Landscaping should not be considered an expense but rather a capital improvement that will increase property values significantly.

In fact, a poor landscape design may even decrease a property's value. "I would say that a really good design will add 20 percent, easy... "

One of the most recent studies, conducted in metropolitan Quebec City by Laval University and completed in 2000, found that quality landscaping increased the value of a typical bungalow by 7.7 percent. The study also provided a breakdown of specific projects and how they generally affected the market value of a house. Landscaped patios added 12.4 percent, it said, and hedges or landscaped walls added 3.6 percent...

Homes with "fair" or "poor" landscape appeal had a sale price 8 to 10 percent lower than homes with "good" landscapes...

To read the complete article, Plant a Tree, and Watch Your Home's Resale Value Grow written Julie Flaherty...