Owning a home is a huge achievement, and you want your personal space to look beautiful, reflecting the hard work that went into reaching this milestone in life. Since many homes include a yard, one great way to create a charming and appealing space is to visit local nurseries to get local, decorative plants and landscaping products. In fact, a staggering 90% of individuals who own a yard believe it is important that is well-maintained, while 83% of Americans would consider having a yard to be important. Seeing as this is a common but essential feature to care for, there are many great benefits to sustaining your own personal garden and landscaping.

Reasons to Cultivate Your Own Garden

1. Pushes you to go outside and be active.

Exercise and excitement are crucial for a happy and healthy life. It is also known that getting outside and moving can contribute to a daily exercise routine, increasing overall life satisfaction. Gardening and landscaping are especially popular activities to keep the blood flowing. Actually, the number of households that participated in do-it-yourself lawn and gardening activities last year is estimated to be 90 million! That works out to approximately 75% of all U.S. households. This is a great hobby to pick up and it is easy to learn. Local nurseries can educate you on how to grow different types of plants, and you can even experiment with different colors and conditions, helping your creativity flourish with your plants.

2. Surprising return on investment.

Not only can gardening be a creative way to exercise and be active, but it also contributes a significant amount to a home’s value, which is why almost 90% of real estate agents encourage potential sellers to invest in landscaping. The total investment is actually pretty low, as much of the work can be do-it-yourself, adding a personal and unique flair to your lawn. You actually can spend as little as 5% of your home’s value on landscaping for a return on investment of up to 150%. American love to spend time in their yards, as referenced by a study conducted by the Harris Poll for the National Association for Landscape Professionals, which stated that three quarters of Americans believe it is important to be outside in their yards. Most of the potential buyers that come by will perceive a nicely manicured lawn as a reason to purchase your home.

3. Multiple unique uses.

Yes, nice landscaping can contribute to a great looking yard, it can increase the resale value of a home, and it will help you get outside, but there are also other functions of a garden that you might not have thought of yet. Vegetable or fruit gardens can contribute food to your home, and nurseries can help you determine which plants are likely to thrive in your region, giving you a great harvest every year. Tall trees can block sunlight that might enter your home through doors or windows. Plants like these can actually reduce your summer energy bill by as much as 20%. As you continue to create and design your personal garden, there are definitely more uses that you will discover over time.

4. It is fun!

Everyone needs a hobby, a stress reliever, or just some fun sometimes, and gardens provide all of this. You can do this alone or with others, making it perfect for all ages and situations. You can utilize your creativity skills to design and redesign your perfect space, and feel good about your hard work when flowers start to bloom. Do not forget that plant nurseries can help you pick out the best flowers, shrubs, and trees to fit your vision. Landscape design is also a personal choice, so you do not need prior training. Just pick out what you like and try it out! Designs can always be altered to fit your changing tastes.

Gardens are an easy, low maintenance way to have fun and get outside. Furthermore, they can even save you some money! Check out some local nurseries or garden centers to see how you can get started on this exciting new adventure!