Landscaping for Optimum Curb Appeal

Landscaping for Optimum Curb Appeal - Feature

On almost every residential street, one home seems to be above the rest. Though it may share similar architectural features and square footage with its neighbours, the landscaping surrounding this home causes passersby to slow down in admiration. Landscaping that is intelligently designed and properly tended is an asset. It gives homeowners pleasure and prospective buyers extra incentive to purchase. For however stunning a home may be architecturally, it will look unfinished if the yard is just grass. Perhaps worse is landscaping gone wild, making the property appear neglected and unkempt. The right balance of plants, trees and decorative outdoor features add up to wonderful curb appeal. To achieve that happy blend in your own yard, first, consider several important elements.

Define your style

Traditional, transitional, modern: Determine the style of your home. Identify which features to enhance or showcase, such as the beautiful brickwork or decorative columns. Then check out landscaped yards by foot or online. Pay attention to what attracts you. Perhaps it’s the elegance of a contemporary or traditional formal landscape, with trimmed shrubs and urns containing rounded flowering mounds. Maybe the charm of a free-flowing cottage garden speaks to your heart, with flowers and foliage mixed in rustic pots and colourful, fragrant beds. Or it could be something in between. The important thing is the landscaping flatters both your home and your taste.

Increase function

To access the front door, shed or garage, you’ll likely want the quickest, most direct route, paved to handle all weather. For meandering through the garden, gently curving beds and pathways invite you to relax while softening the house’s hard edges. A bonus: Long subtle curves are easy to mow. If the front yard is dissected by a city sidewalk, keep traffic sightlines clear.

Balance the scale

Instant gratification is tempting when installing new landscaping. But buying large perennials, shrubs and trees and planting too many too close means before they reach maturity, you’ll be hauling some out. The location of your house and lot size help determine the variety and size of trees you can plant. A small tree can reach 45 ft. high; a larger species may top 80 ft. Avoid planting aggressive shrubs that will eventually block columns or feature windows. Ask a pro for the right amount of plant material to support the size of your property and plant for the future.

Look up and down

The location of streetlights and overhead and underground utilities may dictate where to dig and what to grow.

Illuminate the ambience

Landscape lighting shows off your alluring yard at night. Uplight trees from below. Spotlight white and night-blooming plants. Wind strings of miniature lights around tree trunks and through shrubs. And install path and deck lights for safety and glow. Incorporate table lamps in outdoor rooms and small floodlights to make decorative accents and stylish furnishings shine.

Amp up the senses

Create visual stimulation with colour everywhere. Annuals instantly inject the landscape with pops of colour. Unique specimen trees with unusual bark or leaves add interest. To achieve optimum curb appeal, the easiest and surest strategy is to rely on reputable, licensed and accountable landscapers.

When you build your home, you can influence how your yard and entrance will look, and what sort of features you would like to make room for in your backyard. You can add a covered porch, build a deck and even choose the type of finishes for your exterior to complement the outdoor landscape. With several locations across London and in Ilderton, you’re sure to find a Sifton home that is built to suit your lifestyle – indoors and out.