Landscape tips for increased home value

Is A Spectacular Place to Live

What Can You Do to Make It Better?

How Does Landscape Improve your Property and its Value?

You can express yourself artistically in your landscape. Everyday you can enjoy that expression.

Landscape, when well chosen, can save you from costlymaintenance.

Landscape adds between 14-35% to the value of your home.

We have a wide latitude in designing. Here you see thetrees are in scale with the house. They don’t overpower

the house

Here you see how the tree on the right dwarfs the architecture and theplanting in front of the house is out of scale (too small) for the faceof the house. Also the Ficus trees on both sides of the entry couldcause problems for the water pipes coming in or leaving the house.

This treeis too bigto be plantedso close tothe house.

And it will be a maintenance problem for you.

When you plant vines near a tree, don’t let them climb the trees. Eventually, they will kill the tree.

These Palms are representative of Los Angeles. They also harbor rats. (So does Ivy)

Look at how ugly the tree looks after it is over trimmed. When you pick a tree that will grow the appropriate heightyou won’t need to butcher it. A tree like this needs to beCut yearly. Think of the money and hassle you can save

by removing and replacing it with a more appropriate tree.

Bringing Harmony to Your Neighborhood

Setting a “style” for the neighborhood.

Allow for view sheds

Protect against fire hazards

Setting a style for the neighborhood doesn’tmean you will all have identical landscape.

After all, you all have differentarchitecture, styles and aesthetic preferences.

But you have architectural standards and the neighborhoodwould benefit from having some more consistency in

landscape.

One of the Premier attributes of this neighborhoodis the VIEW

Even the view corridors along the streets are important to preserve.

Here’s a case in point. Your landscape could be cutting

Off your neighbor’s view.

Once the Pines are trimmedit opens up much of the view.

But from the street the trim looks very unattractive.Once a tree is cut to like this, it will never grow back to be attractive.

Here the scale of plants matches the scale of the house. They all look like they fit together.

Another low profile landscape that really suits the house.

Here’s another appropriate landscape. These trees howeverwill need to be severely pruned throughout their long life

to maintain their low profile.This will cost you thousands!

There are many ways you can protect yourself fromthe threat of fire.

Some plants are more flammable than others- Avoid Them

When trees and plants die - Remove Them

The Fire Department has fire safe standards- Use Them

Looks like a candle and burns like one too. Noticehow close it is to the house.

Pampas grass not onlygoes up like a torch,it reproduces like a Rabbit. Eucalyptus has lots of oil. Guess what

happens when fire gets to them. Many of the Junipers evenLook like fire.

If its brown, take it down.

Watch for disease in your trees.

What do you look for?--red or black staining on trunk--blistering and oozing on the surface of the tree--crown thinning--twig and branch die-back--premature leaf loss

If you see a tree looking sick, call an Arborist. With early treatment, many times they can be saved.

Pine Bark BorerThese insects usually enter the tree at eye level and above. You may see the tiny holes. You may see tiny dribbles of sap,or little dried mounds of sap, especially on a white pine. If you spot these move quickly to remove the tree. Spaying and other methods of deterrent won’t work.

Nearby Pine trees on your property and your neighbors WILL VERY LIKELY become infested if not removed

Trees planted too close to the house are a maintenance problem and a fire hazard.

Your Landscape offers you the delight of interactingwith the natural world around you.

Make it a safe place for you and your entire neighborhood.