Plan the garden properly – from the swimming pond to the herb bed

Planning a garden – a well-kept garden is not only a place of relaxation, but for premium real estate, it is one of the largest value levers of all. Studies show: A professionally designed outdoor area can increase the market value of a house by 5 to 15 percent – for a villa priced at 1.2 million euros, that’s quickly 60,000 to 180,000 euros more revenue. From a self-built herb garden to an 80,000-euro swimming pool: We show which elements are worth the investment, what they cost, and what owners and investors need to pay attention to.

Garden as a value lever – why outdoor areas decide the selling price

Buyers decide within the first 30 seconds whether a property is worth considering – and the first impression is formed outside. In front of the house door, in the front garden, when looking from the living room window onto the terrace. Whoever wants to sell a villa knows: The garden is part of the lifestyle promise. In a classic row house, the value contribution of the garden is around 5–8 %, in detached houses 8–12 %, and in villas and country houses sometimes over 15 %.

Value contribution of different garden elements (approximate values)

Element	Investment (€)	Appreciation (€)	ROI at Sale
Professional garden path (natural stone)	4,000–12,000	6,000–18,000	~150 %
Terrace (40 m², high-end)	15,000–35,000	20,000–50,000	~140 %
Swimming pond (80 m²)	30,000–80,000	15,000–60,000	50–80 %
Pool (classic)	40,000–120,000	20,000–70,000	40–60 %
Herb and raised beds	500–2,500	1,500–4,000	~200 %
Fire pit (masonry)	1,500–6,000	3,000–8,000	~150 %
Professional lighting	3,000–10,000	5,000–15,000	~150 %

Important: Pools and swimming ponds do not amortize 1:1 through the selling price – their value lies in the lifestyle and the speed of marketing. Anyone who wants to calculate this should determine the market value and apply the method of asset valuation before making larger investments, as outdoor installations are evaluated separately there.

Garden Planning – Step by Step to Your Dream Garden

Every good garden plan starts not with a spade, but with paper, a site plan, and a budget. Those who improvise here end up building twice – and that gets expensive. Professionals work with a clear 5-stage model:

The 5 Phases of Garden Planning

1. Inventory: Soil condition, sun exposure, slope, existing trees, property boundaries, water and electricity connections.
2. Needs analysis: Family with children (lawn area, play area)? Investor (low maintenance, marketable)? Self-sufficient (beds, fruit trees)? Representative (villa look)?
3. Zoning: Entrance area, living area (terrace), utility area (beds), relaxation area, possibly water zone.
4. Material choice & style: Mediterranean, modern, nature-inspired, English – consistency beats variety.
5. Implementation & maintenance concept: What to do yourself, what to leave to a professional? Who will maintain it in the long term?

Rule of thumb for garden installations

• Beginner’s budget: 5–10 % of the property value (e.g. 25,000–50,000 € for a 500,000 € property)
• Premium budget: 10–20 % for villas and country houses
• Rule of thumb: 50–250 € per square metre of garden for new installations, depending on requirements

Whoever plans the garden as part of a property as an investment should pay particular attention to low maintenance – tenants rarely maintain gardens as thoroughly as owners.

Design a low-maintenance garden – enjoy instead of toil

The biggest planning mistake: Gardens are built for summer days, but maintained for 9 months of the year. Whoever hates mowing the lawn for 2 hours on the weekend needs a different concept than the hobby gardener. Time budget before design wish.

Maintenance effort of different garden styles

Style	Maintenance hours / week	Annual cost professional maintenance (500 m²)
English lawn garden	3–6 h	3,500–6,000 €
Stone garden / Mediterranean	0.5–1.5 h	800–1,800 €
Natural garden / wildflower meadow	1–2 h (seasonal)	1,000–2,500 €
Japanese Zen garden	2–4 h	2,500–4,500 €
Modern minimalist (gravel, grasses)	0.5–1 h	700–1,500 €

Top 7 low-maintenance tips

• Lawn mower robot (1,500–4,000 €) saves over 100 hours per year
• Irrigation system with timer (3,000–8,000 €)
• Mulching instead of weeding – reduces weeds by up to 80%
• Ground cover instead of lawn in border areas
• Native, site-appropriate plants instead of exotics
• Perennials instead of annual bedding plants
• Raised beds instead of ground-level beds – less bending, fewer snails

Build your own garden path – connection and structural element

A garden path is more than function – it visually divides the garden and guides the eye. The choice of material determines character and cost.

