Harefield Gazette

Add kerb appeal to your property

First impression­s count when selling your home, but you can easily spruce up the front garden on a budget says HANNAH STEPHENSON

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LOOKING to sell your house this summer? First impression­s count for a lot, so it may be time to spruce up your front garden.

Some 68% of home buyers think ‘kerb appeal’ is important when buying a home, according to a HomeOwners Alliance survey. A well-maintained front garden, pathways and fences were highlighte­d as important, in addition to a well-painted frontage.

Want to maximise your home’s kerb appeal? Morris Hankinson, inset, Director of Hopes Grove Nurseries (hopesgrove­nurseries.co.uk), offers the following tips...

Get your lawn in order

“Keep grass neatly – and regularly – cut,” says Morris, as it can transform the appearance of your outdoor space

“Don’t buy expensive turf to fill gaps because a scattering of grass seed ‘scratched in’ with a rake and watered will cover them quickly now we have some warmer weather. “Keep the edges lawn neatly

trimmed and delineated.”

Tidy up your beds

“With a tidy lawn, any messy flowerbeds will come into clear view. Take out weeds, dead plants, old foliage, and

prune back overgrown shrubs.

“Plug gaps with some new plants. Finally, consider adding a decorative mulch, such as bark or cocoa shells for a show-garden finish.”

Buy seeds, not plants

“If you’re not in a huge rush to sell, only £10 or less spent on a few packets of seed could be enough to keep your garden plugged with colour for most of the summer,” adds Morris.

“Go for easy and fast types such as cornflower­s, love in the mist, calendula and the best of all ground-covering space fillers – nasturtium­s.”

Source plants economical­ly

“Check for discounted plants in nurseries and garden centres. Enthusiast­s often sell their surplus from roadside stalls, church or school fetes, horticultu­ral society sales and boot fairs.”

Clean, tidy and dress a paved area

“Get it scrubbed or power-washed off and remove leaves, weeds, algae and moss. Tidy up messy potted plants and anything that looks out of place. Refresh the pots with new plants if they need it. If you don’t have pots then get some to brighten it up,” Morris suggests.

“Go for small groups of smaller pots, set at different levels for best effect – maybe one on the ground, one on a brick and the third on another upturned pot. They can be very effective and will be a lot cheaper than a few larger ones.”

Spruce up woodwork

“Tired fences give the impression of poor maintenanc­e and discourage a potential buyer (or encourage them to put forward a cheeky offer). Get them painted to bring your garden up to a good standard. Go darker with the colour and any planting or features you have will pop out with this effective dark backdrop.”

Use recycled accessorie­s

“This really is a good mindset to get into – at its simplest, it could be planting up an old pair of wellies or saucepans with some cheerful flowers or herbs. At the other extreme, perhaps a seating area constructe­d from upcycled waste pallets. Let your imaginatio­n take hold – the only rule here is it should be free, or almost free.”

Keep it simple

“Remember you are selling, not staying. Nothing overly ambitious is required.” And Morris’s best piece of money-saving advice: Tackle these tasks yourself. Labour will be the largest cost so the biggest saving is you!

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 ?? ?? A smart, neat and colourful frontage is immediatel­y attractive to buyers
A smart, neat and colourful frontage is immediatel­y attractive to buyers

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