Kerb Enthusiasum

By Adrienne 4/04/2008

Give your home 'kerb appeal' and make your front garden into much more than a parking lot.

Topiary Pots

A stylish pot on the front step or beside the porch will always make a good impression. Topiary works well, especially matching pairs of elaborate shapes such as cake-stand or tiered pom-poms.
EXPERT TIP: Evergreens with small leaves, such as box, yew, ilex and privet will give the neatest shape. Close-clip the pom-poms so that they bush out and gradually become dense.
HOW MUCH? Ball specimen of Ilex crenata, £151 (www.topiaryshop.co.uk, 0845 230 6008).

Parterre

Tiny front lawns are often a drag to mow, so in town gardens you could opt for low-maintenance design such as a parterre – a simple geometric design made from dwarf evergreen hedges. Fill the spaces with weed-suppressing gravel and  add a central focal feature such as a standard, lollipop-trained holly tree.
EXPERT TIP: To give a parterre a razor-sharp finish, stretch a taut, level string between two upright posts to act as a guideline and cut the top of the hedge along the line of the string.
HOW MUCH? Box for hedging costs 95p (www.greenglory.co.uk, 0870 034 8377).

Arch

Adding an arch or pergola draped with fragrant roses will make an enticing entrance, especially for a cottage-style home. Keep the pathway uncluttered and trim back wayward shoots to prevent them dripping on your guests!
EXPERT TIP: Don’t make the arch too narrow. People will need the space to be at least 3ft wide (and more if they want to walk up arm-in-arm!).
HOW MUCH? Climbing roses £9.99 (www.
plantmenow.co.uk, 0870 466 9442).

Climbers

Covering your house with climbers will make it stand out from the crowd – and there’s nothing better than wisteria for wall-to-wall colour. Arrange the snake-like stems on sturdy horizontal wires so the gorgeously-scented flowers cascade down in tiers.
EXPERT TIP: Make sure all climbers are tied into their supports properly, are bug and cobweb-free and not spoilt by dead flowers and yellowing leaves. Trim mature plants regularly to prevent them growing onto the roof slates, into gutters and on to paintwork.
HOW MUCH? Buy two wisteria in 10.5cm pots and get one free from T&M (www.thompson-
morgan.com, 0844 573 2020).

Block Paving

If your tatty lawn is beyond repair consider replacing it with Grassguard – a block-paving- style grid that allows grass to grow through. This hard-wearing solution will give the impression of a green sward while providing somewhere to park.
EXPERT TIP: If you have a narrow drive, plant nearby borders with tough ground-hugging plants such as Cotoneaster dammeri that can be driven on occasionally.
HOW MUCH? Grassguard from £25 per sq metre (www.marshalls.co.uk, 0845 820 5000).
strong design
To make your front garden eye-catching, create a design using straightforward shapes and clear lines. Use evergreens for the bones of the planting and in-fill with temporary seasonal flowers. Limit the colours to three for the most stylish results.
EXPERT TIP: Avoid using over-vigorous plants near paths as they can force visitors on to muddy flowerbeds. Alternatively, use raised beds.
HOW MUCH? Try a budget border design with a total of 16 plants, £91 (www.crocus.co.uk,
0870 787 1413).

Clever Beds

The soil in beds by house walls is usually very dry, so dig deep and enrich it with well-rotted garden compost or manure before planting.
EXPERT TIP: Select plants that can cope with dry sites in full sun or shade – use a compass to check which direction walls are facing.
HOW MUCH? Compass £7.99 (www.millets.co.uk, 0800 389 5861).
baskets
Adding hanging baskets will instantly change the look of your house, transforming bare walls into colourful features. Think about the colour of the wall the basket will hang on – red flowers could clash with red brickwork and white flowers won’t show up well against a white wall.
EXPERT TIP: For a perfect display, part-fill a moss-lined wire basket with multi-purpose compost to take the first layer of plants. Push the roots of trailers from the outside of the basket to avoid damaging the plant tips. Then put a generous group of bushy plants on the top.
HOW MUCH? Ready-made baskets from £20 (www.babylon-nurseries.co.uk, 01375 399128).