HOW ONE HOMEOWNER ACHIEVED
THE YARD OF HER DREAMS
An attractive landscape is essential to maximizing your home's value as well as your own personal enjoyment. "Curb appeal" as realtors call it, tell the whole world what someone can expect to find on the other side of your front door. If you're planning to sell your home, the exterior look will help determine whether a buyer even wants to look inside.
Increase Your Home's Value
According to Fortune Builders, "homes with well-kept lawns and professional landscaping sell for 7% more than similar homes with exterior blemishes or unattractive front yards."
For a home where the average value is $350,000, a 7% bump amounts to an additional $24,500 in your pocket! In slower real estate markets that figure can climb to as high as 14% So keeping your landscape in shape more than pays for itself.
Protect Your Property
Even if you are not selling your home, curb appeal matters. For example, an attractive landscape is proven to help deter criminals by eliminating overgrown shrubs that burglars can use to hide behind.
Save Money
A well-placed shade tree can also reduce your heating and cooling costs. And a well-designed landscape can
Enjoy the Outdoor Lifestyle
Not only that but you'll get more enjoyment out of the time you spend in your garden and you'll take greater pride in your surroundings.
Where to Begin?
But the fact is that most homeowners have no idea how to achieve their landscape goals. Trying to do all the work yourself or hiring a cut-rate landscaper can lead to disaster. There's nothing worse than to spend more than you planned on your landscape only to be disappointed with the outcome.
A FRONT YARD REDESIGN FROM START TO FINISH
The following case study illustrates how our process works to help you get the best yard for your investment while avoiding the pitfalls that can waste your money and leave you disappointed.
In this case our client wanted to create a welcoming outdoor living space in her front yard to sit and converse with neighbors in a pleasant setting. She also wanted a low-maintenance, landscape incorporating native plants.
First, our professionally trained landscape designer met with homeowner to determine her needs, budget, & preferences.
The designer also evaluated the property for problems such as drainage & erosion issues. It is important that such problems are addressed before other work begins so that the landscape isn't damaged later by flooding or erosion.
The designer then presented the homeowner with a detailed drawing of the proposed changes to her landscape, mapping out the permanent structures such as the front walkway, flowerbeds, placement of fencing, and other features, including the types and quantities of plants and their placement.
The customer reviewed the plan and had the opportunity to make any changes and ask questions, etc.
Once she approved the design, our crews removed the old, overgrown shrubbery that blocked the frontal view of her home. We also removed old sod and expanded the beds using a contemporary curvilinear landscape design.
Our expert stoneworkers created a natural flagstone walkway along with other hardscaping features.
After all hardscaping was completed, we installed plants according to the designer's drawing. In this case, we planted an assortment of colorful drought tolerant native perennials to provide flowering color, mixed with low-maintenance evergreens for year-round interest.
Lastly, all beds are dressed with organic wood mulch to retain moisture, reduce weeds and complete the professional installation.
As an extra finishing touch, we installed this outdoor accent lighting.
Now the homeowner has an inviting outdoor space with seating area that she can enjoy.
