Mike Pyle. (HGTV photo)
The host of the HGTV program “Inside Out” will be in central Iowa this weekend, offering landscaping tips to Iowans who are dreaming of springtime weather and improving their living spaces.
Mike Pyle has more than 20 years of experience in the landscape industry, specializing in everything from design and construction to outdoor furnishings and firepits. “Mainly, we’re focusing on curb appeal,” Pyle says. “That moment you turn a corner to look at your home and just have that moment of joy, or whether you’re trying to list your home and get the best bang for your buck, so we’re here to talk curb appeal, anything from facade to landscape and everything else.”
Pyle says he’ll show a Powerpoint presentation and then open it up for questions. In a Radio Iowa interview, Pyle was asked about the worst mistake homeowners typically make when trying to redo their yards. “Not having a plan is the biggest thing,” Pyle says. “It’s called a plan for a reason. We want to create a plan and have structure so we’re not just trying to go about it loosely, and we don’t want to be wasteful of funds, so having a plan to get started is the best advice that I can give.”
Most of us don’t have unlimited budgets, and Pyle says you don’t have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to make a big impact on your home’s appearance. “Just ripping out old, tired plants and going down to the nursery, something that a family could potentially tackle, just replacing those plants,” Pyle says. “Painting the exterior of the house, possibly painting your front door to get a new pop of color. Those are a few things that can definitely not break the bank but give you that moment you’re looking for.”
Pyle owns a landscape design firm in Orange County, California, managing a team of designers and projects around the country. Compared to southern California, he admits, Iowans sometimes face an uphill battle in beautifying their yards. “My whole thing is, when you’re talking about landscaping, just go to your local nursery and see what’s successful in the nursery,” Pyle says. “They set you guys up for success. It is more challenging. You guys have a lot more weather than we do. You have real seasons, but there’s definitely a way to navigate through it, and I think I’d just start at your local nursery.”
Pyle will be featured at the Des Moines Home & Garden Show on Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 12 p.m. The show is at the Iowa Events Center today through Sunday.