In just 4 short weeks (about mid-June), The Bedford Garden Club will be sending their representatives around to judge Bedford homes for the look of their gardens and for their curbside appeal. Many people ask Garden Club members how they can try to improve their chances of winning. Here are a few tips and tricks you can start working on now to improve your chances of winning a Bedford Beauty prize this upcoming June.
Stay On Top Of Yard Maintenance
Just as we fit in a haircut before a job interview, you should trim the lawn and shrubbery regularly to help make a good impression. A tidy, regularly manicured lawn gives the impression that you care about and value the appearance of your landscape. However, yard maintenance doesn’t just end with the lawn, trees, shrubs. Other ornamental landscape plants will not only benefit from regular pruning, trimming and deadheading. These little tasks help put a nice frame on your garden.
Create Inviting Paths or Walkways
There is something compelling about paths or walkways. They draw the eye up them, urging us to follow. When guests arrive at our home, it should be obvious which entrance they should go to. Nothing works better at guiding people in a certain direction than a clear path or walkway. You can create paths leading to your preferred door to the home.
Bordering walkways with flowering plants will soften the edges of concrete and pavers. As with the lawn and garden, a clean and clear path or walkway is sure to make a better impact on our guests than a path filled with crumbling concrete and stone or hazardous debris that can hurt or harm someone. Keep paths clear of overgrown plants, yard waste or equipment, as well as messes and clutter from children or pets to prevent inconveniences and injuries.
Mind Your Fences
Gates, fences, arbors and other structures in the landscape can add charming accent to your landscape. Covering these kinds of structures with climbing vines is a great way to add a little more curbside appeal.
Define That Picture Perfect Entrance
An important touch to creating a great curbside appeal is decorating the actual entrance of your home. Bold and bright colors for doors, trim, welcome mats, and other décor, stir feelings of excitement and warmth to most people, while neutral colors and soft or muted tones, can convey a message of comfort and security. Either way, it makes your home look more inviting from the sidewalk.
Add complimentary colorful pots of long blooming annuals and scented herbs. Create vertical interest with hanging baskets.
Flowers, Flowers, Flowers
It goes without saying that one of the most important things that the Bedford Garden club is looking for is flowers. While many modern landscapes are designed to look nice with minimal plants (and therefore maintenance), a truly award winning front garden will have flowers to add color, texture and pop.
With your perennials, plant various kinds of flowers that bloom at different times so that your front garden is never without a little color.
If you are having trouble lining up your perennials’ blooms, there is nothing wrong with supplementing with annuals. Annual flowers will bloom all spring, summer and fall long and add long lasting color in the garden.
Your Personal Touch
Last but not least, add a bit of your own personal flair, so the judges have no doubt that they have arrived at your place. A little whimsy or unique decorations can help take your front garden to the next level that the Bedford Beauties are looking for.
Start planning now on how you can improve your garden in time for the Bedford Beauties. And if you don’t win this year, don’t give up! A truly attractive garden can take years to cultivate. Keep improving and you will end up with a Bedford Beauty sign in your yard.
