Estate agents say a plant can add 5% to a home’s value

Wisteria, currently in full bloom throughout the UK, can add up to 5 per cent to the price of your home – so enamored are homebuyers with the look of the drooping purple flowers.

Last year, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) reported a surge in demand for the English garden favorite, which grows gently over masonry before exploding in color in spring.

It’s a staple of British period dramas, with the Netflix series Bridgerton apparently sparking a huge demand for pots of it after its final season aired in 2022.

Blooming for weeks between April and June – and occasionally offering a second bloom at the end of summer, wisteria can transform the look of a home when it blooms.

Add a fragrant scent and it’s no wonder homeowners are tempted by the flower when they might be purchasing a property.

An established standard wisteria plant costs around £40, but estate agents have predicted it could add up to 5 per cent to a home’s value – making a nice return.

Rosebie Morton, founder of The Real Flower Company, says people looking for the dream home are often tempted by an ambrosial exterior aesthetic.

She tells FEMAIL: “Buying a home can be an incredibly emotional process and there is plenty of research linking smell and emotion.

‘Wisteria not only looks beautiful, it is also a very fragrant flower with musky notes that linger in the air and evoke the feeling of being in the English countryside wherever you are.

“Potential buyers who experience this when they walk through your front door already associate the property with positivity and form an emotional bond with the home.”

She does warn that the plant is It matures slowly, so you’re unlikely to buy a pot now and hope for immediate flowering: ‘Those who want to replicate the effect can wait up to five years for the plant to flower, depending on how it was bought or grown.

“However, for some buyers, it may be just as appealing to have a fully grown wisteria plant adorning the front of a house or doorway.”

And the plant also does well for the rest of your garden, says Sam Jenkinson, garden expert at shed specialist Tiger.

An established standard wisteria plant costs around £40, but estate agents have predicted it can add up to 5 per cent to a home’s value – making a nice return (stock image)

He says: ‘Wisteria has a long history in British garden culture and the quintessential associations it has bring a touch of nostalgia and heritage to a traditional home or garden.

‘Wisteria flowers not only look beautiful, but also attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators, adding to the biodiversity of a garden that is hugely relevant in the gardening world right now and the trend of renaturalising continues to grow .’

HOW WISTERIA CAN ADD VALUE TO YOUR HOME

USE IT TO FRAME OUTSIDE LIVING AREA

Sam revealed: ‘Wisteria can be used to create inviting outdoor spaces.

Planting wisteria near a sitting area or near garden sheds or pergolas to curl up against allows homeowners to enjoy the shade, fragrance and beauty while relaxing or entertaining outdoors.

‘Such well-designed outdoor spaces can increase the usable area of ​​a home and add to its overall value.

A NATURAL PRIVACY SCREEN

‘Wisteria can act as a natural privacy screen when grown along fences, walls or trellises.

The dense foliage and climbing habit can provide a sense of seclusion and add privacy to a home’s outdoor areas.

This feature could be especially appealing to potential buyers looking for privacy in their backyard.

MEMORABILITY FACTOR

‘Homes with well-maintained gardens and attractive green areas are generally more attractive to the market.

‘Wisteria, with its aesthetic charm and association with traditional English gardens, can add to a property’s overall appeal.

“It can make a home more memorable and attractive to potential buyers, potentially leading to a higher sale price or faster sale.”