TOWN GARDEN

No matter how small a garden, there are things that can be done to make it appeal to a buyer. Even if you have only a patio, most of them still apply. The important thing is to make the garden a welcoming place for people - and one that also happens to be green.

Housekeeping: Never underestimate the power of good housekeeping; a little spit and polish can double a garden's feelgood factor.

Make sure the lawn is mown, even in winter, so it's clear that somebody cares. Cut the edges too; thatmakes a garden shine. If there are worn patches of grass, buy a few rolls of turf from the garden centre and cut them in to replace the shabby parts. Think carpet tiles.

Replace dead perennials so there are no gaps in the borders. Dead trees and shrubs need removing too: buyers worry about rampant disease and what they will do about it. The smaller shrubs can be dug out and replaced either with more shrubs or perennials, such as pittosporum Tom Thumb or lavender. Bigger ones are probably better cut down if removing the stump means too much mud and mess.

Fix mechanical problems outdoors as you would a dripping tap indoors. Make sure shed doors and gates work. If there's a water feature keep it in constant working order and don't put it to bed for the winter; there is nothing so depressing as an empty pool or dead fountain. Show the estate agent how it switches on so it is working when people come to view.

It is worth spending a little money to fix things that will shout expense at a buyer: fences that flap because a post has rotted at the base, gutters wrenched from the wall by a Rambling Rector...Make sure you can see out of the windows; one person's romantic peep-hole is another's overgrown cave. If there are painted walls green with algae, hose them off and freshen them up with a lick of paint. Keep the paths clean. Scrub the garden furniture and leave it in position, come rain or come shine.

And never forget the tip trip. Bag up that eddy of empty plant pots and dead foil barbecues and punctured footballs and tins of paint and the grassbox from the last-but-one lawnmower and do the honourable thing: dump them. Do anything in fact which makes the place look loved and loveable.

Attractive additions: Extend a small patio so there is room for a generous table and chairs. Make a second seating area elsewhere, perhaps in the shade, and buy a good-quality seat for it (if you become too fond of it you can exclude it from the sale). A seat is often the most significant ornament in a small garden and it's worth getting something of the best quality, perhaps to be a focus from the house.

Garden lighting is attractive but don't spend a fortune on it; it's the possibility of night use that is so appealing to the buyer. The same goes for water features; something easily installed to trickle away and mask the background sounds of the city will always tweak a garden's atmosphere. If you can afford only something tacky, leave water well alone. Bad water scores maximum points on the naff Richter scale.

Go to town on the other senses too. A garden can never have too much perfume in it. Have pots of lilies around the doors and plant things that are aromatic or which flower young in their life: honeysuckle, philadelphus, azaleas, a rosemary or lavender hedge. Have soft grasses to touch as you go by. If the garden is too small to hide the shed, flaunt it. Give it the gypsy caravan or striped beach-hut or gingerbread cottage treatment.

Top tips for small gardens
Ensure there is a generous, sunny paved area.
Ensure there are good chairs and a table.
Mow lawn, sweep paths and remove junk.
Repair fence/shed/gate.
Plant herbs and aromatic/perfumed plants near house.
Bring the garden to life with water or lighting.

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