Landscaping and hardscape services can turn backyards and exteriors into inviting green spaces. Patios, walkways, ponds and water gardens, and lighting all create appealing outdoor living spaces. Landscaping and planting the right trees can also create micro-climates, shielding homes from the hot sun in summer and providing windbreaks. Landscaping projects also add to the value of a house, offering a high return on the original investment. Hardscaping projects like custom driveways can also add to the curb appeal.
Creating your own personal retreat
People tend to seek out green outdoor spaces to unwind, relax and to get back in touch with the world of nature. Landscaping can help you create your own personal retreat, with shade trees, flowers and shrubs, and features like running water and fountains, ornamental ponds, patios and walkways, firepits and outdoor lighting. Outdoor kitchens extend outdoor living spaces for entertaining guests.
Landscaping also has a number of practical benefits. Planting the right kind of trees and plants can provide an effective form of climate control, cutting down on cooling and heating costs. It can also add to the resale value of a home, by making it more attractive to potential buyers.
Landscaping and climate control
Landscaping can serve as form of climate control, by creating micro-climates around the house. Planting shade trees in the right locations can actually reduce the need for air conditioning by half, according to the American Public Power Association. Trees block the hot sun during the summer, and help to reduce the temperature in their immediate surroundings by as much as 9 degrees. They can create a more comfortable environment around the house.
American Forests reports that trees also add value in terms of fighting pollution, preventing erosion and controlling storm water, and providing habitat for birds and wildlife. In monetary terms, each tree contributes value worth $273 in these fields. Trees also serve as windbreaks and sound barriers, and increase privacy. According to the US EPA, trees can reduce outside noise by half, replacing traffic noise with birdsong and the sound of leaves rustling in the wind.
Landscaping and home value
Most people are attracted to green spaces, and this is one of the first things that home buyers look for. As many as 60% of all home buyers feel that a well landscaped yard influences their choice in favor of a house. They would also be willing to pay a higher price for a home with a landscaped yard and for green spaces.
In fact, landscaping and planting trees and plants adds to the value of a home. It can increase the resale value of a home by as much as 14%. According to Money Magazine, the return on investment or ROI for landscaping projects can be as high as 100 to 200%. Custom hardscaping services for driveways can likewise add to the aesthetic and financial value of a home.
Landscaping and planting trees have a number of benefits besides creating inviting green outdoor spaces. They can create comfortable micro climates, add to curb appeal and increase the value of a house. Custom hardscaping projects like driveways can likewise add to the visual appeal and value.
