One of the best valued fix-ups a homeowner can do to their home is their landscaping. If the home doesn’t have any when you buy it, then plant some as soon as you can … even before you add a deck. That way the plants can be growing – and increasing in value – as you enjoy living in the home. Then when you’re ready to sell, buyers will love the privacy you’ve built into the yard.
When I moved into my home 14 years ago, the only landscaping was the typical junipers under the front windows, a little sand cherry shrub at the corner, and a sapling maple in the front. In the years since, I have worked on doing a section at a time, so many of the plants are maturing and giving a nice privacy screen from the neighbor’s lawns. I try to select plants that provide food, cover and nesting for the birds that I feed. Some of the plants are also providing cover for the chipmunks and Attack Rabbits that have taken up residence in my lawn. I may have carried this nature thing a little too far.
They came … they saw … they stayed!
Last week, it was time to undo the builder’s plants in the front, plus, I had other plants that needed divided and moved to other locations. I use Outdoor Makeovers to do my work, so I called Bruce – the Sales Manager - to tell him I was ready to get rid of the front junipers and the sand cherry that was now a full-grown scrubby tree. We met, I gave him my ideas & budget, then he created a plan based on that. They did all the work last week, so I took before-after photos. I think everything we’ve done over the years is shaping up nicely.
Want to investigate different types of plants? Visit Monrovia‘s website for a great way to search for plants based on growing zones, light, water, etc.
A “swinging” suggestion
Over the weekend I came up with the solution for a lot of what ails our country. It’s a rather simple idea. Take some of the stimulus funds – that didn’t work – and buy a porch swing for every home.
You can’t get or stay mad in a squeaky porch swing. It has a way of lessening what seemed to be a major problem into a manageable concern.
I grew up in a home with a porch swing. It was my favorite place to be on a Sunday afternoon because friends or relatives driving by would stop and join us on the porch. Spontaneous get-togethers were common then. Mom always had a pitcher of fresh, REAL lemonade or mint ice tea in the fridge. Plus, there was the usual homemade cookies, cake or a pie handy as well. If the day was particularly hot, she would mix up a batch of homemade ice cream mix for the men to crank in the hand freezer. Although we occasionally got “brain freeze” from the extra cold ice cream, it was always a special time.
Let’s put porch swings in the Statehouse and national Capitol buildings, then make the politicians sit in them until they actually agree to compromise to fix the economy! Maybe a PORCH swing will have better results than the GOLF swing did.
→ Leave a comment
Posted in Central Ohio, Commentary, Fix-ups, Homes
Tagged central ohio real estate, disagreeable politicians, growing up in Knox County Ohio, porch swing