Walk across the street and view your house from different angles - does the
  existing landscaping help or hinder your house?

  Draw up a plan - plan before putting any money in to your landscaping.
  Work with existing trees and shrubs. Sometimes existing plant material just
  needs to be pruned to provide a neater look. Shrubs and trees should not
  interfere with windows or walkways. If they do, cut them back or pull
  them out.

  Walk across the street again - where can you use colour? For immediate
  impact annuals provide a great hit of colour in garden beds. Choose
  colours that compliment the exterior of your house. Work with the foliage
  colour in shrubs and trees. I personally love colours that compete with
  each other for attention. The cool blue of a juniper looks fantastic when
  coupled with a salmon colour. Or the maroon leaves of a Japanese Maple
  when coupled with deep pink impatiens. The right colour creates fabulous
  curb appeal.

  Add elegance - a seasonal display abundant and overflowing at your
  front entrance or strategically placed in your garden creates a focal point
  and adds year round interest to the façade of your house. Containers have
  come a long way in the last few years. From traditional to contemporary
  and made of materials from weather resistant poly resin to concrete - you
  can create a display for each season.

  To create evening curb appeal try strategically placed solar lights or low
  voltage landscape lighting. A mature tree highlighted with up-lighting will
  enhance evening enjoyment and bring magic to your landscape.

Courtesy of Penni Packer
The Container Garden Company
www.thecontainergardencompany.com

416.461.0514