From a real estate perspective, if you are thinking of resale value, a lawn will probably be your best bet. It will hold appeal for more potential buyers than any alternatives. These days, there is a lot of emphasis on reducing the area dedicated to expanses of grass, as many people are eager to use less water, chemicals, and time on their lawn. That is a great goal, but whether it will add value to your home depends more on how well it is done, than whether you do it at all. You can sell a house with a large plain lawn more easily than a house with a bunch of shrub and perennial beds that are badly done or aren't tightly maintained so that they look like work waiting to greet a new owner. Also, I don't believe that the average lawn takes more work than perennials. Putting-green lawns, yes, but not average lawns. Both lawns and perennial beds take work to get established. Once they are in place, in my mind it is easier to mow the lawn in a routine way than to keep up with the ever-changing needs of perennials--deadheading, dividing, pruning, feeding, etc. Also, it's pretty easy to hire someone to cut your grass if you don't have time to do it yourself, whereas paying someone to fiddle around with your perennials to keep them looking their best is not so easy. I can get a neighborhood teen to cut and trim my grass for $20, but anyone with the know-how to deal with the shrubs and flowers is going to cost much more. To add to your home's value, look at the yards in your neighborhood, find one that looks attractive to you but also simple and very well maintained, and aim for that. It looks like a nice neighborhood and there are probably lots of ideas all around you :)

I have nasturtium (mixed colors) seeds.I am looking for carrots (prefer mixed color but any ok), beets, heirloom tomato, snap bean.

Hi! I have these flower seeds: False Sunflower Blanketflower Goblin, Yellow Mesa Coneflower -Harvest Moon, Tomato Soup Rudbeckia Triloba, Hirta bi-color Mexican Hat red & yellow French marigold Cosmos Sensatino dwarf Heliopsis Coreopsis Lanceleaf larkspurs - dwarf scabiosa - white English Cottage Garden Flowers-bachelor buttons, cosmos You can check out my list, too. I don't need any more seeds. If you'd like me to send you these (and others) I'd accept an SASBE if that would work for you. Heidi in Nebraska

Soon ,now that the ice is starting to diminish off my pond... i will be able to trade several water plantain plants/bulbs. (warning: This is an invasive plant) though some love it for its foliage and flowering. Its ok as long as you cut off the spent flower stocks immediately after they flower...if you dont, you will be plucking babies for the rest of your life,lol. Also i will have a good number of Golden creeping Jenny ( Lysimachia Nummularia Aurea) I have used it in many places in my yard. It is good as a groundcover for chokeing out weeds and stopping erosion, and it adds a dramatic yellow hue to any landscape in full sun. You can use it as an aquatium blant in bunches and you can also pot it up and use it in the water garden as well. It is also good for flower boxes and planters, used to drape over the edges. I do believe i can trade either of these in bulk. I wont be able to trade these for atleast another few weeks and i havent been able to check on the water plantain yet but i know its there,lol. it always is,lol. and the golden creeping jenny is just wakeing up and isnt much to look at right now. I would like to trade either of or both of these in bulk for ANY of my wants! I have lots of wants,lol. please see my trade page! Missa