Burlington, Hamilton & Niagara Real Estate Blog

Landscaping
Home improvements increase your home enjoyment, but they also affect your home’s value – a properly installed and maintained landscape will yield a 100 to 200% return on investment at resale*.  These tips will help you plan for your landscaping needs with a focus on resale value:

• Function – Showcase your home’s exterior with a manicured assortment of healthy grasses, trees, shrubs, plants, flowers and ornamental features
• Design – Plan to best utilize space and environmental conditions with consideration for changing lifestyle needs, maintenance requirements and your home’s exterior aesthetic
• Grasses – Choose appropriate varieties for your climate and soil conditions and keep it lush with a regime of seeding, watering, feeding, weeding and mowing 5-6 cm in height
• Trees & Shrubs – Plant what will thrive in your current conditions and position them to benefit home and garden aesthetics, taking care not to block entrances or street views
• Plants & Flowers – Mix annuals and perennials in mulched and weed-free beds as well as mobile containers of vibrant colour, avoiding plants toxic to pets or irritating to skin
• Ornamentation – Strategically place a subtle few complimentary features like arbours, decorative stone, planters, privacy screens, bird baths and décor items
• Lighting – Set a mood, highlight garden features and enjoy your space after dark with any combination of hardwired spot lights and lanterns, string lights, solars and torches
• Outdoor Rooms – Create and furnish distinctive spaces in your landscape for a variety of purposes including meal preparation, dining, socializing, relaxing and family play
• Fencing – Educate yourself on available materials and styles, choosing a durable option that protects your privacy and garden, and compliments your home’s aesthetic
• Storage – Organize garden tools and store furniture over winter months in a secure, durable and complimentary structure or in available spaces such as under a porch

If you desire assistance, interview a couple of landscapers, ensuring they are licensed where applicable, insured and agreeable to obtaining any required permits. With proper planning, your maintained landscape will provide you with a lifetime of pleasure and enjoyment.

*Landscape Contractors of America