April Showers Bring May Flowers?

With the unpredictable spring we have been experiencing, the whole “April showers bring May flowers” saying hasn’t been precisely true.  Rainy days have been incredibly cold, making it hard to think about planting pink tulips and yellow daffodils. If you haven't started already, now is spring planting time!  One way to add instant curb appeal when trying to sell your home is to plant flowers and shrubs!  Here are some landscape design tips to enhance the outside appearance of your home.

• Though it might seem like a large item to start with, trees add the greatest value to your yard according to the American Nursery and Landscape Association.  Adorning a sparse lot with a few trees can instantly increase the appeal of your home.  Additionally, they make great focal points for other landscaping projects.
• While we’re on the subject of landscaping focal points, sculptures, outdoor art, large boulders or stones, bird baths, and fountains also make great centerpieces.  If you have one of these elements, it is best to use only a piece or two. You’ll probably take the sculptures with you when you go!  You will want the flowers, ornamental grasses, and other garden flora you will be planting to be able to stand alone.
• Balance is important.  Both sides of a property should be equally weighted in front, for example with a large tree to one side and shrubs on the other. Also, ornamental plantings should show off the entire front yard, not hide the house. Wide flower beds around the house can make it appear more expansive, while large plants placed tightly against the side of the house will make it look smaller.
• Plantings should be in proportion to the size of the home. A large house can accommodate larger plants than a smaller property.  When doing your own landscaping, be sure to take the size of the home under consideration.
• Design beds so that plants are sequenced, with low plants to the front, taller ones to the back of the bed. There should be room for a wide variety of foliage and color.  Within the beds, ach type of plant should be in large enough groupings to have an impact.  
• For the greatest impact, use sweeps of the same or similar colors. Consider planting bright, perennial flowers like tulips or roses.  Look for shrubs with interesting forms and textures, fall color, berries, and flowers. Some shrubs have great year-round ornamental value.
• Container plants can enhance any area which may need a splash of color or green but where plants cannot grow.  Almost any plant that can be placed in the ground can be grown in a container. And almost any object that will hold soil can serve as a container, as long as it allows for drainage. The greatest risks of container gardening are drying and drainage, tend to these plants carefully.
• Landscape lighting can be both beautiful and practical.  Not only is nighttime lighting aesthetically pleasing, but it offers security and safety.  Lighting the front door of the home is a good place to start. A few lights against the house, along walkways, and focusing on plants with interesting features can invite buyers to driving by in the evening.

These are just a few tips to consider when you plant spring flowers or install new shrubs.  Putting some time and effort into the landscaping of your property can vastly increase its curb appeal.  When you decide to sell your home, take pictures of your garden or house when your garden is in full bloom.  Prospective buyers will love the chance to see the possibilities.  Also, having some information on hand for new owners on how to tend to the garden when they take it over is very nice.