EXCLUSIVE: Neale Whitaker reveals his most important tip when adding greenery to your home.

Olive tree in a bathroom on The Block / The Block judges Darren Palmer, Shaynna Blaze, Neale Whitaker.

The Block’s former judge, Neale Whitaker, has pointed out a common house plant mistake most people make. Photos: Channel 9 / Instagram/shaynnablaze

Having appeared as a judge on 19 seasons of The Block, Neale Whitaker knows a thing or two about interior design. It’s because of this that the popular TV personality isn’t afraid to call out a common mistake most Aussies are making with their house plants.

Neale tells Yahoo Lifestyle that while he believes adding greenery to your home can increase the value of the property, you need to be deliberate with the type of plants you’re buying. Most importantly, if you’re purchasing indoor plants, you need to make sure they can thrive indoors.

“It sounds like such common sense, but a lot of us buy the wrong type of plants, and I’ve been guilty of this too over the years,” he said.

Neale recalled a handful of seasons of The Block when he was a permanent judge and it was “very fashionable” to put olive trees inside the home.

“They are the most beautiful colour, the leaves are the most incredible shape, and they look stunning, but they don’t work indoors,” he said.

“So they might look beautiful for a few days when you first bring them into the house, or even a few weeks, if you’re lucky, but eventually they will not survive and they will die if you don’t put them outside, or, even better, put them in the ground.

“So you do have to be careful.”

The Block judge Neale Whitaker.

New research has revealed that homes featuring greenery can attract significantly more buyer attention. Photo: Supplied

Simple trick to increase property value

New research from Greener Spaces Better Places and Domain has revealed that homes featuring greenery — whether it’s a landscaped garden, a leafy balcony, or a few indoor plants — can sell for up to 17 per cent more and attract significantly more buyer attention.

Neale explains that this is not only because of visual appeal, but also what it can represent for potential buyers.

“Psychologically, if you see a beautiful garden or a beautiful balcony or just a well-curated, well-arranged collection of house plants in a photograph, it sends out a subliminal message that that property is loved and that property is well looked after,” he details.

“It certainly increases engagement with a property, and it increases the goodwill we have towards the property and how quickly we engage with it, and that becomes reflective in the dollar value.”

 

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How greenery can improve your mood

Neale, who is set to appear on Channel 7’s upcoming renovation series My Reno Rules in 2026, adds that greenery can also significantly improve your mood, as there is an emotional appeal.

“There are so many known health benefits of being surrounded by greenery,” he tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

“I think this became so apparent to all of us during Covid, in particular, when there was a boom in bringing house plants into the home, people spending more time in the garden, and people even decorating their homes with wallpapers that were covered in plant illustrations.”

He says this is also when green really “broke through” as a colour.

“We wanted to surround ourselves with the sort of cocooning effect of being in nature, so I think it appeals to the emotions on so many levels,” he said.