Did you know that a well thought-out front yard landscape is worth more in terms of value of your house than a kitchen or bathroom remodeling? This should be a good enough reason to start working on a comprehensive plan to fix what’s wrong in your yard.
Here are five top tips that are inexpensive and likely to improve the look of your property overnight.
• Do a major clean up in the yard. Call in a rubble remover and get rid of the old rusted hosepipe and the broken down washing machine and lawn mower. Pull out the weeds at the side of the house. Rake and de-weed the lawn. Sweep the paths and driveway. Fix or replace rattling windows and doors. Apply varnish to window frames to brighten them up. Clean the gutters. Go up on the roof and rid it of debris and give the roof a good sweep. Paint the trim of the house. Pick up the dog poop once or twice a day.
• Get a hose reel so that the water hose is not always tangled up in a heap in the yard. Replace the old mailbox with one that is large and sturdy.
• Take a close look at the front door. Does it need to be varnished? Do you need a peephole so you can check first before you open the door? Clean the glass portions of the door. Sweep the porch and rid it of unnecessary items. Give away the bird cage that’s been gathering dust on the porch. Replace the doorbell with one that works and makes a nice sound. Polish the door knob. Buy a new welcome doormat. Put some clay pots with geraniums and impatiens a short distance from the door to make the entryway attractive.
• After you have done all this, your front yard landscape will look much better, and you might think it good enough. Continue on with the process and visualize the trees and larger shrubs if all the junk was stripped away. Stone or brick walls and well-placed trees add value to your house. Trees and bushes are also a buffer against noise. Plants should visually lead the visitor from the gate to the front door. Maybe you want to add in some subtle lighting, which could transform your garden.
• Finally, there are the plants. Buy some sturdy plants like hydrangeas with heavy blooms and plant them where they have shade. Water them regularly. Just don’t stick plants in the ground. Take note of the different colors and textures of petals and which should be in the sun or shade. Do you have cacti? Choose the right place to plant it. The main function of your front yard landscape is to frame the house and guide people to the door. Do you want a motif for your garden? Consider it carefully. You don’t want to crowd up a small area. Include perennials and bulbs in your plan as many are low-maintenance and provide excellent color and bloom year after year.
