This farmhouse revival project is expected to draw as many as 40,000 visitors from across the country, and Southern Living is scheduled to feature it the August 2012 issue. The home will be open for tours from June to December 2012.

2. If you pick faux stone, be sure to verify that the color extends all the way through the material. In the case of it getting chipped or damaged, you wouldn't want your secret to be revealed by exposed areas of a different or non-stained color.

3. Decide upon the stone pattern you want to achieve by visiting stone and tile showrooms and home-improvement stores that carry such materials.

Finally, be sure to click on getmorecurbappeal.com to find out how you can purchase customized plans to improve your home's exteriors and yard.

That's why we at Get More Curb Appeal, LLC provide expert design services that enable them to envision such changes at a very reasonable price. Through the selection of appropriate building products, materials, paint colors, and new landscaping, we show homeowners how to make their biggest investment look like it should – GREAT!

Get More Curb Appeal, LLC is the only online design service that offers both exterior home makeovers AND landscape plans. For a fraction of the cost required by an architect, residential designer, or landscape architect, we can create customized plans for you that any builder, remodeler, or landscape contractor can follow. Another unique distinction about Get More Curb Appeal is that its partners collectively share over 41 years of working experience at Southern Living Magazine. Consisting of a horticulturalist from Clemson University, a residential designer from Auburn University and a builder/New Homes Specialist, this talented team knows what homeowners are looking for to improve their homes' exteriors and landscapes.

The company's website: http://www.getmorecurbappeal.com will be launching in June, 2011 with a concentration initially in the metro Atlanta market. Following the initial launch, the company will expand their services to other Southern states (AL, NC, SC, TN), and then on to its national launch in 2012.

For more information on Get More Curb Appeal, contact: Ada Love via e-mail at ada@getmorecurbappeal.com.

My personal new favorite is EMPIRE zoysia. This warm-season grass has dark green color, a soft, bare-foot friendly texture, is cinch-bug resistant, and get this: is SLOW GROWING, so you have to mow less.

Learn more at: http://www.sodsolutions.com/empire/homeowne...

Though EMPIRE Zoysia is drought tolerant, it needs regular water during its first year and should be watered several times a week once laid. After two weeks, gently lift a corner to see if there are white roots forming on the underside of the slab – there should be. That means your grass is well on the way to establishing itself. Dallas summers can be brutal – watering is a must. Once it's hard to pull up an edge, you may reduce water to twice a week, but water slow and deep. You want to train the roots to go as far down into the soil as possible to prepare them for a drought situation. By fall, you should be watering only once a week – IF YOU NEED IT. There's no need to water if it's been raining. An irrigation rain sensor will do this job for you.

Your friend in gardening,

Julie