The real estate market has long known the importance of top-notch curb appeal. First impressions matter and have a huge influence on the resale value of a property. This is certainly true for Condominium Properties and Shared Facilities as well. Equally important, a Condominium with charming, well-executed grounds and gardens also brings enjoyment and a sense of pride to Owners and Residents each day.

Early Spring is the time for Boards and Condominium Managers to walk the grounds and review the current state after winter. Boards, including shared facility Boards as applicable, can put together a solid plan for spring/summer landscaping work. Think about your space and review the budget to determine what can be done for the season. With careful planning, a lot can be done even with a smaller budget. Impressive gardens are an investment when Corporations plant and split perennials year after year.

For a striking pop of colour and some exciting flare, annuals can be planted to border perennial gardens, and placed in planters. Think height with something like tall ornamental grasses, or trellis climbing plants, and think drama with some hardy vine plants like ivy! Involve your trusted landscaping contractor to come to the site and make recommendations for plants, shrubs, and even trees that will thrive on your property.

Some greenery may not have survived the winter and should be promptly removed in the spring. Empty spots should be filled, and everything should be cleaned up, de-weeded, pruned, and edged to create a tidy backdrop for your perennials and annuals to bring their Wow Factor to the property.

Get creative! Some Condominiums in the GTA have larger grounds to work with, and it’s wonderful to get innovative with any underutilized space you may have.

Some Creative Ideas Boards could consider:

• Using a portion of the grounds to make a mini dog park.
• Converting grounds to vegetable gardens, maybe even with greenhouses
• An area for Beekeeping – to help these important pollinators thrive!

Before making any changes, we recommend that Boards consult their legal counsel and insurance provider, but just think of the appeal that creative use of the grounds could bring to future buyers! If you don’t have a gardening committee this would be an ideal time to get one going, which could also take some pressure off of Boards and Managers.

Quality landscaping is something highly visible to Owners, and a tangible display of how their maintenance fees are being used for added resale value and Resident enjoyment. One last thought, since Ontario winters feel long, Boards may consider bringing the outdoors indoors with live tropical indoor plants in common spaces that get sufficient sunlight. Residents may even be interested in volunteering their time for plant care. Well-kept plants don’t become dated like other décor, they purify the air and give a sense of lushness. Often upscale shopping centers, restaurants, and hotel lobbies have indoor plants for the above-noted reasons.  Now let’s jump into spring and get planting!