A little change can go a long way to updating an older landscape and front entrance to a home. Many of our clients have either bought a house with a dated landscape and walkway/stair entrance or they are looking to put their existing house they have lived in on the market within the year but the look is overgrown and may need some repair.
They want to add value and attract potential buyers with their investment and not break the bank in the process.
It’s the entrance to your home and first impressions go a long way. When it looks good, people tend to think the inside looks as good as the outside. Your landscaping is always evolving, whether it’s seasonal or just maturation. That perfect look you once had may be slightly off balance thanks to the tree that grew too tall or the bush that didn’t survive the last windstorm. Plus, your attitude about your landscape can change, too. Check out some of our before and after projects HERE
One of our clients started thinking about their home 3 years ago and discussed possibilities and budgeting. We had a conversation and came up with an initial design and estimate but they were still undecided as to whether they were going to stay in the house or not. The project was put on hold.
Last month, we were contacted and the clients wanted to discuss options available. I was able to go back into their file from 3 years ago, updated the pricing and made a couple of edits to the design so the clients got what they were looking for.
We started and completed the project in less than 2 weeks. This is very important especially when it comes to kids, dogs, and family vacations 🙂
Simple lower maintenance planting and an updated, custom concrete paver walkway with updated stair opens up the front and invites people in!
As some landscapes age, they begin to look overgrown and unattractive. Many times the landscaping was done incorrectly, resulting in the need for a new landscape sooner than would have otherwise been needed.
Sometimes the plants start encroaching on each other and the house. Trees were planted too close to the foundation or plants installed too close to each other.
When new homes are built, occasionally the builder may landscape the home instead of hiring a professional landscape contractor. This can result in a landscape that may look good in the beginning, but is definitely not attractive a few years later. The wrong plants are used or they are planted too close to the house, a driveway or sidewalk. I call this the builder’s special and this goes for lawns as well. Poor soil or seed , improper drainage and it’s difficult to establish a nice green lawn with rocks and sand in it.
Landscape fabric is never a good idea for plantings. It works temporarily but then it impedes water from getting to the plant roots and it doesn’t allow air to get to the roots adequately, which can cause soil to become compacted. Also if you don’t put down a thick enough base of stone or mulch and weeds get their roots in it, it becomes a nightmare to deal with and you have to remove it altogether. Starts showing in spots and makes the area look unkempt. Better off having a good base layer of stone or mulch and doing weed killer/pre-emergent combo or removal by hand.
Plastic landscaping edging is also unattractive and obtrusive. Black plastic edging is a very popular choice for the typical homeowner. It can heave out of the ground and most often, does not do the job it was intended to do, which is to keep the soil and mulch in and the grass out of the landscape beds.
Using a natural edge is a much more attractive choice. Edging once a year is effective in keeping the grass at bay and the mulch where it belongs.
Or try using a rock edge or cobblestone which gives it a more clean look and the cobblestone can simply be removed and reset if Mother Nature shifts it 🙂