I recently read that when a buyer drives up to your home to view it you have about 5-10 seconds to make the right impression. Curb appeal can be elusive and even a million dollar home can need improvement, when a lower priced home just sings out to everyone passing by. Know one of those, let us know, even if it is not for sale send us a photo.

Good landscaping takes some effort and some planning. Now is the time to act. Think back to your yard last year, if you have photos look at them closely and decide what you liked and what you did not. It is not hard, but requires a little thought to lay out a plan and take the steps to improve the look.

1) Clean up - make sure all the leaves from last year are truly raked up, weeds pulled and all disposed off, either on a compost heap out of sight, or in the trash. I am always surprised by homes that have big prices and you walk up to the front door and there are weeds everywhere. Pick up dog and kids toys from the lawn. Apply fertilizer when it is time and make sure your lawn is cut regularly.

2) Repair any paths, level flagstones, make sure the edges of beds are neat and crisp with an edger.

3) Plant some color. Rather than go for lots of different plants in numerous colors you are better off choosing just a few similar plants and having a narrow color palette but having more of each type. Group them together and plan out where you are going to put them ahead of time. This article in Realty Times gave some ideas for some plants. 

4) Pruning, this should have been done in the fall, for most plants, but if you have not, you may have to do it now to give shrubs and trees the right shape and size for the landscape and to not overpower everything around them.

5) Mulch, mulch is a big thing in America, coming from Europe we did not really use it, growing up I remember often weeding flower beds and never applying mulch. But I understand there are reasons for it being used, just don't over apply. One of the biggest causes of termites is mulch and home inspectors will often comment that it should not be laid right up to the house as it just provides an avenue for problems. Keep it away from the house.