Real News - May 2006
House Talk: Carefree Perennial Gardens
Designing a perennial garden to accent your home and bring a bloom of colour to the garden is well worth the investment of time and money. A well designed perennial garden can eventually be almost maintenance-free after it is established. What a wonderful reward to have those shoots of green peeking out of the ground after a long cold winter.
Choose perennials that will guarantee a season-long show of colour by laying out a design on paper before planting. Consider the size of the garden, taking into account factors such as lawn size, shrubbery, the formal or informal look, and where the garden will be viewed. You might want to consider a bed which stands alone in a large open area. Most people prefer to plant a border along a house, fence or walkway. The border will soften the lines between building and lawn and lend a dash of colour and interest as well.
Choosing which plants to buy can be an overwhelming task if you arrive at the nursery unprepared. The primary requirements of the plants must match the soil, light and climate conditions of your garden. Ask for assistance if you are unfamiliar with the best plants for your area.
If you are a beginner you may want to start with the cottage garden look, which is essentially for people who don¿t want something highly organized. Plants are added to suit the taste of the gardener. The most important thing is to choose the plants that you love without regard to right and wrong. The effect will be a kaleidoscope of colour as the true cottage garden has a casual but charming appearance.
The nice thing is if you plant something and want to change it, you can even move perennials to a new location the next year. So just get started and begin seeing the rewards in a blooming way!
How Much to Spend to Increase Curb Appeal?
When investing in landscaping, try to get the most bang for your buck. You never want to spend a huge amount of money on a property if you¿re planning on selling in the near future. The idea is to do whatever is necessary to make the yard look clean and efficient. Buyers want a home that is easy to maintain. Prune the shrubs, keep the grass nicely mowed and green, and possibly add colourful flowers near the entry ways.
Make sure that your yard is not extravagant when compared to the other homes in the neighbourhood. A buyer will only pay as much as the other homes in the neighbourhood are selling for. Therefore, if you overspend, it is unlikely that you will be able to recover your expenses.
For more great home selling tips, contact Thomas Bagoloo at 902-830-9006
