Landscaping is a win–win proposition. Tidying and greening around your home increases property value, is great for the environment and has been shown to improve your health!
Weeding and mulching your plant beds will help your garden appear low-maintenance and well kept. Choose a utility mulch such as pine bark or forest fines, rather than typical ‘gardener-preferred’ options such as lucerne and sugarcane. Utility mulches look neater, and when you’re selling it’s less about function and more about appearance. Avoid mulches that are too “out there”, such as dyed woodchip, Carroll warns, as these can put off home buyers.
Add welcoming planters to entranceways featuring clipped topiary and fill any other pots in garden areas with bright flowering annuals or perennials to give your garden an immediate lift. If you are selling, you can always take the potted plants with you for your new garden.
At the very least mow and edge your lawn. Edging your lawn makes a garden (or yard) look restrained and tamed, which gives it the appearance of lower maintenance – a popular selling point. Creating an edge is easy and can be as simple as using a sharp spade to cut a neat separation between your lawn and garden bed, path or fence. Alternatively, you can use a physical barrier such as timber, steel, brick or stone.
Address your property’s shortfalls such as overlooking neighbours or busy roads by planting out your gardens. While the plants may not initially create a full visual barrier or any real sound improvement, the perceived improvement from a buyer’s point of view will be worth it.
Talk to us about your garden’s particular environment (shade, light, soil and proximity to the coast). And remember, if you are selling, your nursery can order in mature hedging for an immediate result.
Minimising the number of plant species in your garden will make your garden appear easier to maintain and give it a more uniform look. However, don’t be too dogmatic about restricting your choices. In general, Carroll encourages some plant diversity as it encourages biodiversity, is good for the local ecology, reduces pest impact, extends flowering times and generally looks more interesting!
