Making Your Money Grow (August E-News)

Making Your Money Grow

August 2011

Greetings!

I could hardly believe what I saw when I looked out of the window one afternoon this past week. The leaves on the Sensation Maple tree in the park at Four Seasons are already beginning to turn colors. Even though some days it does not feel like it, fall is definitely just around the corner. The nights are cooler, the days are shorter, and the kids are preparing to head back to school. (Yeah!!! Oh, I mean, keep the cheering down!)

When we moved to Colorado in 1998, the first thing we planted was a blue spruce tree because we have always had one in the yard of every house we've lived in. The second was a weeping cherry tree. It was a tiny wisp of a thing that Christopher helped to pick out and plant. Now, it's taller than any of us and sturdy and strong. What a legacy that tree has. It survived the drought of 2002. It's watched our family grow and change. It provides a convenient place to hang the birdfeeders each winter. It's covered with beautiful pink blooms each spring to remind us that, in spite of some pretty tough winters, summer always returns to Colorado.

The glorious colors of fall are one of the highlights of the season. Bright red maples, golden aspens, orange bittersweet, and others all contribute to the medley. Fall just wouldn't be the same without them. Trees add so much more to our lives than serving the simple purpose of being a place to hang your hammock. If you haven't planted or considered planting a tree in a while, read on for more reasons to think about it now. It's a perfect time to get one planted in order to enjoy its brilliant colors this fall.

Making Your Money Grow

Most families I know are looking for ways to save or make their money grow. Yet one of the most overlooked places to make a solid investment may be right in your own backyard in the form of a tree. Whether you plan to stay in your home, or sell it down the road, the addition of good landscaping and trees in particular, will add value while saving money in the meantime. If you think about it, it makes sense. Cars, furniture, computers, and other things all depreciate the minute you purchase them and take them home. Trees increase in value the minute they are planted and will increase in value as they mature. The hard facts are tough to ignore.

~Homes with attractive, appropriate landscaping sell for an average of 10-30% more than those who are not well landscaped. This means if your home is appraised at $200,000, the addition of three mature trees may increase the value by $20,000 plus.

~Trees are cool. Homes shaded by trees have 10-30 percent savings in air conditioning costs compared to those without shade. Trees which are properly placed around buildings can result in a 20-50 percent savings in energy for that building. A healthy tree cools the air equivalent to 10 room sized air conditioners operating 20 hours a day, according to the USDA.

~Plant a deciduous tree (one that loses its leaves each fall) and the leaves will shade windows and your home in the summer. When the leaves fall in the winter, the sunlight will help to warn your home.

~Trees can lower your grocery bills. Fruit trees provide apples, peaches, pears, cherries, and other natural flavors to grace your kitchen table. The savings at the grocery store can be significant, especially if you have a large family.

~The average value of a street tree in the US is $525.

~Planting trees means improved water quality.Less runoff and erosion allows more recharging of the ground water supply. Wooded areas also help prevent the transport of sediment and chemicals into streams.

~Trees make you healthy. One acre of forested area absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen. And in laboratory research, visual exposure to trees has produced significant recovery from stress within five minutes as indicated in blood pressure and muscle tension. So if you are spending money on tranquilizers, save it. Consider a tree instead.

As part of Verde Fest this coming weekend, August 20th, we are participating in a program sponsored by the Montezuma Climate Action Network called "Pledge to Plant." Stop by their booth and pledge to plant a tree and we'll extend a 20% discount on the tree of your choice.

What's Growing On at Four Seasons? Now Cheesier Echinacea

~Thank you for the great response to our Anniversary Sale! The good news is that we've decided to extend it. From now through September 14th, you can save 30% on trees and shrubs, and perennials. All remaining herbs and vegetables, hanging baskets, and annuals are 50% off with the exception of pansies and fall mums.

~We've just received a new shipment of perennials and they are fabulous. Things like "Now Cheesier" Echinacea, dwarf balloon flowers, interesting day lillies in many colors, summer blooming phlox, and more are adding color to the Perennial House. Best of all, they are included in the sale!

~Think fall isn't for planting? Think again! Spring daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and more start with fall bulbs. They'll be arriving in the next week. And we are trying something new this year! Our entire assortment of 2012 seeds will be arriving within the next two weeks and will be available throughout the winter. Try planting a fall crop of spinach, lettuce, radishes, and more for a second harvest this year. Seeds make an excellent stocking stuffer too. Or plant a pot of lettuce in a sunny window to harvest throughout the snowy days of winter.

If you don't believe that fall is for gardening, think again. The ground is warm from the summer sun which encourages root growth. The air temperatures are beginning to cool off and days aren't quite so hot and drying. Both of these will lessen the transplant shock for perennials and nursery stock. Many times, plants which are installed in the fall will have a higher survival rate than those which are put in during the spring.

As Christopher heads off to college, I'll be remembering all of the fall seasons when we made piles of leaves and jumped in them. Or the years we picked and peeled apples to make sauce. And the Thanksgiving days when we strung the Christmas lights on the big blue spruce by our house. Trees add so much more to our lives than just good landscaping. Along with value, they add memories. Why not add some memories of your own to your yard this fall?