Quick Tips for Curb Appeal
By Terri Lynn Stokes, Parker County Master Gardener and Broker, Terin Realty
U
pdating your home’s landscap-
ing is a great way to add value
and welcome spring, whether you
are planning to sell your home or
just want to enjoy your outdoor
spaces more.
Consider these tips to enhance
your property:
• Decide what you want to accom-
plish. Do you need a pop of color,
added structure, or are you trying
to attract birds and butterflies? Do
you prefer to spend time puttering
in the garden to relax, or are you
looking for something low mainte-
nance? Are you planning to put your
house on the market, or are you
choosing strictly for your own enjoy-
ment?
Many plants will fill a variety of
needs, but you may need to priori-
tize.
• Aim for visual harmony between
the house and your landscape.
• Get inspiration: the Parker County
Master Gardeners (PCMGA) help
maintain seven community gardens
throughout the county and have
designed most of them. These
gardens are open to the public
and will not only help you find new
plants to love, they will show you
what the plants you’re consider-
ing will look like when they are full
grown, and how they will appear in
a landscape.
• Define the borders of your
gardens and paths. Create inviting
pathways to lead visitors to your
home and to focal spots.
Try Texas Superstar plants, Earth-Kind Roses, and Native Texas Plants.
These are some of the best performing plants for Texas, as well as some
of the most beautiful.
• Add container plants for a pop of color and to create interest or detail.
Container plants can also be used to fill in bare spots and to include
accent plants with different soil requirements.
• Use window boxes to add appeal and color to a lackluster facade.
• Consider designing with drought tolerant species for easy maintenance.
There are many beautiful plants with various colors and textures that adapt
well to Parker County and have minimal water and care requirements.
• Remember to add seating so that you can savor the fruits of your labor.
Taking these steps will help your home sell more quickly and, often, for more
money. On the other hand, it may tempt you to stick around and enjoy your
results this summer and for years to come!
Resources and References:
Texas Superstars: www.texassuperstar.com, EarthKind Roses: www.earthkindroses.tamu.edu
Texas SmartScape: www.TxSmartscape.com, Texas Master Gardener Association: www.txmg.org,
Parker County Master Gardeners: www.pcmg-texas.org
Terri Lynn Stokes
Broker, GRI, MCNE
817-613-1010
[email protected]
Terinrealty.com
• Power wash the exterior of the
house.
• Choose plants proven to be successful in Parker County — they will be
much more likely to thrive. See the PCMGA website (www.pcmg-texas.org)
or the demonstration gardens for ideas regarding superior species for our
area. Books on the subject might also be helpful: two good ones for plant
selection are “Easy Gardens for North Central Texas,” by Steve Huddleston
and Pamela Crawford, and “The Real Dirt,” available at the Extension
office.
• Do some ‘housekeeping’ outside.
Remove clutter — from broken pots
to branches. Tidy up the flower
beds, remove fallen debris, and
weed where needed. Prune unruly
shrubs and tree branches.
• Choose permanent plants based on the environment in which they will be
placed. Consider the plant’s light, water, soil and space needs and plant
appropriately. No matter how much you love a particular plant, if it is
planted in an area that is wrong for its needs, it may disappoint.
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