LAWN: Your lawn should be well maintained. Mow often and set your mower higher: grass that is clipped too short will be more prone to drying out and weeds. Take the extra time and edge sidewalks and paths.

REMOVING PLANTS: Obviously, weeds should be removed. Overgrown plants and bushes should be pruned, and if they look too bedraggled, removed. If you have the time, some shrubs (like forsythia) can be brought back to life by cutting them back to a foot or so off the ground. They will grow back lusher and more full, but this will take time. Overgrown perennials can be dug up, divided, and used to plant new areas. If you have extra plants in areas that aren’t easily seen, move them to more obvious locations.

CHOOSING PLANTS: Landscaping plants, bushes, and trees all take time to establish themselves and grow. Of course, you can buy full-sized bushes and fifteen foot trees, but these can cost a significant amount of money, as well as needing specialized equipment to plant them. If your current landscaping is spartan or nonexistent, a wise choice is often to purchase one largish bush or small tree as a focal point, and surround it with smaller, cheaper plants. Annual plants (plants that die off each year) can provide a show of color and take less time to fill out than perennials. Annuals can also be significantly less expensive, especially if you grow them from seed. If you have a couple of months before you plan on listing your home, flower seeds like zinnias or alyssum grow quickly and provide a good show of color. Ornamental grasses can provide interest and height, and may grow faster than flowering plants or shrubs.

PLANT LOCATION: Choose a highly visible area for your planting; near the front of the house or next to a front path or stair is usually a good choice. Landscaping should match the style of the house: a small cottage will look good with a little plot of mixed wildflowers in front of the front porch, while a neo-classical or modern house may look better with a single sculpted evergreen and several smaller plants. Most smaller plants look best in odd-numbered groups: group 3 or 5 plants together instead of having one of everything. Plant smaller plants in front and larger plants in back. If your planting is not next to a house or wall, surround a taller plant with gradually shorter plants.

MULCH: Mulch can make all the difference when it comes to getting that manicured, landscaped look. Not only will a good layer of mulch keep the weeds down and retain moisture for the plants, but it can make the garden areas around your house look well cared for. If your planting areas border your lawn, use flexible edging to keep the mulch neatly in place.

HARDSCAPE: Hardscape refers to the non-living elements of your landscaping. If your property is overflowing with rocks, consider edging areas with stone, or if you have larger rocks, arrange them in a pleasing configuration and surround them with mulch. Add a ceramic bird or two for a dash of color and interest. If you live in a dry, arid climate, use Zen gardens for inspiration; arrangements of gravel, sand, and stone can be just as beautiful as plant life. Benches and bird feeders can beautify side and back lawns, especially when they are placed against a backdrop of taller plants. (A note on garden gnomes, ceramic ducks, plastic flamingos, and the like: while you may love and treasure these things, you should be aware that potential buyers may not be of a similar mindset. It is best to remove any inanimate objects that possess a face from your yard before showing your house.)

The trick to landscaping a house to sell is to get the most selling advantage for the least amount of money. Focus on the main areas: near the front entrance, along a path, and the front of the house. Choose one or two larger plants or shrubs, and surround them with smaller, cheaper plants. If you choose flowering plants, make a note of when they flower and how they look after flowering. A mass planting of tulips will look gorgeous while they are in bloom, and terrible later in the summer.

If you are completely lost as to which plants to pick or where to plant them, consult a gardener friend or ask advice from your local nursery. (Gardner friends are also sometimes a useful source of extra plants.) When in doubt, you should be pretty safe planting three different heights of plants next to a foundation wall, as long as you make sure they get the required amount of sunlight.

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Landscaping is about patience. Secondly, it is about budget. There is such a thing as a Landscape Triangle that incorporates time, money, and knowledge. Without one, the other two are more difficult to work through in regards to having your dream garden. For example, smaller plants (which may be less expensive) take longer to establish themselves than larger plants, but if you give it time and know where and how to plant them, then you can have that fabulous garden over the long term.

First, make a design of what you would like for your garden to look like in about 5 years or even 10 years. Think long term when planning the design, buying plants, and building around the area. If you do not have this knowledge, then you might consider hiring a landscaper or at least consulting with one before you buy that first plant. A designer can provide you with information about your “dream garden” such as how fast certain plants grow, what plants might work well in your area/climate/soil, and long term care of those plants. Some do-it-yourselfers often plant too many small plants in one area, so as they mature, they crowd themselves right out of room.

One consideration when planning your design, especially when on a budget, is to figure out the cost per square feet of each plant. For example, you pass by the $20 hosta and instead pick the $4 primrose because you are on a budget. Did you save money? If a primrose ultimately fills one square foot in your garden, but the hosta covers 12 square feet, then to fill the same area, the hosta only costs about $1.67/sqft, where the primrose now costs $4/sqft. So, in dollar amounts, to fill that space in your garden, the hosta cost $20 and the primroses will cost $48. You end up not saving money at all, but spending more.

Once you do have the design of your garden in place, you can start figuring out what you want your budget to be, which helps keep your garden within your limits. The important part of the budget is just buying the best valued plants and materials possible.

Before purchasing that first plant, do an inventory of what you already have or what a friend, relative, or neighbor may give you.
• What plants to you have in your own yard that you can transplant, if necessary?
• What plants do your friends, neighbors, or relatives have that you can take a sprig and replant in your yard? But be aware that you should only take plants that are already in your plan. Otherwise, you will have to create a new design.
• Take stock of how much of your own time that you want to invest in this garden.
• Keep the Landscape Triangle in mind before, during, and after the landscaping project so you garden continues to grow year after year after year.

After you have gathered all “donated” plants and taken a look at your own yard, see what is left to get for your design. You can divide your design out into sections and plant one section at a time, or you can plan to plant all the large trees first, then all the small bushes, then flowering plants, etc. When you divide it up, then you can conquer easier, rather than trying to take on the whole garden at one time. Once you decide how to proceed, then start making your list of materials you need for each section/group and start shopping.

TIP: Keep checking your local papers for deals of the week on plants, mulch, and other needed materials.