FROM DRAB TO FAB

Increase your home’s value and embrace Mother Nature with a few simple outdoor projects

Spring will eventually arrive and with it comes the opportunity for many people to put their home on the market. First impressions can be key for resale value, and Freshome recommends front yard landscape improvements that are simple and focused. Here are five solutions the website suggests:

L AW N

A lush green lawn is the welcome mat for your home. If you have to patch some bald spots, choose a grass seed that’s suitable to your climate and the season. Other tips include not cutting the lawn too short, using fertilizer appropriate for your region, digging out or spraying weeds before they go to seed, and watering deeply but less often.

ROCK GARDEN

Adding a rock garden can increase visual interest and complement plants, especially in dry areas where they might struggle to survive. Trying matching the stones with the vegetation, like mossy coverings for a woodland look framed by short wildflowers such as ferns or trilliums. Or try multi-level arrangements to lure your gaze upwards to the house.

PAVING

Adding a stone or concrete path adds a visual element that can accent the home’s own construction materials. Consider whether you want to go natural with large irregular shaped stones, more linear with rectangular or square slabs, or like an old village with cobblestone. The path should follow the direction of the usual foot traffic through the area, helping keep people from wearing out the grass.

WATER FEATURE

The calm-inducing nature of trickling water in a stone feature added to your yard can create an inviting zone of Zen for guests approaching your house. There are many variations to consider, such as water falls, fountains, shallow pools, small moats, narrow streams or fish-stocked ponds. Just make sure to match the size of the fish with the pond’s area.

POTTED PLANTS

Add some colour to your yard or front door area with potted plants displaying bright colours. They’ll be less work than tending a full garden and can be moved around. They’ll brighten dark corners of the yard, lead the eye to your door and accent colours on your house like windows and shutters. Consider different pot sizes for variation, available space and to draw the eye.

PHOTOS: Getty IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO A water feature can create visual interest as well was a sense of Zen. There are a raft of available options, including fountains and waterfalls.

Potted plants can add a splash of colour — from both foliage and pots.

When adding a stone or concrete path, try to follow the routes people tend to take when walking across the property to reduce wear on the lawn.

To keep your lawn looking great, don’t mow it too short, water deeply and less often, and use fertilizers suitable to your growing conditions.