Achieving front garden kerb appeal can be as easy or as difficult as you make it.
True, it depends somewhat on the current state of your front garden. You know, the difference between tired and messy as compared to the neighbourhood disgrace! But let’s think positive…
A front garden may compliment the style of the house. For example, a traditional cottage could have a front garden in the cottage garden style. Or the one could contrast with the other. Architectural and spiky modernistic planting ‘zinging it up’ to make a real show stopper.
If you need a total re-think of the space, calling in a garden designer for their expert advice and doing the work yourself makes the best use of a small budget. The garden designer will also be able to advise you on which elements of your front garden project might be done better and quicker by experts such as a tree surgeon or landscaper.
An attractive front garden makes you feel better every time you walk up the path, and improves the value of your property too.
These suggestions are for quick fixes rather than a major overhaul, but there are Plews blog links at the end with front garden ideas, how to take your garden with you when you move house and more.
Front Garden Kerb Appeal – Selling Your House
Did you know it takes potential buyers no more than eight seconds to decide whether or not they like a property?
You are of course selling your house, but you’re also selling your garden – back and front. But it’s often the look of the front garden which is the deal maker (or breaker!) in the sale of any property.
When you’re trying selling your house, the focus is usually on applying a lick of paint to freshen up walls and doors. But will the prospects run away because there’s a weed ridden, sadly neglected wilderness between them and the gleaming front door?
When Plews is approached by vendors to spruce up their front garden specifically for sale, I approach the design and project in a particular way. Budget is often an overriding element for the owners. But this needs to be balanced against losing the house they want to buy as they’re not getting the potential purchasers coming to view their current one.
As the designer consultant, I have to encourage a balance between permanent and temporary elements. Front garden kerb appeal is not just about topiary pom-poms in pots by the front door!
To give a front garden some kerb appeal that will add value both to the selling price and to those who purchase the property is important. It shows a care for the place that was a home to those who are leaving.
This general feeling of goodwill is not just ‘airy fairy’. Most people are buying a home rather than a house and you’re more likely to have a successful sale if they feel it’s a welcoming place.
Whether you want to put your property up for sale or just feel the front garden is looking tired and unloved, the following gardening tips and garden design ideas from yours truly are here to help.
Front Garden Kerb Appeal – the quick and easy option
Have a good tidy up. Yep, that simple! Take some time to look at your front garden with a stranger’s eye. Or get a friend to do the looking for you. Take a photo of the garden before you begin and another one when you’ve finished. It can be quite an eye opener!
- If you have a lawn, first trim the edges neatly. Which is something you can do even when the grass is damp. Then mow on a high cut so you leave any daisies or clover still growing. If we’re in the middle of a heatwave when you’re selling, longer grass is more resilient and likely to be greener.
- Lightly fork over the soil in the borders and remove as many weeds as you can. In autumn, top dress with a mulch to improve the soil condition and to look tidy.
- Deadhead flowers until we get near the end of their blooming time. Then you can leave attractive seed heads on until the winter rain makes them a mess. Many of our garden birds will thank you for leaving on the seed heads too.
- Prune away dead shrub branches. But please do not hack at shrubs willy-nilly, you may be removing next year’s flowers! (see blog link below for pruning tips)
- De-moss paths and driveways so they’re not slippery. But if it’s not in the direct line of walking, leave the moss alone. Did you know that it’s better than trees for cleaning and cooling the air?
- Sweep away leaves from lawn, path and drive. Bag them and let them compost down. (see blog link below for leaf composting tips) You can leave most leaves on your borders, to naturally decompose and improve the soil.
- Give walls, fences and gate a good clean, at least where they’re visible and easy to get to. That’s often all that’s needed, if not, see next section.
- Bins and recycle boxes – do they smell? Give these a good clean too, and stack neatly if they’re on view.
Front Garden Kerb Appeal – a bit more effort required
Okay, so you’ve carried out all the above tasks – or as many as are applicable for your front garden. But it’s highlighted some areas that could do with a bit more love, although probably not a full makeover. Herewith are more tips for you to achieve a new look without too much effort and cost.
