(ARA) – For years, the conversation about strengthening your home’s value has revolved around interior projects. However, by keeping the focus inside, you might be ignoring one of the most effective ways to bring your property value up: the garden.

When discussing home value, “garden” means more than just flower beds. It includes your lawn, gathering spaces on your property, paths and walkways, in addition to the trees, shrubs and flowers that decorate the space. In a housing market where it’s still difficult to stand out, turning your attention and efforts to these areas might be just the thing that will attract buyers.

It’s a simple concept: A more attractive house is a more valuable house. And since your yard and garden are often what buyers see first, it’s your best opportunity to set the tone as they consider your property and what they’re willing to pay for it. In fact, well-designed landscaping was shown to raise perceived residential property value by as much as 18 percent, in a study recently released by Swedish power tool maker Husqvarna.

In terms of return on investment, maintaining an attractive lawn and garden was shown to return $1.80 per dollar spent. For those who want to improve their home’s value but can’t afford to hire contractors for major interior repairs, garden improvements can be an affordable alternative.

Armed with the right tools, most homeowners are capable of tackling garden projects that can improve their property value, and at a relatively low cost. To get a better understanding of what lawn and landscaping equipment would be most beneficial to your yard, visit an outdoor power manufacturer website like www.husqvarna.com. Simply edging your yard with a string trimmer helps create a clean, finished look outdoors and can be achieved for less than $200.

While many Americans are reluctant to spend much on their yards – some 65 percent of people spent less than $400 on it annually – keeping return on investment in mind can help you make better smarter decisions. If you want to call in the pros, consider projects that are highly sought-after, like in-ground irrigation systems.

Those not sure where to start can look to the wide variety of gardening websites, television programs and magazines for inspiration and practical tips. Some of the top-ranked garden attributes for improving home value included:

* A well-maintained lawn

* An inviting social area

* Stone paths and walkways

* Decorative trees, bushes and shrubs

* Well-kept hedges

* Nicely designed flower beds

Gardening season and the high real estate season coincide for a reason: Houses look their best surrounded by growing plants and blooming flowers. As the warmer months progress, remember that not only can investing in your garden give you a good return, it could also be the deciding factor in drawing a buyer to your property.