The next time you drive into your neighborhood, cruise past your home and compare it to other homes in your area. Does your house have curb appeal? Do you see an attractive space which is welcoming, well-kept, and beautiful? Implement these four landscaping and garden updates to add thousands to your property value.
Ways to Increase the Sophistication of Your Landscaping
In a survey conducted in seven states, landscaping with the highest design sophistication had the greatest increase in curb appeal. Some of the best ways to increase your garden design complexity are to add:
- An island planting to the yard with shrubs, bushes, and flowers of different heights. An island in your yard is a large bed to include a fresh design for the space. Some homeowners choose to hire a landscape design professional for this project.
- Trees to visually balance one another. There are several types of balance to be applied to your landscaping, and the human eye innately understands these balance option. Whether you choose the symmetrical or asymmetrical design the different weights of plants on each side of the yard should balance one another.
- Fresh foundational beds and planting to frame your house. Beds along the foundation of your home make all of the difference in enhancing the look of its structure. Flowers add pops of color, taller plants should go on the side of your structure, and smaller plants near the door frame the house.
- Color to the side of your front door walkway. The eye is drawn to color, especially when the color complements the exterior of the home.
- Non-living items for personality. Birdbaths, birdfeeders, gnomes, decorative rocks, and outdoor fountains are creative ideas that are easy to add to a garden but create a real wow factor. Pieces like this make a structure more welcoming to guests.
Focus on a Long-Term Plan
There are established principles used in landscape design because of their effectiveness in pleasing the eye and therefore increasing curb appeal. According to the University of Missouri, “wise selection and placement of landscape materials can help fit the house into its surroundings.” A careful master plan is the key to adding value to your home with landscaping updates.
If landscape design is difficult for you, consider hiring a professional at least to design a master plan for the project. A master plan gives direction and allows for step-by-step changes without having to do everything all at once.