Beautiful grounds require maintenance
Often, the cost and responsibility of a property’s grounds are overlooked, either because people are focusing only on the house itself, or because, as beautiful as the perennials/trees/shrubs looks, it doesn’t occur to them what is involved in their upkeep. As a gardener, I have more awareness than some, and I actually enjoy the process, but recognize that not everyone else does. So, if you are contemplating purchasing a home with a lot that has mature plantings, here are a few things to consider:
- Grass–how much lawn is there to care for and does that mean just mowing, or also seeding and treating with weed-reducers?
- Perennial plants may need pruning, mulching or cutting back in order to stay healthy year to year.
- Perennials do have a life span, so realize that dividing or replacing them may very well be necessary during the time you own the house.
- Fall/spring clean up–trees, shrubs and plants may look beautiful in bloom, but may leave a mess.
Grass
To some, “lovely grounds” means a massive expanse of green lawn. Keep in mind that maintaining that velvety surface takes time and money. First of all, you’ll need to water it, unless we have a very wet summer. Next, you want to keep the weeds down. There are several different methods of weed control, ranging from chemical and natural sprays to weed barriers on the surface of the soil. Additionally, there are usually certain areas of grass that, due to water erosion, shade or heavy traffic, die off and can be a bit of an eyesore if not replaced.
Maintaining existing perennials
Perennials often perform best when cut back in the later fall, mulched and fertilized in the spring. They, like grass, need varying amounts of watering during their blooming season. When they have finished blooming, most benefit from removal of spent blossoms/stems to maintain a neat appearance. Speaking of neat appearances, some plants become invasive and you’ll need to make sure those don’t overrun the others. Similarly, weeds are always going to try to take over, so controlling weeds will be a constant battle.
Perennial is not eternal!
While some perennial plants, like azaleas, pachysandra, forsythia, daylily, hosta and iris have long life spans, others, like hybrid tulips, columbine, lupine, daisies and black-eyed susans only last a few years. So pay attention to what is planted in order to budget for replacement of plants as they age. You might choose to plant longer-lived species, but, either way, there is time and money involved.
Spring and fall clean up
With grounds comes clean up. There is no way to avoid it. Flowering plants look ugly once they have finished blooming if they are not tidied up/cut back (different plants require different treatment, so be sure you know what you’re doing or consult an expert). Trees and ornamental shrubs will also need continual pruning and maintenance so they stay well-shaped and healthy.
Again, I’m a gardener and a huge fan of properties with gorgeous plantings. My goal in writing this post is not to dissuade anyone from purchasing a home with attractive grounds. It is, rather, to alert you to the cost and effort in maintaining them so that you are not disappointed or unpleasantly surprised once you own the property. Good luck!
If you are relocating to the Philadelphia/Main Line area, please go to my blog page and search for posts using the relocation tag. Contact me to discuss your Philadelphia area relocation! jen@jenniferlebow.com/610 308-5973
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