Payson Roundup

What value does aesthetic landscaping add to a home?

According to the American Society of Landscape Architects, 10 percent of the cost of a home should be put into landscaping.

Their research shows that a good landscaping design may add as much as 20 percent to the value of a home and may save up to 25 percent on your heating and cooling costs.

Landscaping goes beyond just planting trees, shrubs and flowers.

It is the total outside architectural feel of the property which may include decks, fire pits, low-level lighting and walkways.

As we have discussed in previous articles, landscaping has evolved beyond just beauty and into energy efficiency considerations concerning where to plant and what to plant.

If you are selling your home, drive up to it like you are seeing it from a buyer’s eyes. Does it have curb appeal? In many parts of the Rim Country we allow nature to take its course, however, simple low-expense changes can be made to increase the curb appeal.

They may include: Putting a fresh edge on flower beds, cutting back your shrubs if they look like they have been growing wild in the rain forest, splashes of color with fall mums will perk up the attractiveness of the entrance and taking off the lower dead limbs of pine trees.

If the back yard needs private space, consider a fencing border around the patio. Opaque earth tone fencing can be purchased for about $100 per eight-foot section.

Remember that when you are trying to attract a buyer, first impressions are lasting impressions.

We have had occasions where buyers have refused to enter homes because of an unappealing first impression.

If you live outside of town with native landscaping, this may be the time of year you go to war with the deer and elk.

The bark beetle infestation caused us to lose 86 ponderosa pines on our property which went from an overly dense forest to a property that now has views, but little shade.

We decided to replant and quickly found that elk think aspens are candy.

They ate them right down to the ground.

We have had luck with Arizona ash, however, we spray them regularly with deer and elk repellent.

Rutgers University has an Internet site that shows plant susceptibility to being a tasty treat for our forest creatures. The site is, http://njaes.rutgers.edu/ deerresistance/

The guide is helpful, however, it seems that the deer and elk find most plants to be delicious.

Ray Pugel is a designated broker for Coldwell Banker Bishop Realty. Contact him at (928) 474-2216.