The power of flowers in selling a house

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Are you trying to sell your home? Color, especially flowers, gets properties noticed. But trees add the greatest value, according to the American Nursery and Landscape Association, so start them first.

Take pictures of the garden at its showiest times to show prospective buyers the possibilities. Even buyers who are razing a house and starting over like to see a property's potential.

Here are some landscape-design concepts and guidelines to enhance the front of your property, where, obviously, curb appeal begins:

Balance: Both sides of a property should be equally weighted in front, such as with a large tree to one side and shrubs to the other. The ornamental plantings should show off the entire front yard, not hide the house.

Sequence: Design beds so that plants are sequenced — low plants to the front, taller ones to the back of the bed. This is why large beds are most effective. There should be room for a wide variety of foliage and color, with each plant installed in large enough groupings to have impact.

Comfortable entry: You should not need a sign to find the door. The entry should be a comfortable and inviting configuration that takes you to the entrance in the most efficient manner.

Landscape lighting: Use this for aesthetics, security and safety. Illuminate the entry. Down-light from trees overhead, and use a few lights against the house and on plants with an interesting growth habit. Invite buyers to drive by in the evening to experience your home in a different light.

Color, texture and form: For the greatest impact, use sweeps of the same or similar colors. Look for shrubs with interesting architectural form and texture, fall color, berries, flowers, summer leaf color, and foliage variations. Choose shrubs for their year-round ornamental value.

Containers: They can enhance any entry and wow a prospective buyer. Almost any plant that can be placed in the ground can be grown in a container, including vegetables, shrubs and trees. Containers offer tremendous versatility. You can have plantings in places they wouldn't ordinarily grow, such as on a deck or patio, a balcony or a roof.

All of these ideas will help you make your property pop.