Colorful Frontyards - Better Than Boring Lawns

 

I have never met a garden owner who is really satisfied with their lawn. 

There are lots of mistakes to make...

My Best Advice: Shrink Your Lawn
Eliminate some of your lawn and create a more natural landscape.  You will ultimately use less water, reduce chemical use, and save some money too.  

Also, you will do less mowing, fertilizing, reseeding, and raking. Here are some photos of beautiful flower beds instead of front yards with no lawn. 

Moving away from water-guzzling and chemical-hungry lawns and cultivating yards that are diverse and self-regulating is a matter of mounting urgency. As global temperatures rise, the demands of turf grass are likely to become untenable. 

You will also save money and your health on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. And your dogs or cats are not in contact with harmful glyphosate.

Many homeowners are obsessed with lawns. Although originally created by European aristocrats in the 17th century as status symbols, today’s lawns are a symbol of the American dream. 

Unfortunately, they also can be a source of unnecessary burden for homeowners, which has led to a recent and growing interest in alternatives to grass in yards. If you are looking to cut down on your grass while still maintaining a luscious green landscape, here are some ideas:

Clover, groundcovers, ornamental grasses, 

creeping thyme, or evergreen moss

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7 Exterior Features That Could Be Hurting Your Home’s Value, According to Real Estate Pros

 

Preparing to sell your house can be a stressful time. Between paperwork, getting ready for potential buyers, and packing up to move, the to-do list can seem endless.

But before putting your house on the market, there might be a few exterior features that are decreasing your home's value. Experts say: "Make them a top priority to fix."

 

First impressions:

Poor landscaping can decrease a home's value by 30%, but it's also one of the easiest exterior fixes.

Curb appeal is very real, and having an overrun lawn, fallen leaves covering the pavement, or a poorly-planned landscape hurts first impressions; it can even decrease your home's value by up to 30%.

"Landscaping is one of the most straightforward ways to improve a home’s perceived value, especially if you’re too strapped to do major renovations on the exterior," Evering explains. "DIY touches like trimming overgrown hedges, planting seasonal flowers, and adding fresh mulch will make a big impact with minimal investment.”

Small steps like clearing pathways and mowing the lawn are great places to start. Plus, trimming the shrubs surrounding your home could improve the amount of natural light inside, which is one of the main features buyers look for in a new home.

Read the rest of the article here:

https://www.thespruce.com/exterior-features-decreasing-home-value-11745135