Totnes Gardening Middle October
Tidy-Up: How a Pre-Sale Garden Got Me Thinking.
By Kevin Hare | October 31, 2025
I spend most of my days working on my regular Totnes garden maintenance rounds, helping clients keep their spaces healthy and beautiful. But yesterday, I was called in for a different kind of job: a "lifesaver" tidy-up for an estate agent.
A house was about to go on the market, and the garden was... well, let's just say it had "potential."
It wasn't "wild" in the wonderful, ecological way I love to design—it was just overgrown and unloved. The lawn was a jungle, the hedges were blocking light, and the paths were hard to find. It was the kind of garden that potential buyers might see as a liability, not an asset.
So, I got to work. It was a full-scale transformation.
I did the works: heavy-duty grass cutting, serious hedge trimming to find the boundaries again, and a thorough weeding and leaf clearance to let the space breathe.
By the end of the day, the change was incredible. The garden went from being a source of stress to a picture of calm. It was a space you'd want to have a cup of tea in. It finally looked like it was part of a loved home.
It got me thinking all the way home. We know a messy garden can put buyers off, but I was struck by how much positive value a healthy, cared-for garden adds. That first impression is everything. It's not just "kerb appeal"; it’s a sign that the whole property is healthy and has been looked after.
When I got in, I looked it up, and the experts agree. A well-maintained garden can add thousands, sometimes up to 20%, to a home's value. That's a massive return for a day's work.
Here in Totnes, we're lucky to have such beautiful properties, from small town gardens to larger plots. But this October, as the growing season ends, it's the perfect time for that big seasonal garden clearance.
Whether you're thinking of selling, or you just want to transform your garden back into a space you love, this is the moment. Let's get it healthy, tidy, and ready for winter.
If your garden needs that "lifesaver" transformation, you know where I am.
— Kevin
Totnes garden jobs for October
Divide overgrown herbaceous perennials and established rhubarb crowns.
Cut back any early summer perennials that have died back.
Prune climbing roses.
Harvest apples, pears and nuts.
Plant early spring bulbs such as narcissi, fritillaries and spring crocus.
