Sad curb appeal doesn’t sell houses. Colorful landscaping sprinkled with native plants is the ticket.

On a recent episode of Property Ladder, one of those HGTV programs, a house beautifully rehabbed on the inside didn’t attract buyer interest because of the outside. The owner didn’t see the point of spending money on the home’s landscaping. With uninviting curb appeal, the home languished on the market.

Perking up that curb appeal will welcome buyers and show your home is well cared for. Even if you’re not selling this spring, enhancing your landscaping will make you feel better.

Give your landscaping an honest look to decide what goes and what stays. The shrub that’s been struggling for the last two years and “might” make it this summer probably won’t. Take it out and plan for a replacement. Patches of dead grass could use a renewal. Reseed and fertilize for new growth. Trim back branches that may impede natural light in your house. Replace cracked bricks in the sidewalk and power wash the siding if it seems dingy.

And now, the fun part. Your almost blank palette is ready to be filled with color. Planting a garden and refilling empty spaces requires planning. First, decide what you want and how much work you are willing to do. Spring is a wonderful, fresh time, but think ahead to July and August in Missouri, when outdoor gardeners can lose enthusiasm with the high temps and humidity. Without care, all those plants and all that work will go to waste.

Assuming you choose a relatively work-free garden, we suggest using Missouri native plants. After all, they live here and grow in our climate, unlike that temperamental import from Hawaii that needs constant attention.

Here are some advantages to consider if you plan to use native plants:
• Once established, native plants need minimal watering, reducing your water bill and the time it takes to spray the plantings.
• Because the plants are acclimated to grow in Missouri soil, they establish quickly and don’t need pampering.
• Native plants have already dealt and adapted to the problems of pests and weeds.
• Birds and butterflies thrive on native plants, giving you a garden paradise and hours of entertainment watching those in flight coming and going

Resources include local garden stores that sell much more than annuals and whose employees are trained in native plant propagation, and we can’t say enough about the Shaw Nature Reserve, your one stop for plants, information and a delightful day out. The annual spring wildflower sale is set for Saturday, May 7, plenty of time to plant this spring’s garden. Another plant sale and garden tour on Saturday, April 30, at the University of Missouri Extension Center in St. Peters is also an excellent stop for plants and info.

Curb appeal and landscaping can be fun, fragrant, inexpensive and stress-free when you plan ahead and make plant choices that make sense for our area.