Invest in your garden to grow your home's value: report

New research has shown that spending money on improving your garden could add thousands of pounds to the value of your home.

According to Yorkshire Bank's quarterly homebuyers report, more and more homeowners are seeing their gardens as a means of adding value to their existing properties.

The study revealed that the value of a garden increases with the buyer's age so first time-buyers valued a garden at £4,361 while more established homeowners are willing to pay as much as £12,000 for a plot of green land.

Gary Lumby, Yorkshire Bank's head of retail, said: "Our research shows that gardens are highly prized and with so many willing to pay a premium for outdoor space, investing in your current garden could see the value of your house grow."

Richard Donnell, head of Savills' research development department, told the BBC that adding a loft conversion, building an extension or developing a garden plot are the real "value-adding winners".