The survey into the nation’s backyards found that the contents of the average garden are worth £1,237, while one in 10 gardens are filled with goodies worth over £3,000. In a typical garden, the most expensive single item is on average £426 but one in 20 gardens contain an item worth over £1,000.

One third of gardens has ornamental plants, one quarter has statues and ornaments while 22% have a water feature. Almost one in 10 have a patio heater while 6% have a sun house. And Brits plan to splash out further on their gardens this summer. Half spend £200 on their garden every year while 3% spend over £750. Top of the gardener’s ‘wish list’ for 2008 is a wallet-busting hot tub, followed by decking and water features.

But despite spending so much on their gardens, most Brits don’t know whether they are insured properly. Over half have never checked that their garden contents are included on their home insurance, while 87% don’t review the value of their gardens each year to make sure they are covered. But Lloyds TSB Insurance warns that accidents do happen. Last year, the insurer processed 5,244 garden claims with an average value of £726.

Phil Loney, managing director of Lloyds TSB Insurance, said: “Everyone knows that we Brits are a nation of green-fingered garden lovers who like nothing better than spending time in the great outdoors. It’s hard to put a price on the pleasure of a barbeque on a summer’s evening, but gardeners should stop to think exactly how much their backyards are worth.

“With all the gadgets and goodies that are available, they can quickly add up and gardeners run the risk of being under insured. A typical garden claim for Lloyds TSB Insurance is over £700; but in our survey, Brits estimated their backyards to be worth on average £1,237. Home insurance policies vary greatly and often have limits on how much they cover outside. Take time to calculate the value of everything outdoors and choose a policy to suit your gardening needs.”