'Ensure gardens are protected' this bank holiday

16:20 21st May 2008

As the bank holiday weekend approaches, horticultural enthusiasts have been urged to make sure that they have enough insurance in place to protect their green spaces.

Price comparison site moneysupermarket.com notes that many people will use the long weekend as an opportunity to spend time sprucing up their gardens, entertain outside or get away from it all by going away for a few days.

Head of insurance research at the financial services provider Peter Gerrard advises consumers to make sure that everything is still in order when the bank holiday is over by ensuring that an appropriate level of cover is in place.

"A lawnmower or other expensive items such as a barbecue or heater in your garden can be easy targets for thieves. If you have a landscaped garden with expensive plants or small elaborate statues, you would also be well advised to check the amount of garden cover you have," he states.

Earlier this month, insurer esure noted that 11 per cent of homeowners intends to spend more than £500 on their gardens this year.