A new survey by Lloyds TSB Insurance has highlighted the need for UK homeowners to seek out house insurance which also covers the contents of their garden .
According to findings by the insurer, the UKs gardens are being turned into small goldmines containing up to £18.6 billion worth of exotic plants, hi-tech tools, statues and ornaments and luxury furniture .
The research discovered that an average garden in Britain contains £1,237 worth of items and ten per cent are filled with contents worth over £3,000.
However, despite the high value of many gardens, half of those surveyed by the insurer admitted they had never checked to see if their home insurance policy included cover for garden contents .
Phil Loney, managing director of Lloyds TSB Insurance, explained: "Home insurance policies vary greatly and often have limits on how much they cover outside."
"With all the gadgets and goodies that are available, they can quickly add up and gardeners run the risk of being under-insured."
Loney added that people should "take time" to calculate the value of all their outdoor items and "choose a policy to suit their gardening needs".
The research revealed that 50 per cent of Brits spend £200 on their garden every year while 3 per cent spend £750. Top of peoples wish list for 2008 is a hot-tub followed by decking and water features.
A quarter of those polled were also found to be spending more than six hours a week in their outside space during the spring and summer months.
