It's True… The Grass Really Is Greener on the Other Side…

The study of 2,000 garden owners found 41 per cent of adults claim to peer longingly over the garden fence eager to emulate the immaculate lawns, blooming hangings baskets and posh garden furniture of next door.

So much so that a fifth of Brits say there is fierce competition over the most impressive garden in the street, and shockingly over 42% of people said they wouldn't give their neighbour the satisfaction of a compliment even if they thought their garden was looking particularly well presented.

The poll found a quarter of people keep tabs on the locals' horticultural plans by regularly having a sneaky look over the fence and making notes of any big changes.

Mark Tyldesley, CEO of Jeyes Limited, said: "A person's pride in their home extends beyond the four walls and many of us are clearly passionate about our gardens.

"The appearance and cleanliness of our outdoor living space is something we feel others will judge us by and the results show that there can be a degree of competition between neighbours.

"Taking pride and staying on top of the maintenance of your outdoor space is important and it's understandable that people would keep an eye on what those who live near them are doing."

One in eight has been annoyed by a comment from a neighbour on their garden - negative remarks on a trellis, mentions that a plant or bush looked shabby or 'jokey', and comments about the amount of dog mess were most likely to irk.

More than two thirds were extremely proud of their garden but nearly one in 10 are currently locked in a bid to outdo their neighbours.

And when asked about garden misbehavior Brits cited cutting down overhanging branches and plants and routinely chucking slugs over the fence among their confessions.

But it's not all war and six in 10 do have a neighbour's garden they genuinely think is really well presented and a third have taken inspiration from another's patch.

Among the most admired aspects of a garden was the gleaming patio, hanging baskets or a neat lawn.

But a sneaky fifth have gone as far as to directly copy something they saw in a rival's garden that they thought looked particularly good.

The results also showed that the average garden owner has splashed out at least £1,150 on their garden since moving in.

MOST ENVIED ASPECTS OF A GARDEN