Raised Bed Gardens: Smart and Pretty

Are raised garden beds just for growing vegetables? Of course not!   Raised Garden beds are a fantastic, reasonably inexpensive design tool that you can use to increase the value of your property. Here are two examples.

Building a couple of raised garden beds is the perfect quick fix design tool to dress up the front yard of a house you are planning to flip. Think of it as “staging”, only in this case you are setting the stage on the outside of the house.

This easy, do-it-yourself project can be completed with a few hours of work and provides big bang for the buck. No worry if the soil is not perfect , just build the frame on top of the ground, purchase some new soil, then plant flowers and shrubs.

Choosing flowers to coordinate with the colour of the front door is another good idea for a designer touch. And, on the subject of front door colour, it is a big no-no to paint the front door the same colour as the garage door. You want your potential buyer to be drawn to the front door, not hypnotized by a big block of colour on the garage door.

First impressions really are important. Picture these raised beds overflowing with colourful flowers on either side of the front walkway. The potential buyer will feel they are viewing their potential ‘home’ not just another ‘house’.

Another example of using raised garden beds to add value and curb appeal is in the case of moving into a new housing development, where the provided landscaping is usually sparse. Your budget is probably crimped by mortgage and new furniture payments, so now is the time to be resourceful.

Often the quality of the soil is minimal as well, so building raised garden beds is a perfect solution. You are in complete control of the quality of the soil, can customize it to the requirements of your plants, and choose the best location.

Friends and family are good sources of free plant material especially in spring and fall when perennials need to be divided. Local churches and garden clubs often have fund raising plant sales in the spring. Planting mature flowers and shrubs helps achieve the look of a long established garden. By taking the time to make an overall garden plan, it is easy to build in stages as time and money permit. Your dreams can come true before you know it.

According to the RE/MAX Return on Reno Index tool …. “Landscaping the front and backyard of your home will give you a 7% better return on your renovating dollar over the average return on other popular renos you might consider. (Check REMAX website for details.)

So whether you are selling a house or planning to stay, improving the appearance the outside of your home with gardens will add to the property value. One thing for sure, it will definitely add to your enjoyment. Give raised garden beds a try.