£2.9m currently spent on gardens ending up in ditch due to flooding

British people are wasting millions of pounds on their gardens due to a low understanding of the threats posed by flooding.

That was according to Flood Re, which has revealed that more than £2m currently spent on gardens was ending up in the ditch due to flooding.

Last year, Brits spent £17.6bn on their gardens – an average of £402 per UK adult.

However, Flood Re said a low awareness of their flood risk meant they were currently wasting £2.9m on their gardens, which are being battered by heavy rain and surface water flooding.   

In total, only 5% of people living in high-risk areas could correctly identify their flood risk and 68% of people in high-risk flood areas thought their flood risk is low.  

National Gardening Week

With February 2024 being the wettest on record for over 250 years and 1 in 4 homes in the UK at risk of flooding, Flood Re is urging people to “get smart” about their gardening spend this National Gardening Week.

The joint initiative between the UK government and the insurance industry also highlighted its Build Back Better scheme, which allows eligible customers with specific home insurers to receive up to £10,000 as part of a claim.

Andy Bord, chief executive of Flood Re, said: “The research clearly shows there is a job to be done to educate people about their flood risk. Gardens are cherished spaces that bring joy to so many of us, so why wouldn’t we want to not only protect them from harm but actively harness their power to prevent them from future damage?

”Your garden can be both beautiful and resilient to extreme wet weather. We’re hopeful this research and the Flood Resilient Garden will help people think about their flood risk and consider the plants and garden features that will both endure a flood and help reduce destruction and distress to their home when a flood hits.”