By Maureen Patzer
The Tennessean

Three years ago, when Lisa and Lance Strawn bought a home in Franklin, Tenn., their landscaping consisted of the standard “shrub it up” builder’s package of two trees and bunches of big bushes.

“But it didn’t look like anyone had done any planning,” Lisa Strawn says. “And most of the bushes were hollies, which hurt if you cut them because they’re so prickly.”

The couple lived with their less-than-desirable shrubbery until July, when a desperate attempt at pruning made things worse.

Armed with a shovel, a chain saw and an ax, Lance Strawn wrestled the offending foliage out of the ground. In its place they opted for smaller evergreen plants, lava-rock mulch and ornamental grasses.

The Strawns’ decision to rip out their landscaping and start over isn’t as drastic as it sounds and may provide a modest hedge against declining home values, says Jim Lapides, a spokesman for the American Society of Landscape Architects.

“Whatever you plant isn’t going to lose value whether you sell your home in five years or 20,” he says. “Unlike a traditional remodeling project that begins to lose value because it’s no longer new, plants are always literally growing in value.”

In fact, says Alex Niemiera, an associate professor of horticulture at Virginia Tech University, a more sophisticated landscaping plan can increase a home’s value an average of 10 percent to 12 percent. He cites two studies that looked at people’s perceptions about plant size, diversity of plant and design sophistication.

Because homebuyers place a greater value on established perennials than annuals, Lapides says, it’s important for homeowners to plan to get things growing, especially if they don’t expect to stay long. Distinctive landscaping is also key.

“If you have the only house on the street without a deck, install a deck,” Lapides says. “But with landscaping, the opposite is true and it has to go above and beyond to really stand out.”

In some cases, that means starting over.

“Builders tend to shrub it up, which is OK,” he says. “But that doesn’t stand out or necessarily stand the test of time.”

Cost can vary

Most new homes come with standard builder-grade landscaping because it’s installed during the last phase of construction when all that’s left is a limited budget, says Adam Chapman, sales manager for Bates Nursery and Garden Center in Nashville, Tenn.

“Landscaping costs should reflect between 3 (percent) to 5 percent of the value of a home, but in reality it’s usually less than 1 percent,” Chapman says.

He suggests owners start with good, solid plant material.

“Certain plants are less expensive because they are faster-growing and are grown a lot,” he says. “But they don’t necessarily reflect a higher level of sophistication.”

Plan twice, plant once

Sandra Nichols, owner of Sandra Nichols Landscaping in Brentwood, Tenn., thinks homeowners seeking the greatest return on their landscaping investments would do well to hire a landscape designer or architect.

“Good landscaping is neither cheap nor fast,” she says. “Concentrate on quality, not necessarily quantity.”

A few companies offer basic landscaping design services starting at about $500; more detailed plans cost $1,200 and up. That’s just the blueprint; labor and materials are extra. For a do-it-yourselfer, Nichols suggests a one- or two-hour consult instead.

Consults start at about $150 for the first hour, but Nichols says it can help homeowners avoid common mistakes that make for landscaping that doesn’t complement a home.