With yesterday's announcement of the North Carolina Azalea Queen and festival headliners, we’re reminded that Spring is coming and that means time to freshen up outdoor spaces! If your home is for sale or you’re thinking of listing soon, now is the time to take measure of what you need to do to improve curb appeal and prepare your home for the busiest months for home buying. Here are a few tips for doing just that.

  1. Rake up all the dead leaves and pine needles. Dead plant debris doesn’t just cover up all the beautiful greenery, it makes a home look untended and uninviting. It can also make the yard look smaller, so clean up and hall off or burn as much as you can.
  2. Plant fresh flowers. One tray of pansies, impatiens, and petunias go a long way to adding color to your Wilmington NC Petunias and Retaining Walllandscaping. So does a few hanging baskets. If you don’t have a green thumb, try something hardy like geraniums and trailing vines, and avoid fragile bleeding hearts.
  3. Mulch. Mulching helps keep the ground warm and soil moist, so plants stay healthy. It also accentuates the plants and makes garden beds look tidy. Mulch can do wonders for curb appeal, but do your homework beforehand. Some mulch lasts longer than others. We suggest Pine or Red, which comes in different colors. These types might not last the longest, but they don’t have the shortest lifespan and won’t be hazardous to local animals or support deforestation.
  4. Dead head flowers. That means to pinch off any dead or dying flower heads. Some people hate to do this for fear of hurting the plant, but for plants that bloom multiple times a season, it helps them to fill out and more blooms to appear. It also makes the garden beds look healthy and inviting.
  5. Trim bushes and trees. Overgrown bushes and trees can make a home look smaller and provide shelter to unwanted creatures, like snakes. They can also be hazardous if they hang over wires or against the roof. Trim them now and avoid unexpected repairs that could come later on during Summer storms.
  6. Maintain decks and patios. Depending on your home’s features, now is a good time to repair masonry flaws, wood damage, and any other issues that have sprung up since last Summer. Re-grout, stain, seal, etc. The chances of you doing work like this is higher now than it will be once the weather gets hot.
  7. Clean windows. Grungy screens and smudged windows can be a downer. It’s amazing how much some soapy water and bottle of window cleaner (or vinegar!) can give a house new life. Just wait until you see them gleam from the street.
  8. Clean out gutters. All those leaves, twigs, and other debris that collects in your gutters can lead to water damage. Grab a ladder and pull it all out, then spray the gutter down with water. This will help you determine if there are any leaks.

Finally, you may want to consider some enhancements. Recently, The American Society of Landscape Architects conducted their annual Residential Trends Survey and came up with a top list of what people like to see in outdoor spaces. Here is a list of some of the most desired: exterior lighting, fire pits or fire places, seating or dining areas, grills, installed seating (benches, seat walls, or ledges), and weatherized furniture. It’s never a good idea to spend money on your home if you’re not going to get it back, but if you have room to work and showing feedback relays that the backyard is lacking something to be desired, consider the list.