Landscaping can transform all areas of your property, but it is particularly influential for curb appeal. The right landscape design can accentuate architectural features, add visual interest to the property, and create a killer first impression. This guide explains how to plan the perfect landscape design for curb appeal.
How Important Is Curb Appeal?
Curb appeal is crucial whether you’re selling your home or just enjoying it. This is the first thing you notice every time you come home, and you deserve a warm welcome. If you’re putting your house on the market, great curb appeal will lure in buyers and encourage higher offers. Research shows that “homes with well-kept lawns and professional landscaping sell for 7% more” than comparable properties without those features. Boosting your curb appeal could yield thousands of extra earnings when the time comes.
Key Elements to Planning the Perfect Landscape Design
Landscaping for curb appeal is about far more than “making the yard look pretty.” It’s a balance of maintenance, budget and visual impact. Here are some elements we focus on when planning a landscape design:
- Well maintained landscaping features – When adding new landscaping, think about the care it will required. A proper landscape design looks well-maintained throughout the year.
- Visual balance – This includes a mix of textures, colors and heights to draw the eye across the property without being overwhelmed with visual clutter.
- Color and growth throughout the year – Landscaping for curb appeal should take into account how the landscaping will look in the winter months. Strive to have some color and growth in every season, not just the spring.
- The right plants in the right places – This is a motto for the landscape designers at Berns Landscaping. Having the right plants in each area of the property ensures that the landscape design lasts well into the future.
- Hardscaping to enhance the landscaping – Pavers, pathways, tree rings and garden beds can really amplify your landscape design. We include hardscaping services in our landscape design and build plans.
- Plant renovation for overgrown landscaping – Your new landscape design may not need all new plants. If we can work with the rich root structures you already have on your property, we will. The key is to trim back the overgrown plants so new additions have a chance to thrive.
- Don’t detract from the building’s architectural features – Landscaping should always act as an enhancement, not a distraction. As you plan your landscape design, think about how the full-grown plants are going to look against the façade. Will they highlight the architecture or cover it up completely?
If this seems like a tricky balance, it’s because it is! Landscape design isn’t as simple as it seems, especially if you want to maximize your return. This is why we highly recommend working with a professional landscape designer to ensure no stone is left unturned. We have the experience, tools and solutions to accomplish your goals.
How Much Should I Budget for Landscape Design?
On average, we recommend allocating 10% of your home’s value to your landscape design budget. If your home is worth $500,000, plan for a $50,000 landscaping budget. With this in mind, you may have existing landscaping that just needs to be cleaned up. You don’t necessarily have to start from scratch.
The budget should also take into consideration future maintenance requirements, including irrigation lines, routine landscaping services, planting seasonal florals, and more. If you want landscaping for curb appeal so you can sell your home, you may want to drive the neighborhood to see comparable properties. This can help you gauge your spending and create a landscaping plan with a high return.
Learn more: How Much Should I Save for Landscaping?
We Specialize in Landscaping for Curb Appeal – Get Your Custom Landscape Design!
Berns Landscaping has proudly served Southeast Michigan for over 40 years. In that time, we’ve perfected the art and science of landscape design. We strategically select plants based on the budget, maintenance goals, soil content, precipitation and sunlight in each yard. This creates a thriving landscape that continues to flourish well into the future.
If you’d like a professional landscape design for your property, contact Berns Landscaping at (586) 756-1145.