Unrealized Gains, The true value of investing in landscaping.
In the world of financial investments, the term "unrealized gains" refers to an investment you've made which later becomes worth more. You've spent $1000 on stocks that have grown in value over time and are now worth $1500. As long as you hold onto that investment, you have an unrealized gain. With that in mind, consider how this definition can apply to your backyard. And I'm not necessarily talking about financial gains.
When it comes to your backyard, you invest a considerable amount of money to make it an enjoyable place to be. Natural landscaping, native plants, and comfortable furniture is all money well spent. But that's where the unrealized gains begin.
These gains in your backyard may not be immediately noticeable. But look carefully and they'll eventually reveal themselves. Look beyond the living space. Look how the foliage changes. Notice the wildlife making themselves at home. Chances are Mother Nature is getting comfortable in your backyard, too.
A perspective varies
Robert Molinet, big kahuna at Sierra Landscape Management, shares his experience. "The first time we noticed it, was one or two years after we bought our property. It needed a lot of work," He said. "It wasn't until we made the woods safe by removing the garbage left by the previous homeowners, and installing more variety of habitat around the house that we started to see wildlife coming in."
Over the years, he has added more features like a waterfall, a small pond, and other plantings that have created more diversity for more wildlife. To point to one area that is his favorite is difficult. He enjoys his patio and pergola. Many of the areas are designed to stop you in your tracks and take a good look at what is there today. But knowing how much enjoyment his whole family gets from the waterfall out their kitchen window makes it his favorite. He runs it all year long, so seeing the different wildlife that visit each season and the changes to its appearance as the plantings change or get covered with snow is a never-ending joy for everyone.
More surprisingly to Robert is the amount of growth that he has seen with their trees. He fondly remembers when he and his wife planted them some 10 to 12 years ago. It was their first property together, planting six-foot tall trees that are now up to 30 feet tall. They all symbolize a point in time past and is a visual reminder of time marching on. "That's been something I've been able to enjoy in a more mature manner with my wife as we walk the property and enjoy them."
A shared value
Mary Stone, owner of Stone Associates Landscape Design & Consulting, has spent more than 20 years designing stunning gardens and landscapes. She never gets tired of seeing the unrealized gains that her clients experience. More often, unbeknownst to them, they become gardeners. One of Mary's clients had a substantial new landscaping overhaul done. Shortly after the completion, her client was regularly found outside with garden tools in her hands and boots on her feet. It has become a welcome and enjoyable way to de-stress after a long day. This one turned out to be a very therapeutic unrealized gain.
One of the more unexpected surprises Mary has experienced was when one of her clients went head-first into lengthy research about new varieties of plants they wanted to include in their property. It's opened his mind to a new world for him that he'd never thought about before. And Mary even learned a bit about varieties that weren't on her radar. Double win!
A recent discovery
I've also experienced unrealized gains. Literally for decades, I had wanted some sort of water feature in my backyard. When it finally came to fruition this summer, I was delighted to be able to hear the splashing water and see it cascade off the rocks. But my wife and I were thrilled to see the birds using it to splash around in as well as the frogs that called it home for a few weeks. It's now something we can look forward to each year.
Robert continues, "The best landscapes, the ones that bring people the most joy, are the ones that are fluid, are adaptable, and are willing to accept change with what Mother Nature has in store for that plan for that property." In his experience, landscapes that attempt to be forced to be a certain way may seem adequate, but often fall short of their reality. "Nature will change over time," he adds. "Mother Nature will determine what is going to win and what is going to lose."
In other words, go with the flow and hang on for the ride. It's going to get good.
The folks at Sierra Landscape Management have a passion for nature-inspired landscapes that not only are designed to bring nature closer to home, but allow families a space to create new and long-lasting memories. We invite those of you who share that passion to contact Sierra today. There's no bad time to start thinking about making your backyard a better place for your family.
Related: Chasing Timeless Landscape Designs