Making a Good First Impression
Posted by Laura Nelson on June 21, 2010
By Sherry Nelson
The front entryway to your home deserves some careful thought; it’s the first impression people have of your home.
You can increase the value of your property with skilled landscaping–and that begins with the front entrance to your home. George Kay, an award-winning designer in Geneva, says one mistake homeowners make is letting plants overpower an entrance. Selected plants should not grow above windows, over doors, and generally obscure the residence.
“Plants used in the front garden should maintain a low profile, growing to a maximum height of six inches to 30 inches,” he says. “As these plants mass together (as opposed to a series of individually trimmed geometric shapes) they provide a unified appearance that complements the home.”
Another advantage of using smaller scale plants that mass together is the reduction of pruning and maintenance, says Kay.
Avoid another common practice of plating visually strong plants such as those that are predominately yellow, red, variegated, or have contorted branches. These plants are visually distracting as opposed to complementary.
For other ideas on improving the look of your landscaping, call George Kay and Associates at (630) 232-6890 or visit www.georgekayandassociates.com.
Tags:Home & Garden
