Homeowners are encouraged to do whatever they can to boost the appeal and function of their property, and this ranges from roof repair and replacing drafty windows to the beautification of the property, such as hiring remodeling crews to freshen up the kitchen or master bathroom. But don’t forget the outside. A gorgeous yard garden can make a property really stand out, and lush greenery can boost a property’s value and appeal alike in the real estate market. Outside garden centers and plant nurseries all over the nation provide everything an aspiring gardener needs to create their own home garden, and this is a popular pastime for sure. If someone wants to visit their local outside garden center, what should they know about gardening as a whole, and how can they make a healthy garden that increases their property value and looks nice in the process?
American and Gardening
Many surveyed Americans agree that they like to spend time in their front and back yards, and this means maintaining healthy and attractive yards with some landscaping features. Hardscaping is a related topic, which concerns itself with fences, garden sheds, or even a swimming pool or a wooden deck. Meanwhile, what about the plants? As of 2017, for a fairly recent example, around 117.6 million Americans did some gardening work of one kind or another within the last 12 months. In the year before that, the typical expense of gardening and lawn care was $141.06 per consumer, and this market was worth $272 billion in 2017. Many homeowners take part in gardening, and more and more younger homeowners (such as Millennials) are getting interested in gardening, too. Still, for the time being, it is older homeowners to are the most dedicated and common gardeners. Now, what might a garden look like?
An Outside Garden Center
Someone who wants to get into gardening is urged to visit local outside garden centers, where the helpful staff can point them in the right direction and tell them what they will need to get started. This includes not only the plants themselves (flowers, shrubs, etc) but also seed packets, watering cans, fertilizer bags, mulch, and a whole lot more. It may be noted that some plants have particular needs, such as certain amounts of sunlight or shade per day or certain amounts of water or temperatures. At an outdoor garden center, the customer can also get items such as bricks or plastic timbers for a low garden wall, decorations such as bird baths, vine trellises, and more. A garden’s decorations can provide an extra place for plants to grow, and they look nice to any home guests who visit.
Some home gardens even include vegetable patches, though this will require some work. The gardener will not only set up the correct soil and fertilizer for their vegetable patch, but they should also keep wild animals away, such as rabbits and raccoons, among others. So, the homeowner can set up chicken wire and poles to block those animals, and the fencing can form a dome if any local birds might harm the garden. For larger backyards where gophers are an issue, the homeowner can use special items such as underground sound emitters that will drive gophers away. Take note that poisoning and killing gophers is illegal in some areas, so it’s better to simply drive them off. Underground mesh nets made of metal can be installed, and simply block the gophers from reaching the garden area to start with.
Is there a monetary incentive to do this? Earlier, it was mentioned that a home garden can increase a property’s value, and this has been proven through studies. A homeowner can clean up their front and back yards and create a garden to impress home buyers, who will certainly appreciate the lovely outdoor area. In fact, studies show that investing 5% of the property’s value in landscaping can yield an ROI (return on investment) of 150%. The homeowner can raise the property’s price when they have a well-tended lawn with a fence, a garden, low brick walls, a shed, and the like. Even in winter, some hardy winter plants such as evergreens and holly bushes can be planted, and add to the property’s value at any time of the year.
