It’s a little bit amusing the sheer number of people who forget that landscaping is important all the time; not just when you decide you want to list your house for sale. Not only does lovely landscaping improve the overall appearance of your home, but it also helps to increase the value of your home, but we all know these things. Everyone talks about curb appeal and the added value careful landscaping adds to a home, but no one ever discusses the more intricate reasons to hire a great landscape design firm. Well, we’re going to tell you that there are reasons far outside the box that require great landscaping, and they have everything to do with how you feel as a person. Pretty in-depth and deep, right? We aren’t doctors or psychiatrists, by any means, but we firmly believe that the way your yard looks reflects how you feel about your home on the inside, and how you feel in general. Read on to find out a few of the biggest reasons we think that your yard deserves a bit more of your time and attention.
The Benefits of Landscapes
Lush green grass tickles our toes … flowers treat our eyes to bold, vibrant colors … and fragrant shrubs delight us with their sweet perfumes. It’s easy to appreciate the sights and smells afforded by lawns and landscapes, but did you know their real value is much more substantial than pleasing aesthetics and aromas? That’s right, well-managed landscapes offer tremendous benefits for people and for the environment. Let’s explore some of the little understood, but vitally significant, benefits of landscapes.
Environmental Benefits of Managed Landscapes
Natural Coolants – Grass is much cooler than asphalt or cement. It acts as an “air conditioner” for the surrounding area. In fact, lawns can be 31 degrees cooler than asphalt and 20 degrees cooler than bare soil. But wait, there’s more. Trees shading homes can reduce attic temperatures by as much as 40 degrees.
Environmental Cleaners – Grass plays a vital role in capturing dust, smoke particles and other pollutants, and it produces oxygen.
Water Protectors – Healthy lawns absorb unhealthy runoff that might otherwise filter into bodies of water
Air Cleaners – Grasses absorb carbon dioxide and break it down into oxygen and carbon. In fact, a 50’x50’ lawn produces enough oxygen for a family of four.
Noise Minimizers – Lawns and plants dramatically reduce noise pollution; they can reduce noise levels by 20 percent to 30 percent over hard surfaces like concrete and pavement.
Turfgrass slows down and absorbs runoff into bodies of water.
Even in areas that have water restrictions and are experiencing drought, it is important that lawns and landscapes remain a viable component of healthy communities. There are a number of sustainable practices that will allow managed lawns and landscapes to reduce water usage but still provide important environmental benefits.
Physical and Psychological Benefits
The benefits of human interaction with plants, trees, and grass are also well studied and documented. Research has found that people find stress relief and healing when interacting with nature or even viewing it through a window. Children with ADHD seem to focus better after being outdoors (Harvard Health Publications). Workers are more productive as well when working in environments with plants, and cognitive function is improved.
But, perhaps more important than what science tells us, is what people instinctively feel about the plants and green spaces in their lives–that the connection makes their lives better, and they want to make an effort to incorporate it into their lives.
Research from the Husqvarna Global Garden Report 2012 showed that “63% of respondents reported being willing to pay more for an apartment or house if it was located in an area with good green spaces, compared with, for instance, 34% willing to pay more for an area with good shopping and 33% for good cultural venues.”
