Trying to sell your house? You'll have to chop down that wisteria

So if you're thinking of putting your home on the market, it may come as something of a shock to learn the first thing you should do to boost its value is chop down your treasured wisteria.

Remarkably, the elegant climber has been voted one the plants most likely to put potential buyers off a property - and leaving it in place could wipe thousands off your eventual sale price.

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Despite their graceful blooms, wisterias can deter househunters because of the maintenance and regular pruning they require. Less surprisingly, the survey of 6,000 property buyers also identified conifers and ivy as undesirable plants - and Leylandii trees topped the poll, with seven out of ten people expressing concern about the speed they grow and potential complaints from neighbours.

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Other entries in the top ten reflected the fact that some plants are now considered hopelessly out of fashion.

Pampas grass came in at number three, with 55 per cent saying they would be put off a property by its Seventies look. Magnolias, geraniums, bamboo, carnations and privet hedges are also seen to be out of date.

But it is not just plants that can devalue your property - two-thirds of those surveyed said the humble garden gnome would also create the wrong first impression.

Pets buried in the garden are also a big turn-off, as are water features, which many felt were dangerous to children and 'too individual' to fit in with their tastes. Scruffy greenhouses, ramshackle sheds, poor fencing and extravagant Christmas decorations also devalue a house.

Peter Bolton King, of the National Association of Estate Agents, said: "It all comes down to impressions. Anything with a bad reputation or that does not cater to the tastes of the average buyer is likely to be a deterrent for many."

Sven Wombwell, garden expert on website uktvgardens.co.uk, which commissioned the research, said he was not surprised by its findings.

"People are far more particular now about what they want from a garden," he said. "First impressions count for everything when selling a house and the state of your garden and what it contains can make or break a deal.

"Homes with unpopular plants such as Leylandii can be unpopular with buyers so are harder to sell and may well result in price reductions. It is hard to put a figure on it, but I have heard of thousands of pounds being chopped off some properties with big Leylandii. After all, it's usually the garden that people see first."

Happily, there are plants that can add value to your home. Roses topped the list, with 79 per cent saying they improved a property, while jasmine followed with 65 per cent and lavender with 62. Well-kept lawns and vegetable patches were also considered desirable.