3 Ways To Increase The Curb Appeal Of Your Florida Home

A first impression leaves lasting memories both when meeting new people as well as when going to new or familiar places. Increasing the curb appeal of your home, especially in a beautiful year round climate like Florida, creates a very positive first impression. This is true if you are planning on selling your home, but also so that you feel good about coming home and having guests come over.

There are some simple ways to use landscaping to add to the appeal of your home without breaking your budget. Many simple changes in the layout and positioning of gardens, flowers, shrubs and trees can make a huge difference. These will work even if you only have a limited budget. The great news is that these changes, if you use perennial plants, will last for years to come. You can also opt for lower cost annuals to add those bright bursts of color that will draw the eye to specific locations on the property.

To get started consider the following low-cost landscaping tips for yards in Florida:

Using a variety of different sizes, designs, shapes and colors of containers allows you to plant and display interesting and different plants anywhere in the yard. As the plants, including larger palms and small trees, are planted in the containers they can be moved around to highlight foliage or flowers at different times during the season.

Spruce up existing flower beds by adding dramatic types of grasses and plants that form a rich, green, living background to the flower bed. Taller plants and grasses are at the back of the bed with medium to small plants coming to the front. Concentrate the colorful flowers at the front of the bed to enhance the greenery and decrease the number of annuals you will need to purchase each year.

Use the bright, rich colors of perennial types of foliage to highlight pathways and flower beds. You can choose tall or shorter plants based on the specific location. Good options include Brazilian Red Hots, Cuban Gold Duranta, Persian Shield and Purple Queen.

Keep in mind that unless you are planning to water your new landscape with the garden hose, it’s also very important to consult your irrigation professional prior to the start of the project. Your irrigation contractor will review your existing system to make sure that your new plants will receive the right amount of water that they need. He or she may also be able to point out the existence of any sprinkler pipes or sprinkler wires in the area you plan on digging. Also take the time to call Sunshine One Call (811) to locate any underground cable, gas, or telephone wires prior to digging. With even a limited budget, small changes in your landscape can boost both your home’s curb appeal and your mood.

Sherry Daniels manages a 20+ year Orlando based sprinkler system company & is the author of “Working Moms: How to Quit Your Other Job – Secret to getting Paid for Working in Your Husband’s Business. Available for FREE (while supplies last). She also has a Done-for-you monthly newsletter service that just about any business owner can use to get new clients and improve client retention. Sherry can be reached at [email protected]