Southlake Realtor Says This Garden Tour is One Way to Learn How to Improve Curb Appeal

Realtor Susan Schleppegrell wonders why so much emphasis is spent just on a home’s interior when it’s listed for sale. If a home’s landscape is so unappealing that customers never get out of the car, it won’t matter what’s inside. First impressions are truly important in the real estate business, says the long-time Realtor.

“Bringing a front yard to life is critical because curb appeal is huge,” she said. “It’s the first impression people have of your house, and you seriously only get 30 seconds to make that first impression.”

‘Throwing a bunch of pansies around isn’t enough.’

Making a house attractive is crucial in selling houses, so focusing on staging the interior is central. But Schleppegrell thinks smart professionals know the exterior is equally important.

“I think the term ‘curb appeal’ is very generic,” she said. “I also think a lot of Realtors don’t know the intricacies of lasting appeal. Throwing a bunch of pansies around isn’t enough.”

Schleppegrell knows what she’s talking about. She has a minor in horticulture but learned Texas soil was vastly different from that in California’s Bay Area where she grew up. So, after moving here, she enrolled in horticulture classes at Tarrant County College to learn more about North Texas’ plants.

“I wanted to improve my knowledge,” she said. “When I went into real estate, I realized how much I could bring to clientele in helping them showcase their homes without spending a lot of money.”

Southlake Perennial Garden Society’s Tour is The Place to Get Educated

For those wanting to know more, Schleppegrell makes an easy suggestion. Check out the Southlake Perennial Garden Society’s biggest event — its public garden tour.

The tour, a long tradition for the society, is back after a five-year break. It’s set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 19 in Southlake. With the “Peek Behind the Garden Gate,” the popular tour offers a daylong course in the beauty of landscaping.

“We draw people to the tour because it’s a great one, but it’s just valuable because of the education that comes with our tour,” said Schleppegrell who has chaired the tour multiple times and has served on its executive committee for years.

Five Southlake gardens will provide education and inspiration that Realtors and homeowners can find useful. The plants seen on the tour can be grown in Texas, and master gardeners will be available to answer questions, including the tour co-chairs Carol Dowd and Cathy Vollmer.

“Realtors will see possibilities of how they can help their clients show their homes well,” Schleppegrell said.

These Gardens on Tour Have Curb Appeal

The Southlake gardens chosen this year will showcase a variety of styles and settings. There’ll be curb appeal galore, but the gardens offer North Texas solutions to landscape concerns such as drainage issues and sunny situations.

Eclectic styles among the five gardens are in the mix for this year’s tour. Lush greenery, shade trees, and curved pathways create a park-like setting at the home of Debbie and Terry Debo at 1365 Lakeview Dr.

At 1345 Woodbrook Ct. Linda and Pete Frederick have landscaped around their swimming pool with vibrant colors.

Paula and Greg Knabe got creative with yard art and twig arches with their shady yard at 706 Malton Lane.

Gina and Shawn LaRocco took advantage of their sunny corner lot at 112 Woodglen Ct. with flowering perennials.

A secret garden, sunny spots, and shady sections highlight the yard of Debbie and Charlie Morrison at 1508 Moss Lane.

Tickets on Sale

Tickets for the tour cost $20 in advance, but for last-minute buyers, it’s $25. They’re available online through the garden society’s website and Calloway’s in Southlake, Flower Mound, and Hurst; Green Acres Nursery in Irving; and Marshall Grain in Colleyville.

It’s money well spent, Schleppegrell said, whether the ticket buyer is a Realtor trying to make a sale or a homeowner trying to do the right thing.

“I feel like we owe it to ourselves, our neighbors, and our neighborhood to have a beautiful yard,” she said.