How To Improve Curb Appeal With Landscaping
Enhance Curb Appeal With Landscape Design
Do first impressions matter? In certain situations, when you have a limited amount of time to make your point, they matter a lot.
For example, selling your home. What is the first thing a prospective buyer is going to see? Your landscaping. Will landscaping sell your house? Probably not. But if your landscape is a train wreck it may bias the buyer. Now the inside of your house will have to change their mind! Is that what you want? The solution?
Enhance Curb Appeal With Landscaping!
(What else was I going to say?)
Good landscaping is like a great suit or dress. They don't change who you are, but they help you be the most attractive version of yourself. Even great landscaping can't magically make a third bedroom appear. But it can certainly make your home the best version of itself.
This matters. And pays off. Check out what these experts had to say.
So how do you use landscaping to help your home shine? First, I will give you some general advice that could apply to almost any front yard, then I have 4 specific ways you can add elements to upgrade your landscape.
Curb Appeal Tips
Color. In a well cared for neighborhood it's easy to get lost in a sea of green. Make your property "pop" with color. This could mean flowering shrubs and grasses. Or it can be accomplished with colorful foliage. Barberry can bring purple or yellow the garden. Blue oat grass provides a dash of grey/blue. Caution: annuals (especially cheap ones) may scream "Hey look, I am trying to look pretty for you." Don't make your home look needy, just stylish and well cared for.
Get A Haircut. Don't go crazy adding anything new. First, get what you have in shape. Get all your plant material pruned, lawns mowed, decks pressure washed, etc. You may find that you have a better landscape than you imagined.
Don't Be Afraid Of Height. In neighborhoods with tall houses on small lots landscaping can make a real impact. These homes tend to tower over the sidewalk and are difficult to really blend into the surroundings. The key is to get some height up on the house, especially the corners. Consider narrow trees and shrubs or even bamboo.
Lighten Up. Will buyers visit after dusk? If so, consider the impact of low voltage lighting. A simple system can be $200-$350 per fixture, but you probably only need 4-6 fixtures to make a real difference.
Would your front yard benefit from some the ideas above? I bet it would. Now for the more specific advice!
4 Ways To Increase Your Yards Curb Appeal
Boulders. If you have followed my blog you know how Ross NW Watergardens feels about boulders. Adding a 2-4 boulders to your front yard, in prominent places, can make a huge difference. Your leafy yard now has texture and weight. Head to the local rock yard and have them deliver a couple. Muscle them into place or rent a little help.
Big Pots. Pots can make a dramatic statement in your landscape. Do you have a blank wall in your front yard? Or ugly downspouts near the front door? How about those two spaces that bookend your garage door? A pot or two can make a big difference. Plant them with something tall and narrow, plus a trailing ground cover. Big improvement.
Bamboo. Need to place emphasis on a visually weak main entrance? Is your home tall, but on a narrow lot? You can't get height up on the house with a tree- it will get too big. Bamboo to the rescue! Planted in pots or barrier you won't have to worry about it escaping. And the tall spikes of yellow, green, or black bamboo will make a huge statement in your front yard.
An Island Bed. Many a blah landscape is centered around a big swath of grass. Cut a patch out of the middle and you have yourself an island bed. Add a boulder, a flowering shrub, and some dramatic ornamental grass. Now your landscape has focus! The key to an island bed that really works is placement, shape, and proportions. Buy a can of marking paint at Home Depot. Use it to decide on the exact layout of your bed before you start cutting grass out.
Of course there are many ways to make your landscape and home look better, for yourself or a potential buyer. Need help sorting them out? Contact us today for a free landscape consultation!