UK houses – and subsequently UK gardens – are getting smaller. If you have bought a newly built house in recent years, chances are, things are feeling a little cosier than they might have been if you had bought one in the 1970s.

Put simply, properties used to be built to offer more space back in the day. In fact, if you take living rooms as an example, you’ll find that room sizes grew from 237ft² to 268ft² between 1950 and 1970.

Fast forward to now, and you’ll be disappointed to hear that living rooms have shrunk to 195ft² (59m). This pattern is replicated across the home, with kitchens shrinking by 29ft² (8.8m) and master bedrooms by 27ft² (8.2m).

Less bang for your buck is never a good thing to hear, but the less-spoken-of tragedy is the one of shrinking UK gardens.

Gardens are crucial for our wellbeing. The University of Exeter found robust evidence of garden activities improving health, including cognitive recognition, stress reduction and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety.

This is one of the many reasons why it’s worrying to hear that gardens are shrinking, with huge disparity in garden sizes depending on the region and property type. Data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) in 2020 reveals that the total private outdoor space in Great Britain for houses is 6.7bn square metres, whereas flats (that, on average, share private outdoor space between 3.5 properties) have a combined total of 518.7m square metres.

If you’re lucky enough to have a private garden of your own, the amount that the average garden has shrunk by will depend largely on where in the country you live.

Unsurprisingly, London has the smallest average garden space at 196.50 square metres, followed by the North East at 211.7 and the North West at 243.60. If the odds are against you when it comes to finding a property with a spacious garden in your area, however, it might not all be doom and gloom.

We spoke to Chris Cooper, senior product manager and one of the battery lawnmower specialists behind Hayter Mowers, for his unique perspective on the issue of shrinking gardens. As someone who has spent years working to adapt lawn equipment to modern gardens, he’s developed a love for the compact garden – giving insight into their unique advantages for homeowners and garden lovers alike.

Cheaper to perfect

“Curating your perfect garden in a large outdoor space takes time, patience, a creative eye and – unavoidably – lots of money,” says Cooper. “There’s no way around it. Proper lawn equipment, landscaping, garden furniture, plants, pots to place them in and so on all add up to a hefty price tag, and that’s just scratching the surface.

“That’s one of the many advantages of a smaller garden. It’s far quicker, easier and cheaper to perfect. If you’re moving into a property where the garden hasn’t necessarily been maintained as well as you’d have liked, you will find that the process of renovating and styling your garden is much less strenuous than a large one. With a more flexible budget to fill the space, you’ll be the envy of others who have bigger gardens but lack the resources to properly do them justice.”

Easier to maintain

“Smaller gardens are far easier to maintain than larger ones,” says Cooper. “Especially for those with busy jobs and kids, large gardens can get out of hand really quickly, becoming more of an eyesore than a luxury. Small gardens, on the other hand, can be kept perfectly groomed, even when it feels like life is pulling you from pillar to post.

“For example, if you had the North East’s average garden size of 211.7 square metres, and you used a Harrier 41cm cutting-width mower with variable speed, it’d take you roughly 10-12 minutes to fully stripe your lawn when set to a speed of 3mph,” Cooper explains. “Compare this to a larger garden of 1000 square metres and you’re looking at spending between 40-42 minutes. In the grand scheme of things, a smaller garden can look its best in no time at all, leaving you to spend more time enjoying it than working on it.”

Quicker to change with the seasons

“Our gardens constantly evolve over the course of the year, especially in times of seasonal change or when we manage to save enough money for luxury renovations,” says Cooper. “One of the most noticeable times for this is the period between late summer and autumn – it’s a swan song to the warmer weather, combined with falling leaves, darker nights and new wildlife coming to visit.

“What I love about smaller gardens is their ability to adapt to new seasons quicker than larger ones. Bird baths can be moved to take advantage of the light, potted plants can be brought inside and plants can be pruned much more quickly,” Cooper continues. “And as all good gardeners know, the quicker we adapt our lawns to the new seasons, the better they thrive.

“The same can be said when landscaping smaller gardens. Big garden installations can be incredibly disruptive to yourself, your neighbours and the bio-diversity within your garden. However, I’ve seen small gardens fully landscaped in a quarter of the time of large ones (and presumably at less than half the price).”

More interesting to be in

“Necessity is the mother of invention, as they say,” Cooper laughs. “By that I mean this – big gardens do not equal better designs.

“When you’ve been in as many gardens as I have, you notice the time and effort that has gone into creating brilliant, pretty and clever garden designs when fitting plants into smaller spaces,” he continues. “You often find larger garden owners are hindered by too much opportunity and choice, ending up in a decision paralysis where they settle for bushes, plant beds and maybe a swing.

“Instead, take a look at any of the well-designed smaller gardens on TikTok and you’ll find a garden showcase of archways, vines, living walls, trellises, stackable plant pots – you name it. Small gardens encourage gardeners to focus on the areas that matter most, something which is really important for my final reason of why I think you should love smaller gardens.”

Perfect for cultivating intimacy

“Gardens should be personal, expressive and peaceful. A safe space between you, your loved ones, and nature; the perfect place for a cup of tea in the morning or to socialise with a bite to eat. These experiences are far more intimate in a smaller garden than a huge expanse,” says Cooper.

“Small gardens encourage intimacy, especially gardens with cornered-off areas for seating or socialising. Stepping out into a controlled, well-cared-for space with your family and friends is one of the best privileges of owning a garden – which is why I find smaller gardens perfect for making these kinds of memories.”

Will garden size play a factor in where you consider buying?

Now you’ve heard the expert’s take on the garden size debate, will the average size of a garden still affect your decision to move? Regardless of whether you prefer massive lawns or an intimate garden oasis, we have compiled the average garden size in every region of the UK for your peace of mind.

Are you starting your garden plans ready for spring next year? This is the best time of year to start, so make sure you factor in size when it comes to creating your dream garden.