Garden Fresh…its not just a detergent scent.

Many people wonder why it would be worth their time and effort to landscape their home. Well, there can be a number of different reasons. Are you planning to sell your home? Is your current landscaping looking shabby-not chic and overgrown? Do your neighbors cross the street while walking their dog to avoid your house? Would you like to get the feel of a larger home without going through the mess of an addition? If you answered yes to one of these questions you may be looking to add a fresh new look to your home. If you answered yes to ALL of these questions pick up your phone NOW and call us yesterday! However, there is still the ever-present question; “Why should I?” Let’s start with the scenario that you may be thinking of selling your home. If you are thinking of selling your home, now is the time to landscape. Landscaping has its fully invested return after about 3 to 5 years of installation date. So if you have selling on the mind, it is best to landscape 3-5 years prior to putting your home on the market so the plant material has time to mature and establish. A good rule of thumb for a full return of your investment is to spend 10-30% of your home’s value. You can absolutely invest more, but you may not get that investment back. Some people do chose to spend more if they plan on staying in their home for a long period of time. This just adds to their “entertainment and enjoyment” value, on top of their home value. A professionally installed landscape can add anywhere from 14-20% of the total value of your home. Another situation you may be looking at is that your landscape is boring you, scaring you, overwhelming you, or your overgrown rose bushes are trying to eat your neighbor’s dog. Sometimes all you need is some heavy pruning, and to replace some plants to add some interest or color. Many times a home has good structural plant characteristics, but needs a landscape professional from Greenlife to assess and give advice to further enhance the beauty of the existing landscape. In some cases if a landscape has been neglected for too long, a total renovation may be your best option.  Hiring a landscape professional from Greenlife to plan and implement a new design will only further enhance the beauty and value of your home for many years to come. Once an install is complete it is very important to maintain the landscape so that it will retain its appeal, vigor, and health.  Our professionals can guide you through the maintenance process and educate you on the proper methods to a happy and healthy yard.  Let’s face it-if your yard is beginning to swallow your time, dog, and house whole, its time to do something.  The neighborhood will appreciate it, and those with a properly maintained landscape will notice and love that you contributed to the neighborhood value. Often times people will look towards landscaping to not only add value to their home, but extend their living space into the outdoors (look for a future blog post to learn about this more in depth). If you enjoy spending your time outdoors but have really no place to take “refuge”, you can call Greenlife to help you create a new space, just for you and your family. Our team can design a tranquil sitting space, outdoor kitchen, bring fire and water features, and other endless possibilities to your space. Creating an outdoor space and giving the feel of adding a “room” can bring the space of your house from the inside to the outdoors. This creates space to “live” in nature, whether this means relaxing, entertaining, or simply having fun and enjoying your time outside with family and friends. Many people these days are beginning a newfound respect for the connection from the indoors and the outdoors.  Your new landscape will now be an extension of your home to be enjoyed for many years to come. -Mikaela