Landscaping for Curb Appeal

We used to call it my "Grandfather rule", the joke in my family was that when told my Grandfather company was coming, he'd go clean the barn. Well that's the last thing the guests were going to see. Better to start with the very front and work back to the barn.

This is a fundamental so many landscape projects neglect. That first impression is everything, and it starts with the front driveway or entryway.

Next time you drive into your home, take the time to really "look" at what your guests see when they first drive up. Are there overgrown shrubs, damage to the shutters, dead flowers or plants? Re-evaluate what could be done to the front entry to spice it up. A few well placed landscape rocks, a few day lilies in the right locations, maybe a new tree, and most importantly, make it all flow to the front door as an invitation.

Be sure to keep it simple. One of the problems we will address is overbuilding with something like a water feature, but then forgetting the maintenance because you seldom use your front door.

The flow or central viewpoint is very important in narrowing the focus to what you want the guest to see.

Maintenance and cleanup should always start at the front of the house and work to the back.