If you drive through any typical neighborhood, you’ll probably see some homes with amazing yards and great curb appeal, as well as those with yards that look like they are in dire need of a hedge trimmer and some Herbicide. You should never underestimate the importance of a well-landscaped yard. In addition to looking great, well-landscaped yards provide environmental, health, and economic benefits. A well-landscaped yard will:
1. Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal
Landscaping your property can boost your curb appeal if done properly. You can use walkways, patios, flower beds, trees, shrubs, native plants, and water features to enhance the aesthetic appearance of your yard. A well-planned landscape design provides a great first impression and sends the message that you take care of your property. Curb appeal is so important that 94% of Realtors suggest sellers improve their homes’ curb appeal before listing their homes for sale.
2. Increase Your Home’s Property Value
Homebuyers are more likely to pay more money for homes that have well-landscaped lawns. High-quality landscaping can add up to 28% to the overall value of your home, and it can decrease the amount of time your home sits on the real estate market before selling.
Permanent hardscapes, such as outdoor kitchens, fire pits, pools, and patios are investments that can provide long-term benefits that you and your family will enjoy and will increase your home’s appeal to future potential buyers if you decide to sell.
3. Save You Money
Trees and shrubs provide shade, which can decrease your home’s air conditioning requirements. A thoughtfully landscaped property can help can save up to 25% of the energy a typical household uses. Placing large shrubs near your air conditioner can increase its efficiency by 10%, provided that you leave plenty of space for ventilation. Tall, mature trees can reduce your attic temperature drastically and help reduce cooling costs.
4. Improve Your Health
If your yard is nicely landscaped, you’ll want to spend more time outdoors enjoying it. Spending time in your landscaped yard can provide health benefits. According to a Texas A&M Agrilife Extension report, being around plants helps improve concentration, memory performance, and attention span by 20%. In addition, spending time outside can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, improve your mental health, and encourage a more positive attitude.
5. Protect The Environment
A properly landscaped yard provides several environmental benefits. While they don’t appear to be doing much, trees, grass, plants, and other greenery are working constantly to protect the environment. They improve air quality by producing oxygen, collecting dust particles in the air, and removing carbon dioxide. A single tree can remove approximately 26 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air annually and provide enough oxygen for four people per day. Flowers, plants, and trees also help sustain birds and other wildlife by providing sources for food and shelter.
Hardy plants and foliage can help reduce erosion and aid in the runoff of stormwater as it helps reduce the pollution and sediment that are dispersed into the rivers, streams, and other bodies of water. If your property is on a hill, you can use retaining walls to create a barrier to reduce the risk of erosion, prevent soil from sliding downhill, and provide structure to your yard’s design.
6. Promote A Better Quality Of Life
Plants and foliage connect us with nature and improve our outdoor spaces, and having a beautifully landscaped lawn can greatly improve your family’s quality of life. It would be much better to entertain your family and friends, have a backyard barbecue, sit around a fire pit, and do your gardening in a yard that is comfortable and pleasant to spend time in, rather than one that is overgrown, full of weeds, or riddled with muddy areas.
The benefits of landscaping are significant. A well-planned landscape provides structure, color, and texture to your yard, and it can brighten up your home’s curb appeal. Whether you hire a professional landscaping company or do it yourself, carefully placed trees, plants, walkways, water features, green spaces, or other elements can go a long way toward making your yard and your home look and feel amazing.