Tending a garden, trimming trees, and otherwise maintaining the outdoor features of your property are all relaxing activities for many people. Done properly, this work can also enhance the value of your home.

If you're selling a home, the landscaping will be an integral part of the curb appeal. A buyer won't know for sure if the house is right for them until they've toured the entire property, of course, but a pleasant exterior will help make a good first impression.

Andrea Davis, writing for RealtyTimes, says some homeowners will naturally be reluctant to invest too much in landscaping. The work can consume a lot of time, not to mention money, and some might think that it would be preferable to invest in interior renovations.

The estimates for how much you'll be able to boost your home's value with landscaping vary from source to source. Alex X. Niemiera, horticulturalist for the University of Virginia Cooperative Extension, says the typical figure is 15 percent; her own research put the figure at between 5.5 percent and 12.7 percent. Lisa Kaplan Gordon, writing for the National Association of Realtors' home improvement site HouseLogic, says one landscape economist even estimated the enhanced value at a whopping 28 percent.

In any case, landscaping can easily result in increased value for your home. Home improvement professional Bob Vila says the American Society of Landscape Architects recommends that a homeowner invest at least 10 percent of their home's value into landscaping. He says this work isn't just limited to shrubs and flowers; outdoor features such as fire pits, terraces, fences, and swimming pools are all part of the appeal.

Vila says the worst mistake you can make when trying to improve your landscaping is to do it without a plan. You'll find yourself doing some piecemeal work over the years, and you may even be forced to uproot some features that don't end up fitting in with the overall appearance.

Cam Merritt, writing for SFGate, says you should hire a landscape designer to figure out the best way to improve your home's exterior features within the budget you have to work with. If you don't want to spend the money on a designer, be prepared to spend some time researching various plans and features and finding out what would work best at your home. Even an amateur plan will result in a more pleasant appearance than a disorganized layout.

Davis says designing a garden with plants of different sizes and colors will result in a visually pleasing garden. She says a mix of large and small plants will also prevent their roots and branches from getting tangled, allowing you to keep the garden without devoting too much time to maintenance.

Kaplan says some landscaping can have value in other ways. Shade trees will keep the house from getting too warm in the summer and cut down on winds in the winter, saving you on energy costs in all seasons. Kaplan says trees can reduce heating costs by 15 percent and air conditioning costs by 75 percent.

Maintaining native plants rather than ornamental grass can also result in major landscaping savings and give your home a unique look. Kaplan says this kind of yard is easier to maintain and provides an attractive venue for birds, butterflies, and other wildlife.

Pleasant outdoor lighting will also have a dual effect. In addition to illuminating the home for evenings on the deck, it can reduce homeowner's insurance costs by helping to deter burglars.

Merritt says that for homeowners who are planning to sell their home in the short term, a little bit of landscaping work can go a long way. These simple tasks include using mulch to sharpen the edges between the flowerbeds and yard and planting a few colorful groups of flowers to brighten up the exterior.