Summer is the best time to be outdoors. Whether you’re grilling, sunbathing, or simply relaxing, your own yard is the ideal place to do it. And it’s important to have one you love and are excited to share with others. But, as one may think it unnecessary spending, landscaping can be a responsible investment. Throughout this article, you’ll learn its benefits to not only your downtime, but also your finances. These landscaping design ideas will likely change your outlook and hopefully alleviate some worries about investment.
Is it Worth it?
Wherever you stand, the consensus among the American population is that having a great landscape design is important. The Harris Poll for the National Association of Landscape Professionals, in which 2,034 adults were tested, found that three-quarters (75%) placed importance on spending quality time in their yard. Similar polls have also found that eighty-three percent of Americans value having a yard and ninety percent of yard-owners believe it should be well-maintained. After all, the most enjoyable moments and memories can be made in a yard, like playing sports, chatting with friends, or entertaining guests.
What About My Yard?
If you’re reading this and thinking, “I would love a beautiful yard, and have some good landscaping design ideas, but mine is far from it, and I just don’t have the time or money to fix it up,” you’re likely not alone, and you’re in luck! A backyard remodel isn’t as impractical as you may think. According to nearly 90% of real estate agents, having a landscaped and polished yard is highly encouraged. It can raise the home’s value by as much as 14%, and spending just five percent of your home’s value on your yard can produce a return of investment of 150%! We often tend to think of recreational spending as wasteful, but in this instance, it can pay off. After all, if you were presenting your house to potential buyers, the outside is the very first thing they’ll see. You want to make a good first impression, after all, and the addition of something like a custom fire pit or retaining wall can really boost the overall look. Overhauling a yard has proven to reduce the time a house is on the market by as much as six weeks in some cases.
What about the Environment?
You may also wonder about the environmental impact when you transform your yard. In general, affecting nature in any way tends to produce negative side-effects, but this is avoidable if the landscaping design ideas are executed correctly. The key is to add, not subtract. Planting a tree can produce enough shade to lower air conditioning costs by 25% or more during the summer, and block wind during winter to lower heating costs by about 10%. In addition to helping you save money, a single tree also filters 26 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. That’s enough to equate 11,000 miles of emissions from cars. Even if you’re not willing to add something so large as a tree, shrubs and turf remove pollutants like dust and smoke, as well. If you follow these guidelines, you can rest easy knowing your remodel helped the earth in some way.
Whatever your concern, transforming your yard is likely to be more beneficial than you previously thought. If you’re not sure where to start, a simple google of “landscaping near me,” “landscaping design ideas,” or “landscaping business” should point you in the right direction.
