Re: [gardeners] re: Dumb Question now New House

Rosemary Carlson (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Fri, 02 Oct 1998 19:15:35 -0400 

Liz: You're right. They don't want the maintenance. What I've found,
however, is that - even with low care roses and perennials - it really
doesn't make much difference regarding selling because most people don't
KNOW low-maintenance from high-maintenance. They just see plants - and
roses - and think "weeding, fertilizing, pruning, trouble mowing around"
etc. and with roses they think "thorns, pruning, Japanese beetles,
blackspot....". And when you try to explain low-maintenance - their eyes
glaze over as there are SO many homes with lots of grass.....and no
gardens.......and no maintenance. That is my tale of woe. 

I, too, took OUT roses and perennial beds before putting up my house for
sale. Took out a bunch of plants, pruned everything, etc., etc. Everything
looks very nice. It's still been a problem - though this is a hot real
estate market in my part of the world - and, hopefully, the right buyer
will walk through the door. My advice, however, to anyone anticipating EVER
selling their house is go easy on the gardens until you get into the house
you think you'll be in for a lifetime. 

Rosemary in Lexington, KY
zone 6a


At 03:26 PM 10/2/98 +0000, you wrote:
>Rosemary Carlson <gardeners@globalgarden.com> wrote:
>
>> Everyone - beware. Lots and LOTS of folks out
>> there don't WANT perennial gardens in their yard. Too much maintenance. I
>> think that having the rose and perennial gardens are making my house HARDER
>> to sell. A shame.
>
>I've investigated this because I'm going to be selling in 3 or so 
>years.  I am completely changing my gardens over the next 12 months 
>because of it and because I'm going to have much more limited leisure 
>time shortly.
>
>It's not that people don't want perennial gardens -- they do.  They 
>just want no upkeep.  Fine.  I am taking out all the bulbs and 
>putting down landscape fabric.  I'm planting mostly hardy, own root 
>roses that require no care.  Rounding things out will be easy care 
>perennials that work well as rose underplantings -- things like 
>dianthus, snow in summer, caryopteris, catmints, thymes etc.  There 
>will be one bed that is not rose based and that will contain 
>relatively large herbs.
>
>I've talked to several real estate agents in the area who tell me 
>that this sort of landscaping helps sell houses here.  Don't know 
>about other parts of the country.
>
>Liz
>
>