Summerfield, N.C. Curb Appeal-Before and After

Curb Appeal for homes on the market does not need to be expensive. Small details can be improved for those on a budget. The home below has great potential for increasing its curb appeal.

The top course of stone was not serving a purpose and was placed directly onto porch, acting as a cap stone. Selecting one color for annuals will give more of a dramatic effect. Hanging baskets filled with artificial flowers will cut down on the maintenance factor and your plants will always look their best.

Dressing up the front door is a must. Fresh greenery was attached to columns using a decorative ribbon. Even when the foliage begins to dry and change color, this will add a comfortable element to the home’s appearance.

Affordable doesn’t mean cheap. Creative ideas on a lower budget can also make an impact. This curb appeal was was updated for just under $700.

Another important area is the mailbox and the beginning of the driveway. It helps to place something of interest and even an element of movement. The ribbon will sway in the breeze catching a potential home buyers eye.

Because of budget and maintenance restraints, artificial flowers, twigs, and painted pots were strategically placed within the landscape.

Have your landscape company install the ideas gathered from the landscape designer or do it yourself to save even more money.

Entice potential homebuyers to the front door. This is the first place they will go, so make a lasting impression and try not to scare them off.

This home is listed by Richelle Smart of RE/Max. Call me once you have purchased the home because the landscaping potential is endless.

Happy Planting!  www.dianadigsdirt.com

Diana Gardner-Williams

Landscape Design and Installation

 

Piedmont Triad’s Ugliest Landscape Contest-2009

If your front foundation landscape is on the ugly side, send those hideous pictures to me at Diana(sign for at)justacloudaway.com. I will post the best of the ugly landscapes on the blog until August 31st. The best worst foundation landscape will win a free consultation with me for an hour of suggestions.

This is a great idea for homes on the market needing curb appeal or homes that are overgrown needing a face lift. Be brave and send in your neighbors eye sore landscape and do the community a favor.

If you are new to the area, we are in zone 7 and have a wonderful plant palette to choose from. Don’t be afraid to send in your photographs, I will keep them anonymous if you choose. Look at this line of liriope!!

If you are from my home town of Buffalo, NY and would like to enter your pitiful front foundation landscape pictures, feel free to do so. If you pay for my plane ticket, I will give you a free landscape consultation.

The guidelines for the contest:

• Picture has to be submitted by August 31st 2009
• Picture must be of a front foundation landscape (meaning, the plants along the front of the home)
• Homeowner must own home
• Homes must not exceed a distance of 20 miles outside Greensboro city limits
• One entry per family

Submit pictures and let’s have some fun!!! ? Even runner ups will receive my 2 cents about improving their landscapes on the blog.

Our first picture comes from Donna G. in Thomasville, NC. It looks to me like the entire front foundation planting is missing. Good one Donna!

We have another entry. I do have some landscaping ideas for this one.

This home was actually a neighbors. Don’t worry, I won’t tell them you have submitted the picture unless they win.

I really do love the color of this home.

We another ugly home contestant on the last day of contest. This is a neighbors home.

Happy Planting!  www.dianadigsdirt.com

 

Diana Gardner-Williams

Landscape Design and Installation

September 8th and the Winner of the contest is the home with the white fence with green shutters and awnings.

The first 3 and last home on this post are lacking in variety. They are simply boring and what will happen if this plant is a favorite of a particular insect. You are right, your landscape is demolished.

The fourth home sent in by Donna does not even have a foundation planting. A foundation plant bed is the area directly beside the front of the home. Grass is higher maintenance and they even have to get out the weed wacker since there is no plant bed in front of the home.

The fifth home is very symmetrical. I am thinking these plants were invited to join Noah on his ark. Several varieties of plants, but only 2 of each. The plants in front of the windows will eventually block the view. This is a potential safety hazard.

The seventh home lacks a foundation planting too.

The sixth home is definitely the winner. The foundation planting is not even clear because of the fence. Because this was a drive by shooting compliments of an unhappy neighbor, a close up picture couldn’t be taken. I have seen this home’s front foundation planting and it needs help. If they accept some advice is now up to them.

Watch out for more contests!!

 

Buying Homes in Greensboro

If you are newcomer to the Piedmont Triad area or looking to purchase a new home, take a look at this lovely 2 story at 5132 White Horse Drive.

This home sits on almost 1/2 acre in Highland Meadows, off of Old Battleground Road.

It has clean curb appeal with the potential for more. This would be perfect for a 1st time homebuyer or an upgrade.

The front of the home faces west, which means the majority of sunshine will fall upon the right corner of the home. The homes dining area will benefit from the homes position because sunshine will illuminate and warm the room.

This is perfect orientation because the afternoon and evening hours will shade the outdoor living area in the rear of the home.

The spacious outdoor deck provides enough room for furniture, outdoor pots and a grill.

There is plenty of room to extend the outdoor living space by adding a stone patio.

A custom designed pergola can be added over the stone patio to provide instant shade for a morning cup of coffee.

The left side of the home is shaded and ideal for shade loving plants like:

• Hydranges

• Gardenias

• Ajuga

• Anemone

And so much more for the new home buyer.

If you are looking to buy a home in the Greensboro area, check out this home with Richelle Smart of RE/MAX. I would love to work with the new homeowners on customizing a landscape plan to reflect the family’s needs.

Happy Planting!  www.dianadigsdirt.com

Diana Gardner-Williams

Landscape Design and Installation

 

Water & Drainage Problems for Homebuyers

Before purchasing a home in the Piedmont Triad, make sure to have a professional like myself, inspect the drainage and water problems surrounding your property.

If you look  to the corner of this home, the front walkway will be flooded because the downspout is directed onto it. How would you like to be walking this path with water splashing at your feet. This is unacceptable and should have been properly trenched under the concrete walk when the home was built or an allowance forthe new homebuyer.

Before you purchase your new home in the Piedmont Triad, problems should be identified before signing the closing documents. Below is another example of a home builder who directed the downspout onto the driveway, where it pools in the middle because of the grade. Water that tends to sit in one spot will freeze and thaw, creating cracks in concrete or other hard surfaces.

When looking at a potential area for outdoor living space, make sure the water problems are addressed. Here again, the downspouts are directed to the patio area and will flood.

Below is a large drainpipe with an attempt at stabilizing the slope. Rip Rap is the type of stone used and it is not decorative. This area tends to flood in with an intense rain, but does not need to look so hideous. Decorative boulders and specific evergreen plants can tremendously improve the aesthetics of this visual eye sore. I would not approve of paying over $300,000 for my house with visitors being subjected to this.

If you are purchasing a house “as is”, take a survey of all the water and drainage problems needing to be remedied to ensure the home builder provides an allowance for these landscaping issues.

These days home buyers have the upper hand and can suggest the home builder or home seller repair potential water and drainage problems before purchasing the home. Water erosion will also be covered in another post for home buyers.

Please don’t ignore water and drainage problems because they will come back to haunt you later. FYI-water can never be directed to your neighbors property unless you have extra funds for a lawsuit. There are solutions.

Happy Planting!  www.dianadigsdirt.com

Diana Gardner-Williams

Landscape Design and Installation