Nine Ways to Landscape for Maximum Curb Appeal

Photo courtesy of : Darren Patt Construction

This article originally appeared on Porch.com

There are a million and one ways to add curb appeal, but your home’s landscaping is one of the most important.

Home sale price data shows that you’ll get double your investment back on landscaping when you’re trying to sell your home. But it doesn’t take a scientist to see that a drab lawn and an overgrown tree can ruin even the most beautiful home’s mojo.

Don’t let bad landscaping ruin your home’s appearance. These 10 tips will help you get your landscaping gorgeous and maximize your curb appeal so you can sell your home for what it’s really worth, or just enjoy a lovely home year round.

1. Play to Your Strengths

Don’t plant haphazardly. Take a look at the colors of your home, and choose plantings that make those colors pop.

Photo courtesy of Gelotte Hommas

2. Add Some Color

If you can’t find plants that tie in with the colors of your home’s exterior, then place large-scale glazed planters that pick out the same tones and make even mismatched plantings look intentional.

Photo courtesy of Grouparchitect

3. Lead the Way

Curb appeal starts at the curb, so make sure the path to your door is clearly defined. Decorative urns or colorful border plantings are two high-impact ways to do the job.

Photo courtesy of Edmund D. Hollander Architect Landscape Design

4. Make it Shine

Landscaping features such as paths, walls, and other hardscaping get dirty over time, making the home’s whole exterior look dingy and dark. Make sure to have your landscaped features professionally pressure-washed, so they can shine.

Photo courtesy of Phil Kean Designs

5. Tailor Border Plantings

Large, scraggly, or random-looking plants can overwhelm new eyes and obscure features of your home that you should be playing up. Make sure your border plantings are tidy, grouped by color, and just large enough to cover up foundations and external vents, without covering windows or impinging on paths.

Photo courtesy of Ag-Trac Enterprises LC

6. Brighten House Numbers

Small details like your house numbers can make a big difference in the overall effect of your landscaping and curb appeal. Replace or paint house numbers so they pop–you could even coordinate them with your door color or the accent color you’ve chosen for your landscape plantings.

Photo courtesy of Darren Patt Construction

7. Trim Trees

Cutting down trees is one landscaping rule of thumb that’s no longer completely necessary. Trees can add charm and character, particularly in rustic-styled properties–just make sure trees are trimmed to complement the house’s best qualities. Light and sightlines should be able to reach the house easily.

Photo courtesy of Seaside Construction

8. Light the Path

If you haven’t invested in landscape lighting, consider it: it can seriously boost your curb appeal. Lighting under steps, on path borders, and trained on trees and water features will allow your landscaping’s best features to shine even on gloomy days.

Photo courtesy of Advanced Renovations, Inc.

9. Create a Soft Landing

Draw buyers and visitors in by softening the transition between your home and the street. Potted plantings on a porch, green wreaths on the door, and a path that meanders through your landscape instead of going straight to the door are three great tricks to try.

Photo courtesy of Wentworth, Inc.

Could your curb appeal use some help? What’s the first change you’ll make once the weather gets warm?

Jacqui Adams

Content Marketing Specialist, Porch.com. Jacqui Adams is a writer and editor living in Seattle. She shares a cozy midcentury fixer-upper with her fiancé, her cat, and approximately eight bazillion books. Follow Jacqui on Twitter at @JacquiLeeLu.