And real estate agents will tell you when it comes to selling, there is no bigger turn-off than a messy front yard or sad-looking front door.
We gathered sage advice from area gardening and home professionals to help you spruce up the front of your house.
Clean up: The cheapest way to put a shine on the old address is to grab the rake and get busy.
Weed, trim edges for a clean appearance and prune and shape overgrown bushes. Snip off lower branches of pines for a good neat factor.
Add mulch or stones under cedars and around flower beds. Just like a new haircut, you will feel lighter by the end of the day.
Urban choices: Most of us live in the city, be it a tight bit of city bliss or in a suburb where neighbours are within touching distance. Choose trees carefully, says Trevor Cullen, co-owner of Cullen Landscaping on March Road.
Look for compact trees, including the Canadian Serviceberry or the Japanese Silk Lilac, suited to smaller urban lots. They will grow to 4.5 metres (15 feet). If you desperately love maples, be sure they are planted at least 12 metres (40 feet) from your house, says Cullen.
