How gardening can boost your kerb appeal

Whether you’re selling your home or just looking for ways to boost your street cred, overhauling your front yard can do wonders for a first and lasting impression. 

And you don’t have to be a big green thumb – these simple hacks can take the front of your home from boring to beautiful.

Lawn and order 

An overgrown and weed-infested lawn makes a home look unkempt and neglected. Restore order by mowing the grass to a suitable height and removing weeds. Use a hand weeder to help lift weeds, roots and all – you can find ones with long handles to make the job easier on your back and knees. If the lawn is overrun with weeds, opt for a selective lawn weedkiller, ensuring it’s suitable for your grass type. After a few weeks or once weeds have died down, feed with a lawn-specific fertiliser.

For lawns with bare or thinning patches – due to wear and tear or damage from pests and diseases – repair them with lawn seed. It takes time, but is an economical way to grow grass. If you have a certain variety of couch, kikuyu or buffalo, for example, Santa Ana couch or Sapphire buffalo, you can only repair these types with rolled turf or plugs as they’re not available in seed.

Branch out

A feature tree at the front of your home is a welcoming site. It provides structure, softens the facade and offers interest, especially if it changes with the seasons. There are plenty of options, too.

A dwarf flowering gum is evergreen and is available in a range of heights, from two metres to eight metres, depending on the variety. It explodes into a magnificent display of red, pink, orange or white blooms in summer and autumn. A lemon-scented myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) or Tibouchina Alstonville are also fabulous evergreen native options.

For deciduous varieties, try a dwarf crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia hybrids), Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), ornamental pear or eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis).

Welcome home 

Create a sense of arrival with plants on the patio or by the front door. A pair of star jasmine growing up a cone trellis on either side of the door makes for a stately welcome. Alternatively, a single, cloud-pruned juniper is a beautiful standalone feature.

If you have the space, consider a trio of pots in different sizes, planted with a mix of sculptural plants, like giant bird of paradise, Philodendron Xanadu and blue chalksticks. 

More gardening tips:

• Mulch garden beds with pine bark or woodchip for a consistent manicured look. It’ll help suppress weeds and reduce soil moisture loss too. 
• Trim overgrown shrubs and remove dead or dying plants. Compost or add them to the green waste bin.
• Refresh the mailbox with an updated model or a style that better complements the look of your home. 
• Periodically wash windows to remove dirt and dust. It instantly elevates the look of your home and lets in more light. 

Tammy Huynh is a horticulturist, presenter on Gardening Australia and the owner of Leaf an Impression. 

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