CONTENTS for DAN'S PAPERS the week of April 20, 2007

Landscape Design

By Stacey DeFelice

Creating an unforgettable first impression is the first step toward increasing a home's value. A study conducted by the American Nursery and Landscape Association found that the perceived value of a home increased up to eleven percent when it featured a more than minimalist landscape design. Fortunately, homeowners don't need a green thumb or a big bank account to create a lush oasis out of an ordinary landscape.

The easiest contribution a homeowner can make to their home's landscape is simple maintenance. Keeping the lawn mowed and raked, weeding flower beds and regularly trimming and pruning trees creates an overall tidy impression. Be sure to keep trees from hanging over the roof or obstructing the view of the house from the road. Even though an old tree may have sentimental value, it may have a significant impact on the perception of the property. Also, it's a good idea to keep gardening equipment, hoses and toys stowed away when not in use.

Fertilizing and seeding your lawn will lay the foundation for a luxurious landscape. A combination of Kentucky bluegrass and ryegrass stand up well to both variable weather conditions and foot traffic. For areas of the yard with unfriendly grass conditions, like between snaking tree roots, consider a vibrant patch of ground cover perennials. All-purpose garden soil can be filled in amongst the tree roots and planted with low-lying perennials such as blue bell, lilyturf and trillium, which flourish under partial tree shade. Ground cover perennials such as spurge, plumbago and plantain lilies can also create visually appealing continuity beneath a row of gnarly-stemmed shrubs. Be sure to choose a color palette that complements existing foliage.

The austerity of a large expanse of lawn can be broken up with clusters of flowering shrubs like rhododendrons and hydrangea, which come in an array of colors. In contrast, take advantage of an uneven lawnscape by using small hills as a showcase for colorful annuals like daffodils and tulips. Compensate for their beautiful, but short-lived, blooming season by sharing the space with perennial impatients and chrysanthemums, which can flower far into fall if the first blooms are routinely deadheaded before they die.

A large yard can also attain more warmth and charm with some well-chosen hardscaping. Inclines and clusters can be further divided from the rest of the yard with a decorative border of stacked stone. A meandering brick or stone path leading to the entryway can turn a severe facade into a homey and inviting one. Hardscaping can be an attractive, natural alternative to artificial fencing materials in creating borders and privacy between properties. The organic origins of stone and masonry hardscaping are particularly effective in harmonizing the unruliness of nature with the orderliness of a wall or walkway. A porch is a charming accent that ties together the home and landscape. Keep a porch looking new by pressure washing and staining it after the winter months. Some homeowners are reluctant to strip and stain with chemicals, but the harsh, toxic wood treatments of yesteryear have been replaced by a new generation of oxygen based stains that pose no threat to your family, foliage or wildlife. A well-maintained porch can add up to fifteen percent of the home's value.

Frame the porch or entryway with large potted shrubs and flowers. Geraniums and begonias grow particularly well in containers. Even easy-growing creepers like ivy, jasmine and passion flowers can be trained into potted submission with a topiary frame, which can add stunning formality to a modest home. Although terracotta planters are classic, consider using alternative containers such as copper washtubs, watering cans and wagons for added depth and texture. These items can be spray painted or distressed to match the style of the home.

Nightscaping with accent lights can be the final and most dramatic way to enhance a home's landscape features. Lighting can make an entryway into an impressive focal point after dusk. This can be achieved with a combination of pendant and house-mounted accent lights, which would also create ample light for safety and security purposes. Uplighting, or nestling spotlights beneath trees and large shrubs, can accent splayed and flowering branches, while downlighting installations can show off decorative hardscaping and blooming plants. Individual lights and lanterns can be placed along paths or in shrub clusters for added illumination. Today's outdoor lighting not only comes in numerous styles to maintain the integrity of every period and home design, but in low-voltage, energy efficient options.

Any landscape improvement will increase the value of your home, and when the time comes to sell, you are likely to double the landscaping investment. With real estate agencies and organizations featuring photographs of their listings online, the exterior appearance of a home is more important than ever. Even buyers who are not scouting out homes online are likely to drive by a listing before determining whether or not they want to make an appointment to investigate further. Begin by making a few simple changes this spring to ensure that your home is not only more becoming, but more valuable.

At the Hamptons Home and Garden Show there is a variety of premiere landscaping companies that help to service the East End.