Material comparison for garden paths (per m²)

Material	Material cost	With installation	Lifespan
Gravel / Crushed stone	15–35 €	40–70 €	10–15 years
Concrete pavers	20–50 €	60–120 €	30+ years
Natural stone (granite)	50–150 €	120–280 €	50+ years
Wood (larch, oak)	40–90 €	80–160 €	10–25 years
Clay tiles	40–100 €	90–180 €	50+ years

Insider Tip: With higher-value real estate, natural stone pays off twice over – for the living experience and when later selling the house. Buyers in the premium segment pay attention to material quality.

Creating a Garden Pond – A Mini Oasis with Big Impact

A garden pond is the emotional centerpiece of many gardens. Already from 4 m² of water surface, a noticeable microclimate is created. Important: Clarity about purpose and maintenance before the first spade is dug.

Comparison of Pond Types

• Mini Pond (1–4 m²): 200–1,500 €, ideal for small gardens, filter not required
• Ornamental Pond with Fish (5–20 m²): 2,000–8,000 €, filter system mandatory
• Natural Pond (20–50 m²): 4,000–15,000 €, high ecological value
• Swimming Pond (from 50 m²): from 25,000 €, observe permit requirements

Important Rules

• Minimum depth of 80 cm, so that fish can overwinter
• Not directly under deciduous trees – otherwise the water will turn
• 1/3 planting zone, 1/3 shallow water, 1/3 deep water as a rule of thumb
• Check permits from around 100 m³ volume (varies by federal state)

Build your own fire pit – Element fire for more atmosphere

A fire pit extends the garden season from 5 to 9 months. From the mobile fire bowl (80 €) to the built outdoor lounge with gas fireplace (15,000 €), everything is possible.

Variants and costs

• Mobile fire bowl: 80–500 €, no construction effort
• Fire pit (DIY): 200–800 € material, one weekend to build
• Brick-built fire pit with seating: 1,500–6,000 €
• Outdoor fireplace / gas lounge: 5,000–20,000 €

Don’t forget legal requirements

• Minimum distance of 5 m to buildings and hedges
• Observe neighborhood law – smoke nuisance can be the subject of a lawsuit
• In some communities, notification or approval is required

Creating a herb garden – Enjoyment and decoration

A herb garden is the garden element with the strongest return on investment: 500 € investment, 200 € herb savings per year, plus increased value. Raised beds are the gold standard – fewer snails, less bending, longer season.

Top 10 hardy herbs for German gardens

• Rosemary (sunny, Mediterranean, perennial)
• Thyme (very low maintenance, perennial)
• Sage (winter-hardy, perennial)
• Parsley (biennial, semi-shaded)
• Oregano (perennial, sunny)
• Mint (plant separately – it spreads!)
• Chervil (perennial)
• Dill (Maggikraut, perennial)
• Hyssop
• Fennel

Raised bed vs. ground bed

Criteria	Raised bed	Ground bed
Purchase	200–1,500 €	50–300 €
Maintenance	Low	Moderate–High
Harvest season	March–November	April–October
Ergonomics	Very good	Bending required

Building a swimming pond – a big project with big impact

The swimming pond is the premium element par excellence – but no impulse buy. Anyone who wants to realize it needs space, budget and patience.

Requirements

• Minimum size: 50 m² total area (of which about 50% swimming zone)
• Minimum depth: 1.80 m for comfortable swimming
• Land size: at least 800–1,000 m² recommended
• Sun hours: at least 6 hours daily, otherwise algae
• Permit: required in many federal states from 100 m³ volume

Cost range

• Small swimming pond (50–80 m²): 25,000–50,000 €
• Standard swimming pond (80–150 m²): 50,000–90,000 €
• Natural pool (technical, clear water): 60,000–150,000 €
• Ongoing maintenance: 800–2,500 € per year
• Electricity costs pump: 200–600 € per year

Swimming pond vs. classic pool

Criterion	Swimming Pond	Classic Pool
Purchase	25,000–90,000 €	40,000–120,000 €
Chemistry required	No	Yes
Annual maintenance	800–2,500 €	1,500–4,000 €
Water temperature summer	20–24 °C	26–30 °C
Appearance / natural feel	Very high	Medium
Value added when selling	Medium-High	Medium

Before any major investment, it is advisable to take a look at the evaluate property factors – not every location justifies every investment.

Designing Small Gardens – Big Impact with Few Resources

Townhouses, row houses, patio gardens: 50–150 m² are the standard in urban areas. Here, every detail counts – and reduction beats variety.

The 5 Golden Rules for Small Gardens

• Use verticality: Trellises, climbing grids, and green walls create volume without sacrificing space
• Maximal 3 Materialien: Mehr