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According to a recent report by estate agents Emoov, neat lawns and hedges, tidy pathways and attractive flowerbeds can boost a home’s value by around £5000.

So if you’re a keen gardener, your skills might make your house more attractive to potential buyers now or in the future.

Here are five projects for green-fingered over 50s who want to create garden goldmines.

1.       Treehouse

A treehouse adds value for potential purchasers with children, provided it’s sturdy and solid.

But these tree-borne leisure spaces aren’t just for kids — if you’ve got the requisite space, they can become chill-out areas, studies or even home offices.

Building an Ewok-style village like Finca Bellavista in Costa Rica adds a whole new dimension to your property, even if it has to be scaled-down to fit.

2.       Grass

We’ve established that a neat front lawn creates a superb first impression of your property, but there are more imaginative ways to use grasses for landscaping in larger gardens.

The different structures and textures of fountain grass, switch grass or reed grass lend themselves well to enhancing geometric garden designs and creating natural organic borders and boundaries.

Buying a variety of grasses in various colours also allows you to use them in attractive displays — flowers aren’t the only plants that are aesthetically pleasing.

3.       Rock garden

Landscaping with stones and rocks has been popular since the days of Fred Flintstone — and with a little imagination, it can transform your garden environment.

Embedding different sizes and textures of stones in a slope with intermittent spaces for plants is the formula for a stunning rockery — but alternatively, you can even create a miniature hill with compacted rocks and soil.

Selecting your own rocks from a supplier like Marchington Stone ensures your garden design will be completely unique.

4.       Fire pit

Controlled fire injects a little elemental magic in your garden and few features are more fun than a fire pit.

Pick a prime spot in your garden to dig your foundation, then build up a few brick layers to the desired height.

You’ve now created the perfect place to toast marshmallows and braise burgers.

5.       Water feature

Water features like fountains and ponds look lovely and make your garden environment soothing and relaxing.

You can choose a design that’s purely decorative or one that hosts fish or frogs — the choice is yours. But to keep children safe, be sure to buy a cover for pool-type features, no matter the depth.

Buying pumps and pond liners from a firm like Water Garden UK ensures your finished product will have more thrills than spills.

Pick the green-fingered project that’s most appealing from this fab five and prepare to strike gold with your garden.

Are you good in the garden? Share your tips in the comments section.