Landscape Your Vacation Rental Like a Pro With These 7 Tips
Your Guide to Seasonality
High-quality photos of your vacation rental can definitely attract potential guests, but one aspect that many owners overlook is curb appeal. Even if your rental looks amazing in pictures, if it doesn't make a strong impression when guests arrive, you might miss out on that crucial wow factor. Today, we’ll explore 7 professional landscaping tips to boost your property's curb appeal, helping you attract more bookings and earn better reviews from your guests.
#1: Fill Your Yard With Native Plants
What better way for your yard to give off curb appeal than to fill it with native plants that grow perfectly in your climate and blend in well with your surroundings?
Rather than choosing plants that might not grow very well in your area’s weather and risk having wilting greenery in your yard, take a look at what native options there are at your local plant store or nursery.
Planting native is also great for the environment, since you’re not introducing any non-native species into the ecosystem and you’re using plants that are well-adapted to the weather that you experience, meaning less irrigation will be necessary. When you plant non-native species, you might run into issues like failure to thrive, wilting leaves, or even dead plants.
#2: Plant Low-Maintenance Grasses
Although everyone wants a sparkling, perfectly-cut emerald-green lawn, that’s just not going to happen without the ideal combination of climate, maintenance, and irrigation. If you’d rather have a lower-maintenance lawn that will work better in your climate, go for grasses that won’t require mowing as frequently. Bahia grass and fescue grass are two types of hardy grasses that are not only low maintenance, they are also highly drought tolerant and resistant as well. When you choose lower-maintenance grasses that are hardier than the average, you’ll have to pay less in lawn care expenses and you won’t have to worry about having an overgrown or wilting lawn.
#3: Expand Out with a Deck or Patio Space
When the weather outside is nice, there’s nothing that guests love more than sitting on the patio or deck space at their vacation rental. If your property doesn’t have a dedicated outdoor space like this, think about adding one in that will fit perfectly with the space. Whether that’s a small cafe table and two chairs or a large table for entertaining, you’ll up the appeal of your vacation rental and ensure that guests have an even better experience creating memories there. Plus, you can even charge a little bit more on your nightly rate if you have a highly-appealing outdoor space.
#4: Think Synthetic for an All-Weather Option
If you don’t want to be bothered with lawn maintenance, an alternative to using low-maintenance grasses is to replace your lawn entirely with synthetic turf. A few of the benefits of using synthetic turf are:
It will never wilt or go brown–it’s green 24/7, 365 days a year
Foot traffic won’t wear it down as quickly as regular turf
You won’t ever have to worry about watering your lawn
You’ll spend far less in landscaping costs
It’s better for the environment
#5: Add Outdoor Lighting for More Atmosphere
For those who already have a patio or deck that guests love, one way to up the wow factor is to enhance the space with a bit of creative lighting. There are so many options to choose from, including fairy lights, paper lanterns, tiki torches, and more, and each of them will add a new flair and elevate the atmosphere of your outdoor space. Another great touch to elevate your landscaping is to add lighting to the front of the property as well–along the walkways and entryways is a good option in order to allow guests to see a bit better at night.
#6: Say Goodbye to Water Features
When you think of a luxurious vacation home, you might think of a space with a giant driveway featuring a huge, gushing fountain in its midst. However, for vacation rental owners, water features are a thing of the past. Not only do they cost quite a bit when it comes to water bills each month, many guests now see fountains and other water features as too over-the-top, and won’t pay extra for a water amenity. Overall, water features just aren’t a great investment with regards to landscaping and curb appeal.
#7: Create Walking Paths to Protect the Lawn
Our final tip for landscaping like a pro is to create walking paths to the entryway and through the backyard. Creating paths through these high-traffic areas can help to protect your lawn by reducing wear and tear, plus they also look highly attractive and can up your curb appeal with guests. Find the right material for the weather that you experience–places with lots of rain, for instance, shouldn’t go with slippery stones but instead choose something that will offer more grip to guests.
More Tips and Tricks for Vacation Rental Owners
Owning a vacation rental can mean wearing a lot of hats, and a landscaping expert is just one of many things you have to become when you manage everything yourself. For owners looking to learn more tips and tricks, take a look at our blog on the best amenities for mountain vacation rentals or a few steps for dealing with a bad review on your short-term rental..
On the other hand, if you don’t want to keep up with all the minute details yourself, you should look into hiring a property management company with the expertise you need. To see why LocalVR might be right for you, check out our Program page.