged a neighbour because of the state of their lawn.

The research also revealed that when it comes to certain tasks in the garden, it’s all too easy for them to drop to the bottom of the list, as almost three quarters (73%) admit to putting off gardening.

The top gardening tasks Brits can’t help but put off are:

1. Weeding (43%)
2. Raking leaves (31%)
3. Cleaning garden furniture (30%)
4. Cutting back trees and bushes (28%)
5. Making general repairs (28%)
6. Strimming the grass (25%)
7. Painting a fence (24%)
8. Deadheading (23%)
9. Mowing the lawn (21%)
10. Pressure washing the patio (16%)

First impressions clearly count, as over a third (36%) say that they think a well-groomed garden is the best way to make a good impression on a guest before they even enter the house.

To help people ensure they make a good first impression on their guests and rid themselves of garden shame, award-winning horticulturist and presenter Michael Perry, AKA Mr Plant Geek, shares some of his top tips on how to achieve a gorgeous, flourishing garden which is bound to impress.

1. A quick spritz of your frontage can work wonders. Grab a pressure washer and get concrete, brickwork and tiles shining in next to no time. You'll give everything a new lease of life and help it last longer too!
2. Plant a 'graffiti garden' with evergreen shrubs. This isn’t quite how it first sounds; it’s the use of shrubs with colourful foliage which help to create real impact in your garden. They are also evergreen, so won't lose their leaves in the winter so will keep the garden looking smart whilst being low maintenance through every season.
3. Get a helping hand. If, like many people, you find the task of tidying your outdoor space a little overwhelming, it's no bad thing to get someone else involved. Hiring a Tasker from Taskrabbit means they’ll be able to help you get on top of things and use any tools that you may not be sure about. Taskrabbit can assist with all garden tidying needs, so you can remain accident-free and the envy of the town.
4. Sow hardy annual flowers. It's as easy as scattering a few seedballs onto the surface of the soil. Nasturtiums, cornflowers, and Californian poppies are all easy to grow from seeds and they’ll flower quickly for any impatient gardeners who can’t wait to see the results. These flowers can be sown as late as mid-June for flowers the same summer!
5. Driveways don't have to be bare. How about planting between the cracks of your paving slabs, or interplanting gravelled areas with some fragrant thyme. Thyme is durable and will give you a feel-good waft every time you step on it! Delicious.

A lack of knowledge around how best to use garden tools may be one of the biggest reasons lawn mowers are abandoned across the land. Indeed, one in four (25%) admit they’re not confident using some form of gardening tool, with tree loppers (61%), edge trimmers (35%) and lawn strimmers (30%) causing the most confusion for Brits. It comes to light that Gen Zers were the most puzzled by garden tools with a third (33%) saying they wouldn’t confidently know how to use one, compared to just 16% of Baby Boomers.

This is clearly reflected in the accidents experienced when gardening, as over half (56%) of respondents who said they had an accident whilst gardening cut themselves in some form. But cuts and scrapes aren’t the only disasters which came as a result of trying to tackle their garden themselves. One respondent even reported they had set fire to their decking, and another said they broke their ankle when a large bird flew into them whilst they were gardening.

Begüm Zarmann, Managing Director at Taskrabbit Europe said: “After a long winter where gardening has been the last thing on our minds, it’s no wonder Brits have said they’re feeling some level of garden shame after letting things get messy. There are more than 1,200 green-fingered Taskers registered on the platform across the UK, who are on hand to help out with garden jobs, whether you need a hand with lawn mowing, weeding, repairing a fence or assembling garden furniture.”