Bins and Recycle boxes
These have been cleaned but they are still on view. Which does bother you, they’re not pretty to look at. These ideas will remove them from prominence whether you’re selling or staying
- Buy some brightly coloured bins and boxes to co-ordinate with your front door. Keep the clean recycle boxes the council provided in a corner somewhere to leave behind when you move. (Or for when you need the extra containers!)
- You may need to tweak this to fit your space and layout. Line up large troughs planted with ornamental grasses in front of the bins. Then have a brightly coloured display of plants and / or planters near the front door. This disguises the bins twice over as the softly coloured swaying grasses make a subtle ‘hedge’ whilst the pop of colour instantly draws the eye towards it.
Walls, Fences and Gate
You’ve cleaned them, but they still look a bit grubby. They are however, structurally sound, so it would be silly to replace them. Three suggestions for you:
- Paint is your friend: a freshly painted iron gate will look cared for and welcoming. Wooden gates may be better with a clear preservative rather than painted, particularly if set in a brick wall. The ‘natural’ look is nearly always appealing.
- Is the wall is rendered? Which means that the brick or block wall is covered with a coat of plaster or concrete, which is probably painted. If the wall is rendered, then a fresh coat of paint ‘will do nicely’. If you’re staying put then find a colour to complement the style and wall colour of your house. If you’re selling up, pale, neutral colours are best. They’re also easier for the new owners to paint over if they wish. Bright red is a so-and-so to paint over!
- Wooden fences can be treated with wood preservative; a neutral or clear colour for preference. However, this depends on whether it has previously had coloured preservative used. White and pale blue are always popular choices as they offer a good background to green plants.
Your Front Garden Plants
If you have an okay, healthy but not show stopping array of plants, getting the garden ready to sell is not the time for a major re-design. And if you’re wanting to refresh the look but only have a small budget, these suggestions also work rather well.
- Add seasonal bedding for colour, but keep to a restricted colour scheme. For example, purple and yellow winter pansies are cheerful on dull days, whilst soft pinks and white seem to have summer written into them. Grouping is key: a single row of bedding in front of a hedge can look a bit ‘municipal’ if not done carefully.
- If you have plants in pots rather than in borders, then give them an air of distinction:
- Group pots together in threes or fives
- Have either different plants in the same style of pot
- Or the same plant in different types and sizes of pot
Note re potted plants and selling your house – the presumption is that you will be taking these with you. Yes, even large pots if you can move them without needing a forklift truck. If you are moving and you’re a gardener, check out the blog below on Moving your Garden. In this, I go through planning how to do it, the legal side of things and more.
And finally
How to get front garden kerb appeal – I’d say the most important thing is to remember to look at your front garden with a stranger’s eye. In the same way as you look at the interior of the house for things that need tweaking. Oh yes, and before you put the property on the market, remember check out the rear garden too!
And if Plews can help you with anything, please do get in touch. For example, if you’d like help creating a planting design for your front garden, or have queries regarding your existing garden, do get in touch to ask about our design and consultancy services
Like to learn more about how to garden in your own garden? Why not ask about our bespoke Gardening Lessons, where your classroom is actually your own garden? You could learn how to grow an orchard of citrus fruits in your conservatory. Whether you’re a beginner or more experienced, I can help you acquire gardening basics and more ‘expert tasks’. Have a read through this pdf download for info.
For further gardening advice and inspiration, check out Plews Potting Shed blogs, including the selection below You could come and find us on Instagram Pinterest and Facebook too.
Feeling nosey? You can have a peek at the progress of my garden renovation, Spitfires and Slow Worms, on Instagram and Facebook
You’ll get to see it in person if you come to the Plews Gardening Workshops Current ones on Eventbrite for you to book into. Follow for updates on topics and dates on Plews website, Instagram, Eventbrite, Facebook
Plus get your local garden club, allotment, WI, U3A or other group to ask me along to give a talk (and bring plants 😉)
Related Gardening articles you may enjoy from our Award Winning Blog
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5 Front Garden Ideas for a Practical Pretty Space
What makes a Good Boundary Plant? Front Garden Planting Ideas
11 Ground Cover Plants for Your Shady Front Garden
Garden Tips and Advice
How to Prune Correctly – Things You Need to Know
Moving Gardens when you Move Home – Things to Know, Tips and Ideas
Planting Inspo
Planting ideas for Summer Bedding
