However, unless you have been a real clever clogs since the time you bought the property years back, and planned a dream patio and garden that has delightfully matured, then that dried-out patch of grass now burning brown in the sun or the cracked concrete yard dotted with dandelions, is hardly going to hack it as the fashionable 'outdoor room'.

With Ireland set to host its very own version of the Chelsea Flower Show in the form of 'Bloom' in the Phoenix Park, and gardening generally enjoying a fashion revival of sorts, many are spending more on getting it right .

While it would be foolish to splash out on an elaborate, last minute landscaping and planting makeover, there are a number of garden improvements that will enhance the saleability of your property. We asked some of the experts for their advice on what will turn a buyer on . . . and off - in terms of that horticultural haven.

Damien Keane The former TV gardener, and now full-time garden designer, says that much more is expected of the proverbial room outside throughout the year.

Gardens have also, to a degree, fallen victim to the fashion police too, in terms of what's in and what's out.

"The good basics are to feed and water your lawn, and don't overcrowd a small garden with huge pieces of outdoor furniture. Much better is a neat metal table and chairs more fitting to the space, with a colourful lantern or candles. Keep everything compact, and without the garden looking like it has to be overly maintained.

"Chances are that most owners will have a 10ft square lawn with a smaller patio near the house, which can look a bit lacking in character. In that case, a large specimen tree in a huge pot adds instant drama, history and life to the whole property. I source a lot of mature container plants from Scalpwood Nurseries in Kilternan where they have everything from 30 feet high bamboo to 50-year-old olive trees in large containers. Yes, these are expensive, but you might arrange to take them with you when moving, or do a deal with the new owners.

"If there are 100 houses on the road, another way to make yours stand out from the crowd is to cover that serviceable timber fence with bamboo or wattle screening.

This can be bought in manageable rolls, tacked on, and it gives a wonderfully natural feel to the garden. Similarly, cover a dowdy old concrete yard with relatively inexpensive pebbles and beach cobbles. Buy several colours and lay in a pattern, or with a lighter 'path' of pebbles leading through a darker one and edged with a different colour of beach cobble . . . instant style."

Geralyn Byrne Don't get too caught up in the mathematical equations . . . it's about adding atmosphere as much as increasing the price when looking to your garden, says Geralyn Byrne from leading estate agency Sherry FitzGerald. Byrne says that when potential buyers view a home, (particularly at this time of year), they naturally gravitate through the house and into the garden.

"It has become a bit of a cliche, but the 'outdoor room' is very much seen as additional recreational space. A property is looked on in its entirety to include the garden. If the outdoor space is neglected, it reflects badly on the overall impression made. But that doesn't mean you have to spend a lot of money, and creating a welcome, inviting atmosphere is about thinking of who is going to buy, and then exploiting the size and scale.

"If it's a family home with a large garden, having a swing or a sandpit will be looked on favourably by the viewers.

"Think of having everything neat and trim, giving plants a short back and sides. A splash of seasonal colour, maybe just simple pots of geranium or marguerites which brighten up a plain patio or window sill.

"The trick is not to over-do the tidying-up bit. I remember a former client . . . a very talented interior designer . . .

would put cushions on the wooden garden seat, and leave a coffee mug and the newspaper on the table. A garden should look as inviting, and as naturally lived in, as a house."

Ciaran Kirwan Sculptor and garden designer Ciaran Kirwan knows about presentation . . . he will be flying the flag for Irish gardens at the Royal Horticultural Society Tatton Park Flower Show on 20 July with his entry. Get your agents on your side in terms of doing the garden justice, he advises, even before the first viewers come around.

"The photo in the agent's brochure can let the garden down, almost as if it were an after-thought, rather than an important part of the purchase. If you water the garden before the shots are taken, everything looks so much better. Similarly . . . if it hasn't been raining . . . give the lawn and the plants a dousing of water before people come to view. It makes everything sparkle.

"A deck the worse for wear also gets a fresh lease of life by being oiled. If your beds or borders look a bit spartan, buy a series of plants . . . multiples of the same kind . . . and plant the actual pots in the earth and keep them well watered. Really nice, large containers can highlight a good area . . . and draw the eye away from an eyesore. But avoid plastic as it's cheap and nasty looking.

Instead, go for terracotta or ceramic pots where possible.

"What you are aiming for is a garden with some personality, but again don't over-do it.

People have to be able to see themselves in it too."

Angela Binchy As director of Bord Bia and member of the GLDA (Garden and Landscape Designers Association), Angela Binchy has a strong background in gardening. She reiterates the fact that first impressions count . . . and they start at the front garden.

"A well maintained front garden will show-off the house. If there's time to re-sod a lawn that is worn, or if you are planning to sell later, now is a good time to re-seed a new lawn.

"There's a fine line between a romantically shaded garden and one that is simply overgrown, so prune back bushy shrubs. When you are living in a property, the eye only beholds sees what it wants to see . . . invariably, you overlook the eyesores. Such as refuse bins. They can be obscured somewhat with trellis on which you can train a climber.

"If the front garden is also a parking space, let the viewers see it. Park your own car out on the street . . . and make sure the auctioneer doesn't then drive in and park on it."