Landscaping your home not only increases its value but all provides health benefits. If you're selling your home, buyers will pay for landscaping too.

A Good Investment
One of the best home remodeling projects you can do to improve your home and increase its value is to landscape your property. This is the first of several articles that will help you get started and show you how to choose plants, etc.

Studies suggest that an attractive landscape increases the value of a home by an average of 14 percent, and reduces the time on the market by five to six weeks. The Wall Street Journal also reported that landscape investments are recovered fully, and sometimes doubled, by the increased home value. In contrast, home's that have relatively poor landscaping usually sell for 8 to 10 percent lower than equivalent homes in a neighborhood.

Aside from your property, a well landscaped community also raises overall property values. Trees planted along streets have been found to be second only to education in residents' perceived value of municipal services offered.

Health Benefits
Gardening is excellent physical exercise. Studies have shown that one hour of weeding burns 300 calories. This is the same as walking or bicycling at a moderate pace. I guess those weeds can pretty tenacious.
Fresh food from the garden, like vine ripened tomatoes and fresh basil, can have up to three times as many vitamins and minerals as canned or frozen food.

Also, gardening is therapeutic. Working with and around plants improves quality of life through psychological and physical changes. Nurturing a plant to maturity from seed is rewarding and builds self confidence. After a difficult day’s work, a garden, like the one in the photo below, can offer an environment or refuge for people for people to relax and unwind.

For further details of landscaping and gardening, please download the Benefits of Plants and Landscaping. [PDF]