‘LANDSCAPE INVESTMENT PAYS OFF

Your

WHILE MY. wife was in the bank the other day, she was
‘asked if she would like to start buying next year’s RRSPs
now. Then I told her I was about to invest in some LGGBs.
She had a puzzled look of alarm on her face (something like

the look on yours).

“What. kind. of hair-brained
scheme are you getting us into
now?"’ she says. When I told her
the details of Landscape Garden
Growth Bonds and saw that unsure
look turn to one of terror, I knew J
had to write this article.

Simply put, your garden can
grow more than food and good
looks; it can grow cash. Do I have
-your’..attention?: I have not
hybridized the long sought’ ‘after
money tree, nor have 1 lost my

mind.‘ I'am speaking of i increasing,
the return on: your. largest invest-'

ment, the family home.

«When: my parents bought their
: first. house,” ‘they. considered how
close it was to schools, shopping,
bus stops, etc. In fact, the most
they ‘demanded from it’ was suffi-
: cient room to raise a family. That
is no longer the case.

Th family. home has become the

family investment. When Buffy
and Chuck were building their
house ovt on Snoot Point, they
never lost sight of the resale value;

“neither did their banker.

The point I was trying to make

.with my horror-struck. wife and

now, with you, is that a controlled
investment in the landscape has the
best potential for producing a
healthy return on that investment.
Think of the-old axiom, ‘‘What
you see is what you get’’. It stands
to reason that if a potential buyer
is favorably impressed with the

outward appearance of your home, |
they will be in a more positive”

frame of mind when they get in-
side.

The happier they are when they
walk in the door, the more likely
they will overlook the gold foil/red
flocked wallpaper in
bathroom. .

‘Watch it — paeees cable ane

the

garden can

It is generally far less expensive
to renovate the landscape than it is
to remodel the interior of the
house. Even so, the beneficial

‘results achieved outside are usually

more pronounced and dramatic.
I do not intend to suggest that

you puta second mortgage on the

house. in order to re-create Van
Dusen Gardens.

27 - Friday, May 6. 1938 — North Shore News

changes, improvements, or addi-:

tions that are good selling features.

Now sketch out these ideas and-

develop a plan of attack that will

produce the desired effect for 20°

per cent below your projected
budget. If your project is normal,
that 20° per cent cushion | will
disappear quick enough.

Don't be afraid to bring in some

over the

garden gate

Get the opinion of your’ real
estate agent and develop a budget
that is likely to produce the op-
timum return. Try to get them to
offer some’ suggestions. for

on

Geoff Tobiasson

heavy. machinery and start from
the ground up. In.fact, most older
gasdens could do with the kind of
major overhaul that a bobcat or
backhoe would deliver. ;

It. might be better to start with'a
clean slate than to spend money on

__ Tenovating the existing garden.

One thing is certain, if there are

_ some plants that you do not find

suitable or are just too old .or

LIFESTYLES:

EELS

damaged to be of use, eet rid of
them.

You would not ‘plan on
redecorating your living room
around an old sofa, so why design
the garden around a+ stand of
overgrown evergreens? Send them
skyward and be done with it. I've
yet. to hear of. people being
haunted by the ghosts of old trees
wand: shrubs.

As in everything, a certain level
of sensitivity is required.. There are
bound to be some plants of value
in the landscape and if you can’t
leave them where they are try to
move them. If they are small or
newly planted, no problem: larger
plants will probably require root.
pruning.

If. you can't relocate a plant
from its undesirable position, but
would like to see it elsewhere i in the
garden, try propagation. |

Take a few cuttings and try your .
luck — you’ could save. yourself
some money. If you would like
more information on this subject,
try the library.

Careful consideration should be
given to. your timing. If. you are
moving existing plants, try to‘do it"
in September. If it is lawn work,
schedule it for’ mid-spring. If you
are thinking of selling: your: house
this summer, do it now. :

ase and comfort: We insist that yo
OLIOW samples to see ‘the ‘carpet i
our own n home. Pop i in anytime and le