Fun Things to Do

Read pretty much any article which discusses transforming your outdoor space – and you can be fairly sure that all the passion and enthusiasm for creating an attractive outside room will relate only to the back garden. Admittedly, most homes boast a larger space to the rear of the property than to the front, but nonetheless, isn’t it time we lavished a bit more love and attention on our fading front gardens?

According to an article in The Telegraph

“front gardens are sociable spaces. Unlike our back gardens, hidden behind high fences, front gardens give something back to the street”

This infers there is a social responsibility to inject a dash of style into your front garden space, or at very least a duty to make an effort to smarten up the area to maintain local standards. And for those of us who may boast altruistic tendencies, there is a huge opportunity to share the well-documented benefits of a touch of garden therapy – and for others to derive pleasure from your hard labour!

What will the neighbours think?

Regardless of whether you care what your neighbours think, there is also a more financially driven reason why you should invest in your front garden space! The undisputed power of ‘kerb appeal’ has been well documented when it comes to attracting a buyer for your property.

 Anna Tyzack reports in The Telegraph

“A property's outer appearance, its kerb appeal, is often the deal maker (or breaker) when it comes to buying a home. It takes potential buyers no more than eight seconds to decide whether or not they like a house”.

Sarah Beeny, the Property Ladder presenter says

“First impressions count for a lot. A bad appearance can do a lot of damage. It doesn't take a great deal of effort to change this though”.

Think about kerb appeal!

So not only does a well kept front garden add charm and aesthetic appeal to the local neighbourhood, the owner of a well maintained and attractive front garden is likely to stand a far greater chance of attracting the attention of a prospective buyer.
That said, don’t just consider your home’s kerb appeal when you are looking to sell!

Take pride in your first impression.

Make your home the pride of the street by lavishing some extra special care on the all too often neglected front garden. The failure to invest time and energy on the space directly by your front door could be due to the fact that often this area is difficult to manage and hindered by expanses of concrete or gravel. However, with careful planning and creative flair it is possible to work wonders. Some simple ideas include:

- Position a couple of imposing bay trees either side of the front door to create an immediate impression of grandeur

- Arrange a selection of fragrant flowers in beautiful pots within your front garden area to encourage a welcoming ambience

- Introduce a splash of bold colour to exterior walls by potting up some hanging baskets

– and if you have a colourful front door, choose some bright zesty flowers to complement it

- Go for a style makeover of just the bed or border at the front of the house. Rethink your choice of plants and the layout of the bed and consider a colour theme which will deliver maximum impact

- If there is a path leading up to the front door make sure it is clean and not slippery.

Add Pizzazz!

Edging the pathway with plants will add instant pizzazz. Evergreens such as Box or Photinia work well year round and create a sense of structure. Gravel pathways offer a cost effective and elegant solution – as well as an effective burglar deterrent but be sure to keep them weed free

For more help:

For help and guidance on how to make the most of your front garden contact the award winning Lime Orchard garden transformation service on 0845 539 1467 (local call rate) or visit www.limeorchard.co.uk  for further details.