There are endless benefits to keeping a neat and tidy garden. For one thing, it adds value to a home, by making it look more attractive. It increases what is known as ‘kerb appeal.’ This encompasses the first impression that prospective buyers have when approaching your home. The higher the kerb appeal, the more people will be willing to pay for it. This is backed up by plenty of studies that suggest properties with gardens fetch bigger asking prices.
According to landscape professionals, an appealing garden has the potential to raise perceived home value by 5-11%. Quality tends to be judged on design sophistication, plant type, and overall size. While you can’t really do anything about the size of your yard – apart from employing clever tricks to create the illusion of space – there are plenty of ways to enhance its practical, visual, and sensual integrity.
These handy hints and tips will show you which garden improvements are most likely to boost the value of your property.
Clearly Define the Lawn
Even if your lawn is very neat and tidy, messy edges can jeopardise its overall appearance. It is not difficult to edge a lawn and the effect is to make the grass look low maintenance. If you are trying to sell the property, this is going to be a big advantage. There is no need for special tools either; a border or divide can be created using nothing but the sharp end of a spade.
Fix Problems with Plants
Plants are a remedy for all kinds of different problems. For instance, if you’ve got nosey neighbours, you can add tall shrubs for extra privacy. If the noise from the road is an irritation, trees and bushes can be a way to absorb some of the sound. Plus, they look beautiful when nurtured properly and carefully. Any quirks or minor issues that your yard might have can be mostly smoothed over with great landscaping.
Start Weeding and Mulching
Weeding and mulching is a really effective way to keep a garden in tip top condition and convince prospective buyers that it is a valuable choice. It is best to use a utility mulch like forest fines or pine bark, instead of something like sugarcane, because they create a smoother and cleaner aesthetic. Things like woodchip can be nourishing, but they tend to lead to more mess and maintenance.
Don’t Go Mad with Variety
They say that variety is the spice of life and, to some extent, they are right. However, filling a garden with all kinds of different plant species – particularly if the colours and arrangements clash – is a way of telling buyers that it requires a lot of care. If you are going to opt for a number of species, try to pick complementary tones and group similar flowers together. That way, when the property is sold on, the yard will be easy to sustain.
Invest in New Grass
If the grass in your front yard is patchy or threadbare, it might really put potential buyers off. It makes a garden look unhealthy and poorly maintained. So, before you decide to sell, spend some time sprucing up the lawn. It is a good idea to invest in new turf if the existing grass is beyond repair. Think of it as a landscaping expense that will be cancelled out by the increased resale value that it is likely to bring.
Introduce Colour and Form
One way to liven up dull entryways is to add colourful planters and containers. Fill them with bright flowering annuals and perennials, as well as attractive clipped topiary. This is a move that won’t cost much, but it will give the garden an instant visual lift. Moreover, you don’t have to leave the planters and accessories behind if you sell; you can take them with you to the next house and install them there.
Why Great Landscaping Is Always Worth the Effort
The thing about high quality landscaping is that it is timeless, in many ways. Truly talented landscaping teams design yards that are flexible and responsive, rather than being attractive for a year and then falling back into disarray. They are built around the seasons, so that plants, flowers, and shrubs are easy to maintain all year round. This is what buyers want and it is how you need to present your garden if you want to grab a great asking price.
