The important thing is not to over-capitalise.
Swimming pools and fancy water features are unlikely to improve resale value.
Often, it's the simplest, least expensive things that give the greatest return on investment.
There is much you can do in a garden for a whole lot less than the price of a new kitchen.
Street appeal
First impressions count. Potential buyers will often drive by and if they don't like what they see they may not be back to see your beautiful backyard.
A mown lawn and weed-free garden beds are obvious starters, and it's worth giving a tired old letterbox or front door a fresh coat of paint.
Ideally, the front garden shouldn't hide the whole house, but frame and soften the architecture.
Landscaping should be kept simple and set the house off to best advantage. Concentrate on evergreen shrubs grouped in beds with a tidy layer of mulch to keep the weeds down.
If space allows, consider a shapely feature tree set off to one side.
Fences and walls should be in keeping with the style of house, and the street.
Alternatively, a well-kept evergreen hedge always looks inviting.
Take care to choose something that grows well in your climate.
Concentrate colour and fragrance around the front door, or along the path leading to it.
Choose fragrant plants such as daphne, citrus, heliotrope and star jasmine.
Flowering annuals can be colour-co-ordinated with the house.
Warm reds and yellows are very welcoming.
If annuals are too much work, add splashes of colour with long-flowering shrubs or add colour highlights with colourful foliage.
The burgundy grass-like foliage of Cordyline Red Fountain looks fantastic all year round.
Gold or lime foliage will brighten a shady entrance.
Make space
Even a tiny section can be made to feel more spacious with well-planned landscaping.
If your property is on the small side, keep most of the planting to the sides and create the illusion of space by using mainly small-leaved plants with the odd bold foliage plant as highlight.
The main colour should be green, with bright colours as occasional accents.
Trees add value to a property but not when they are taking up valuable living space or blocking too much light.
While excessive top pruning can ruin the shape of a tree, it's amazing how much light and space can be gained by removing lower and overcrowded branches.
Bring dead spaces back to life by culling plants past their use-by date and replanting.
Convert that no-mans-land into potential by clearing clutter and weeds.
The cheapest and most effective way to increase your living space might be to invest in a skip and clear the clutter.
The outdoor living room
An attractive all-season outdoor living space is an extension of the house, effectively an extra room and will add value.
Ideally, it should adjoin the indoor living space.
Bypass the fancy outdoor fireplace and invest in top quality paving or decking.
Don't scrimp on the square metres.
By the time a patio is furnished and populated, the space will seem a lot smaller than it appeared when empty.
The bigger the investment the more worthwhile it is to employ an expert.
Obvious DIY jobs, inadequately built structures or poorly designed spaces can devalue a property.
Privacy and shelter
Turning a fishbowl into a secluded sanctuary is bound to add value.
Hedges and screens provide shelter from chilling winds and block unsightly views.
A leafy wall of living foliage is ideal, but man-made screens are practical if time is short or space is tight.
Fences also appeal because they keep animals and young children contained. If a boundary fence isn't high enough, placing a screen closer to the sitting area will provide greater privacy.
For the most effective shelter, choose a hedge or permeable screen.
A solid screen creates turbulence, even though the wind is blocked close to it.
If you opt for a living screen, choose a plant that is suitable for your soil and climate.
Create functional spaces
Most buyers see value in well-organised spaces with a clear purpose, and those that are multifunctional.
A herb garden may double as an entertaining area or a place for the washing line.
Make a place for recycling bins that is accessible but tucked away from view.
A sunny open lawn is a place for children to play, appealing to grandparents and parents alike.
With the current trend of growing our own food, even a non-gardener is likely to be tempted by a vegetable patch, ideally with tidy raised beds and not too large.
Fruit trees have obvious value and ornamental benefits too.
Dressing up
Attractive garden furniture and classy pots with gorgeous plants add perceived value and help sell a home, but you don't have to leave them behind.
Create a secret garden room
If space allows, add romance by creating a place to escape, ideally with a seat or hammock in dappled shade.
Reduce maintenance
Low-maintenance shrubs and groundcovers combined with attractive paving and a well-defined area of beautifully kept lawn is more likely to add value.
Renovate and redecorate
Once a year, take a fresh look at your garden to assess what needs replacing.
Cull tired old stragglers and replace them with top-quality low-maintenance plants.
Clean up and renovate jaded outdoor furniture.
Create a view from inside
An appealing garden view makes a room all the more captivating.
Plan for all four seasons
There is no guarantee how long it will take to find the right buyer. Include plants for winter colour, and the odd splash of year-round colour with foliage plants.
Adding value
Do
- make space.
- improve street appeal.
- add colour - but not too much.
- add or improve an outdoor living area.
- add storage.
- create privacy.
Don't
- add a swimming pool unless it is for you.
- add a house extension that takes up the whole garden.
- build your own deck or pergola unless you have professional skills. Save your energy for planting and general maintenance.
- create labour-intensive flower borders.
