Boost your home value with landscaping

A backyard makeover is one of the easiest ways to add value to your home and it doesn't have to leave you out of pocket the way that home renovations can - all you need is equipment hire and hard work.

If you're stuck for landscaping ideas, and not sure about the scale of project you want to take on, a rock garden is a great way to provide your backyard with an easy and affordable facelift.

It is pretty difficult to get a rock garden wrong - the only real requirement is good drainage, and other than that you can be as creative as you like.

If the area is not prepared and you need to do some earthmoving to create a preferably gentle sloping area for your rock garden, hiring equipment such as a digger, mini loader or bobcat may help you complete this task.

Using a combination of larger rocks, such as granite or limestone, along with smaller stones is a great effect - just don't forget to leave spaces for your plants.

The best plants for this kind of garden include, geraniums, cyclamens, primulas, abies and galanthus, saxifrage, and iris cristatas.

To enhance drainage, which is critical to the success of a rock garden, mixing topsoil with sand can help.