How Front Garden Design Can Increase Your Curb Appeal

Lots of us are worrying about the potential impact on house prices following the UK’s decision to leave the EU. Many experts are predicting a fall in house prices, as the inevitable slowing down of immigration will lower the demand, but others are predicting stuttering house sales as the public lose confidence in the economy. So as garden designers and lovers, how does this affect us?

Selling a home is an art and a science. Baking bread before a viewing has proven to be successful, but before a buyer even steps in your front door they see your home from the road and make a judgement based on its appearance. Applying that fresh coat of paint and having the windows cleaned was a great idea, but did you think about the impact of your front garden design?

Outdoor lighting

Particularly relevant for the winter months, low-voltage lighting at the front of your property can make a big difference on the perception of your home. Not only does it comfort the buyer of safety and security, but it’s an atmospheric addition that works well when twinned with edged pathways and walkways. It can be as simple as solar lanterns that hang from the property or ones that you stake into the ground, or you can wire bulbs in to give you more control. Consider the use of this lighting to accent other features, like trees or foliage.

Window boxes

Window boxes are an affordable and low-maintenance way to bring a splash of colour into a garden, especially for those who have driveways or paving out front. Designing your own window box is relatively easy and gives you the chance to inject your own personality, or a personality that you think will help you to sell your home. There are annuals, permanent plants that will last year round, or you can choose seasonals for more impact and variety. We could write an entire post on windowboxes, which we probably will, but for now BBC Home has a great comprehensive guide. One of the easiest tips is to use an odd number of plants in a triangular pattern, giving you the chance to have an evergreen interior flanked by shorter flowers.

Statements and sculptures

Outdoor art is hotly contested, lest you over-populate your garden and make it look more like an open-air museum than an extension of your home. But when it comes to boosting the curb appeal of your house and raising its profile above your neighbours’, adding some weather resistant sculptures can be the icing on the cake. Of course you’ll need to make sure that you’re purchasing something weather resistant (avoid untreated metal and wood) but then you can choose from birdbaths, statues and sculptures, metal silhouettes and wind chimes. Water features and fountains too, we’ll cover this another time, but ensure that you choose items that complement the palette of your home and the surrounding area.

Eden Restored is a team of passionate garden designers working throughout London, Kent and Surrey.

We deliver value-for-money on projects of any size, from inner-city courtyards to countryside cottages.

To discuss your ideas and how we can help throughout the entire process, get in touch.