Sprucing Up The Landscape Curb Appeal

1. Sprucing Up The Landscape Curb Appeal Dennis Patton Johnson County Horticulture Agent

2. Why Landscape • Maximum use of land • Efficient use of space • Aids in construction and planting • Increased home value • Creates easier maintenance • More value for money spent

4. Areas to Address for Curb Appeal • Front door – most striking and important feature of the home. • Soften – foundations and ties home to the lot. • Enframe – holds the eye to the home. • Accents – leads the eye to areas of emphasis.

5. Existing Plant Materials • Trees • Health and overall vigor • Location, right spot or in the way • Function, shade, beauty • Sentimental Value • Trees – most will remain in the landscape • Small easiest to replace • Large shade trees take time

6. Existing Plant Materials • Shrubs • Easily replaced, about 3 years • Old overgrown, over 10 years probably ready to be removed • Value to landscape • Specimen, rare, not easily replaced • Rejuvenation versus replacement

7. 10 Most Common Mistakes • Overplanting • Too many types • Lawn cluttered • Trees in middle of yard • Shrubs overgrown • Poor condition • Uprights at corner • Bright colors scattered • Downspouts • Plants too close to home

8. Overplanting • Small when purchased • Planted too close together • Increased stress, disease, insects

9. Reducing Overplanting • Know mature heights and spreads • Decreased maintenance

10. Too Many Different Types of Plants • Lacks continuity • No Focus

11. Create a Flow • Repeat a few basic plants to tie together. • Repetition • Simplicity

12. Lawn Cluttered • Trees and shrubs break up the space and view • Appears unorganized and lacks interest

13. Reduce Clutter • Create planting beds • Concept of “void and mass”

14. Trees in Middle of Front Lawn • Block view and break home

15. Tree Placement • Best located to the side • Enframe the home • Exception is shade trees

16. Shrubs Too Tall For Foundation • Peek-a-boo effect • Shrubs hide the windows • Increased maintenance – pruning .

17. Shrub Selection • Know mature height when selecting • Maintenance – pruning to control size • 1/3 of the plant material in the front should be evergreen.

18. Plants in Poor Condition • Dead and dying • Overgrown and tired • Poor care • Wrong plant wrong location

19. Plants in Poor Condition

21. Uprights at Corners • Pyramidal plants guide eyes • Create accents in areas pulling away from the entrance.

22. Corner Plantings • Two-thirds rule • Plant materials should be about 2/3 the height from the ground to the eves of the home. • Corners should be softened • Rounded, oval or irregular forms

24. Create layers

25. Bright Colors Scattered Around • Circus effect • Color creates accents • Too many accents and the view is lost

27. Use of Color • Repeat colors • Color happens at different times to create accents

28. Bright Colors • Mulch is functional not an accent!

29. Corners Stand Out • Downspouts attract attention • Drains provide excess water, plant problems and look bad • Screen with corner planting • Bury drains

30. Corners Stand Out

31. Plant Materials too Close • Planted next to foundation • Maintenance issues for home • Access issues to water and maintenance

32. Plants too Close Locate shrubs half their mature width plus 1 foot away from the foundation.

33. Examples