You know what they say in real estate: Location, Location, Location. Surely after location it is curb appeal though, so may be the saying should be Location, Location, Curb appeal.
How many of you have not even wanted to get out the car, because the house looked so UN-appealing just from the curb?
So now that Spring is finally coming.... get out there and do something about your yard and the exterior of the house. My first love is gardening, so to me it is less of a chore than for some, but there are some easy guidelines to go by.
I always have to laugh to myself when people say: This is a low maintenance garden... there really isn't such a thing. The more yard you have the more work you have, the only thing that is relatively low maintenance is grass, but even that needs fertilizing and mowing and edging.
So here are some guidelines.
1. Start early in the year, when it is nice and cool
2. Work just an hour or so, but frequently like 3 or 4 times a week rather then 4 hours in one go. It is easier to find the time and less tiring.
Have all your gardening "finished" by the end of May. Then all summer you just have maintenance, which shouldn't take more than 1-2 hours a week.
3. Don't just put new mulch on top of the old; weeds will go through the mulch. So weed first and then add new mulch.
4. Long term perennials are cheaper and less maintenance than annuals. Annuals give color all summer, whereas perennials only flower for a period of time, you don't have the work of planting them year after year. The trick is to add some annuals amongst your perennials for added color.
5. Realize that pots and baskets are ALOT of work. I usually have 10-12 pots, but decided this year to reduce my work and just have to 3. That's it!
6. Ground covers like Pachysandra and Vinca are actually more work than grass. It is much harder to keep the weeds out. Grass you just mow, weeds and all.
A nice yard can add lots of value to your house for a relatively small investment.