University of Vermont Extension 
Department of Plant and Soil Science

 Spring, Summer News Article 

Thinking of selling your home? Try exterior color decorating to boost "curb appeal" and the value of your home.

The trend isn't new--it's been around for a few years--but it's a proven winner when it comes to adding pizzazz to your landscape and increasing the overall attractiveness of your property. What is it, you ask? Exterior color decorating is the matching and coordinating of flowers to the exterior color of your house with a strong use of flowers as a design element.

Two independent surveys--one conducted by the American Association of Nurserymen, and the other by the National Association of Realtors--found that colorful flowers and well-matched landscaping can increase a home's value by as much as 20 percent. According to the realtors' survey, quality landscaping also can speed the rate of sale of a house by as much as six weeks.

Unlike some landscaping plans, exterior color decorating will not break your budget. You don't need to buy expensive plants or repaint your entire home to create an attractive exterior color scheme. Your outdoor decorating can be as simple or elaborate as you choose.

Before you begin, take a look at the existing landscape. Flowering trees, shrubs, and even evergreen hedges will have an impact. So will the lack of landscaping.

It's wise to start small. There's no need to repaint all the trim on your house to match your flowers. Instead, repaint only the front door or your flower boxes.

Or you can pick color combinations to match your patio furniture, deck, or storage shed. Be sure to consider the colors already in your outdoor living space, and coordinate flowers to avoid a hodge-podge of different colors.

One way to add punch to your landscape is to match flowers with colors already used as accents on your home, such as the color of your shutters, awnings, or porch railings. You also need to take natural construction materials such as brick and stone into consideration. Colors should enhance, not clash, with these surfaces.

Most homeowners start simply, using inexpensive annual bedding plants like petunias, impatiens, and marigolds. Annuals, which bloom for four to six months, come in a multitude of colors and can be purchased in late spring and summer in six-packs or four- or six-inch pots from garden centers. Or you can start your own plants indoors.

If you are hesitant about exterior color decorating, experiment on a small scale, such as painting window boxes or other containers to match flowers. Or color coordinate your landscaping along a fence, garden shed, or lawn statuary rather than the entire front of the house.

Still can't decide? Then why not go with the trendy colors for 2000--lavenders, purples, blues, and earth colors, especially in lighter or pastel shades. In these times of high tech and fast lifestyles, these colors are thought to soothe and relieve stress.

It's not too early to start planning your color schemes or placing your flower orders, especially if you plan to start your bedding plants from seed. For help with selection of varieties, contact the experts at your local garden center.