11 simple landscape tips that increase curb appeal

Is your great outdoors not looking so great these days? From season to season, your yard requires loving care to provide the proper frame to your home. LandOne Group offers 11 simple landscape tips that increase curb appeal without major effort!

Tip #1. Green up your lawn. Nothing diminishes curb appeal like an unhealthy lawn. The best time to fertilize your lawn is spring and fall. The spring application promotes growth and the fall application protects the lawn as it goes dormant. In between those times, keep your lawn healthy by preventing pests from invading with the safe application of herbicide and pesticide. Resod as needed. And keep your yard raked so that debris doesn’t damage your grass.

Tip #2. Plant a tree. There’s nothing quite as simple and satisfying as planting a tree in your yard. It’s like a measuring stick you use for your children as they grow. From year to year, you’ll enjoy watching your tree grow. Choose a seedling or a more mature tree, depending on the impact you want.

Tip #3. Pressure wash your hard surfaces. Your driveway, walkway, front porch, garage door, and home’s exterior benefit from a good scrubbing from time to time. And you’ll be impressed with the difference a good pressure wash can make!

Tip #4. Add hardscaping. Hardscaping is the art of using stones, bricks, wood, and other non- living materials to complement the living parts of your landscape. From filling in an open space with a large stone to creating a paved masterpiece for your walkway, driveway, patio, or other outdoor area, hardscaping beautifies your home and instantly improves curb appeal.

Tip #5. Make an entrance. What does the entry to your home say about you? Is it lackluster or inviting? Stand at the curb and take an objective look. It’s simple to upgrade by viewing your walkway from the driveway or sidewalk as the grand entrance. Add container gardens, plants, lawn art, a new mailbox, or other items that reflect your personality.

Tip #6. Fill in with container gardens and greenery. An uninspired landscape is easily amended with the addition of more live plants, like shrubs, groundcover, and greenery. Also think about putting together an eye-catching container garden (or several). Use a planter or convert something unusual, like a bicycle, birdcage, chair, dresser, trough, or other item that can hold soil and allow your garden to grow.

Tip #7. Maintain proportions. Size your landscaping appropriately. Your landscape should work in proportion with your home. A small home can be easily overwhelmed by overzealous landscaping. Conversely, minimal landscaping with a large home doesn’t deliver enough impact.

Tip #8. Accent your home’s architectural style. Just like the landscape proportions should fit with your home, the styles should also complement one another. Do you have a contemporary home? If so, then an English country garden might not be the right match. Take in the lines of your home’s architecture and use it to inspire your landscaping design.

Tip #9. Plan ahead for seasonal plantings. It’s easier to manage your landscaping when you invest time in planning ahead. When will your plants bloom? When will they be dormant? To get more impact from your landscape, pay attention to what, where, and when your plants will bloom.

Tip #10. Define the borders. This is an easy landscaping tip but one that is easily overlooked. Just like painting a room in your home presents a quick makeover, adding fresh mulch and plants along the borders is a quick fix to a tired looking landscape. 

Tip #11. Prune the shrubs and trees. Overgrowth is a subtle sign of neglect—well, not so subtle if it has been untouched for too long. Trimming your shrubs and trees will immediately clean up the appearance of your yard. Be careful if you’re pruning your own trees and shrubs. The best time to prune is late winter or early spring, when the new growth is established. If you prune too early, you could be cutting off healthy sprouts, which could significantly delay blooming.

If you don’t have the time or inclination to apply these landscaping tips to increase curb appeal, LandOne Group is here to help. Reach out to our Charleston, SC, team for professional advice and services, including residential and commercial landscape installation and maintenance.