8 Plants That Will Set Your Curb Appeal Apart From the Rest!

It’s finally springtime, which means it’s time to break out the plant soil and gardening tools to prepare your lawn and garden for the change in season! In between rainy days and surprise cold fronts, you will want to take advantage of the pleasant afternoons to help make your garden look great and build up your curb appeal. Plants can really help increase your curb appeal, especially when you use different types, colors, and sizes of plants to help get the job done.

When you visit your local garden center next time, keep an open mind and think outside the box. Flowers look pretty, but their growing season doesn’t last too long. Leafy plants, however, can give you a world of colorful possibilities.

Here are 8 reliable plants that will make your lawn and garden pop!

Black Mondo Grass – This type of lily possesses leaves that resemble inky black grass. It can provide a dramatic contrast next to the standard green leaves of regular mondo grass, or it can complement a bright patch of colorful flowers. Give this plant partial to full shade to make it happy, and it will grow to be between 6 and 12 inches tall.

Canna – These plants are typically grown for their flowers, but they can also look showy and tropical with their gorgeous leaves, which range from nearly black to green striped with gold. Phasion and Durban species have purple leaves streaked with orange, colors that will add an unexpected punch to your garden. This plant needs full sun and will grow 4 to 6 feet in height.

Coleus – Looking for a tropical perennial with colorful leaves? Coleus is the plant for you! From yellow to purple leaves, this plant is happy in either partial shade or full sun. Give it some space, because it can grow from 12 to 36 inches tall.

Coral Bells – You can enjoy a wide variety of leaf shapes with the coral bells! From frilly to scalloped leaves grown in radiant bold colors, these plants need good drainage and thrive in high humidity. Full sun in cool climates to partial shade in warmer climates is needed, and this plant can grow anywhere from 8 to 24 inches in height.

Encore Azalea – Are those sunny spots in your yard destroying your other azaleas? Give the encore azaleas a shot! This group of 25 hybrids bloom in spring and then again in late summer or early fall. Your garden will be bedecked with blooms in white, red, pink, or purple, and this plant grows to be between 3 to 5 feet in height.

Hosta – This popular shade plants is absolutely perfect for borders! Enjoy varieties of leaf shapes including hearts, lances, circles, or ovals, and textures from crinkled to glossy to matte. You don’t have to just have green hostas either; you can enjoy hostas in yellow and gray-blue as well! Just give this plant partial shade, and it can grow anywhere between 15 and 36 inches tall.

Hydrangea – If you’ve been in any stores that sell flowers recently, you’ve probably seen bouquets of blue, pink, or green blossoms on these plants. If you don’t have a hydrangea in your garden yet, buy one of these beauties today! Place it in front and center locations where their thick foliage and beautiful blooms work to hide boring foundation walls. They can grow to be between 3 and 5 feet, so be sure to give them at least 2 feet from your siding to prevent moisture problems!

Knockout Rose – Let’s face it – rose plants can be fussy at best. Knockout roses, however, will ensure that your house looks gorgeous from spring to the first frost. These 4 foot high plants are relatively disease-resistant and easy to take care of. Be sure to cut it back in late winter in order to minimize the chances of the plant catching any diseases or viruses.

Looking to sell your home but not sure where to start? Make sure that your curb appeal is up to snuff with these gorgeous plants first. Then call the experts at The Massey Team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Elite Properties at (618) 791-5024 or (618) 791-9298 to find out what the next step is! Until then, be sure to read our blog for several tips and tricks you won’t find anywhere else!

6 Easy Tips to Help You Make Your Home a Calming Retreat

After a hectic day at work, it’s great to come home to a calm, relaxing abode. Maybe you daydream about your home becoming this soothing spa-like retreat where you unwind and relax for the rest of the evening. Unfortunately, reality hits and you are greeted with a cluttered, cramped home, making you feel unable to be at rest. What’s a stressed out homeowner to do?

We’ve come up with 6 tips to help you turn your messy home into a peaceful sanctuary! Read all about them below!

Organize and Reduce Clutter – It’s a fact – we humans don’t really do too well in cramped, cluttered spaces. Our anxiety levels skyrocket when there’s too much stuff haphazardly lying around the room. Take the first step in achieving a relaxing home by clearing out the clutter and coming up with clever storage solutions. Ask yourself if you really need all of those end tables, picture frames, or other nonessential objects. “Out of sight, out of mind” can really work well when it comes to your home!

Make Furniture Flow – If you’re having a hard time getting into a chair or the couch without banging your leg on a coffee table, you might need to rearrange your furniture to make it flow more easily. Arrange your furniture so that it makes logical sense and also creates a calming balance. Don’t get discouraged if you can’t get your furniture exactly how you want it. A lot of the time, furniture rearrangement is trial-and-error. You might even need to cut back on how much furniture is in your home as well.

Choose Calming Colors – You might really enjoy loud, crazy colors and eclectic patterns, but it’s best to keep all of these to a minimum when you want to create a relaxing home. Simple designs and colors are soothing and will help you be able to unwind more quickly. Choose cool tones of blue and green to help you feel more at peace, or use cozier, warm colors or muted earth tones to make a larger space feel more inviting.

Bring the Outdoors Inside – Interestingly enough, a study from the University of Rochester found that being surrounded by natural elements cultivates peace and encourages friendlier interactions with others. For a more soothing, peaceful place, bring home a few houseplants – they will soften the edges of your home and provide you with fresh oxygen to breathe! Try, also, to hang a large mirror across from your largest window to maximize outdoor vantage points. Live in the city and surrounded by buildings? Try hanging photos and posters of your favorite landscapes on your walls!

Surround Yourself With Soothing Smells and Sounds – Certain scents and sounds are perfect in promoting relaxation (and even giving your mood a nice boost!). Choose calming scents such as lavender, chamomile, and sandalwood to help you wind down and sleep more peacefully at night. Give your TV a break and try playing some of your classical music or even your favorite tunes. You’ll feel at ease in no time!

Use Lighting Wisely – Those bright overhead lights are great for lighting up your rooms, but they work against you when you want to relax. Instead of using those overhead lights to light up the entire room, use spot lighting for areas in which you need brightness. A lamp next to the couch is a great example. Additionally, install dimmers, if you can, and choose full-spectrum bulbs as they mimic natural light better than standard ones do.

Sometimes having your home in a certain setting can help put your mind at ease. Do you dream of living in the country or close to the woods? How about by a lake or in a friendly neighborhood? Whichever setting appeals to you the most, we can help! Call the Massey Team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Elite Properties at (618) 791-5024 or (618) 791-9298 or check out our listings online at www.dianamasseyhomes.com!