The events of 2020 have made people appreciate gardens a whole lot more. No matter how big or small a garden you have, make the most of it!
Gardens are great for your mental health and a well-kept garden can add value to your home.
Here are four updates you can make to add value to your home.
Create an outdoor entertaining area
If you have a traditional garden, then this is usually the part nearest to the main house. If, however, you’re creating a garden on a balcony or roof, then it’s usually the part furthest from the house door. The reason for this difference is that traffic on balconies and roofs has to be managed more carefully.
Ideally, you want this area to be covered. That way you can use it all year round, even in winter. In traditional gardens, louvered roofs are generally the best option. They offer plenty of flexibility for different weather conditions. In smaller spaces, however, a canopy may be your only practical option.
Leave space for a lawn
Over recent years, there’s been a trend of replacing lawns with other surfaces, for example, pebbles. This reduces maintenance but it’s not a lot of fun for children or pets. If you really can’t face taking care of a proper lawn, you have two options. One is simply to hire someone to do it for you. The other is to use artificial turf.
If you’re going to use artificial turf, then it’s worth investing in a quality product. Basically, if you want your garden to look its best (i.e. most appealing), you want artificial turf which literally looks and feels like real turf. Low-quality artificial turf tends to look like the covering on a pool table.
Make sure there’s plenty of lighting
Putting lights along the route from the street to your house door is convenient for you and legitimate visitors. It can also help to deter unwelcome visitors. You should also put lights at any other strategic points in your garden such as by outbuildings.
Last but not least, you can have fun with lights just as decor. This tends to work best between fall and spring when there is most darkness. Using lights astutely can really brighten up a garden and give the whole home that “wow” factor.
Make a grand entrance
As a minimum, create a secure boundary to your garden. The purpose of this isn’t so much to keep people out as to keep children and pets in. Generally, fences and walls are the best options. You can add plants for privacy and decor. If you have a gate, make sure that it’s attractive and in good condition.
If your patio is at the back of the house, consider putting some form of covering above the front-door area. This doesn’t have to be big, it just has to give a bit of shelter. This can be a great place for hanging baskets and containers to make the outdoor/indoor transition.
