Home Rich by Gerri Willis

Author:Gerri Willis
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780345504852
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2008-02-26T00:00:00+00:00

Urban—Make the most of limited space when landscaping an urban yard. That goal is achieved here by maximizing slivers of yard at the front and back of the property. Small side yards add visual interest.

Ann P. Stokes Landscape Architects

Another use: screening. Both trees and shrubs can block views you’d rather avoid, such as the neighbor’s messy backyard or a busy street. Good choices for screens (who wants to see the neighbor’s pool anyway?) are the amur maple, which is dense and grows to ten to fifteen feet with dramatic red foliage; the willowwood viburnum, a large foliage shrub; and the ever-popular and fast-growing Leyland cypress. For something different, Scully suggests a Japanese cedar, also called cryptomeria, which is charmingly puffy in appearance.

As you watch your trees grow, keep an eye out for problems. Warning signs can include trees that lean, heave up out of the ground, or grow oversized mushrooms at their base. A tree with any of those problems could fall, endangering your home, your neighbors, and your family.

When it comes to landscaping—especially planting the trees and shrubs that will fill out your yard—it can be easy to overdo it. Just as you can spend too much money upgrading the interior of your home, so too can you overdo landscaping. Frank Gregoire, a St. Petersburg, Florida, appraiser, cites the case of one homeowner whose 2,200-square-foot ranch failed to attract buyers even though it was across the street from the ocean. That’s because the $50,000 worth of trees, shrubs, and winding walkways she carefully installed around her backyard pool made it feel like the set of Dark Shadows. “I talked to a number of buyers who thought the landscaping made it dark and gloomy,” says Gregoire. To make sure you’re not overimproving, consider what all your trees will look like once they reach adulthood. Remember, oaks will typically reach eighty to one hundred feet, while ornamental trees can grow to twenty to twenty-five feet tall. Imagine what the trees you’d like to buy will look like fully grown. Will they crowd the existing plants you have? Can they all coexist? And, of course, you’ll want to take into consideration the style of your home. Geraniums and pansies are more suited for the grounds of a Tudor than a contemporary-style home. One shortcut to finding species guaranteed to work in your area is to check out the plantings used by your city or village. Municipalities typically don’t want to waste their money, so they make sure their choices are hardy, unlikely to become diseased, and don’t drop branches. Be sure to choose low-maintenance plants; their appeal to buyers is far higher. For the same reason, you’ll want to consider installing perennials rather than annuals in your flowerbeds. Buying and replanting flowers each year is expensive and time-consuming. Perennials not only save you money but will also allow you to plan out a garden with a fairly consistent look. One easy and fun way to try new species: swap with the neighbors. Self-propagating plants, such as daylilies, can grow beyond their intended borders.

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