I can be hard headed, and by being nice and covering it with flowers may not get a point across.  

I look for products that are safe to use around vegetables and flowers.

Trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear is difficult, time consuming, has unknown results and just doesn't merit attention.

If not, the brick looks good as is, just looks a little dark, but maybe some bright colored roses or other flowers could help. 

It is not all rainbows and flowers.  

If you go with this strong cash flower AND you have a long term outlook, THEN consider improving the odds of the neighborhood improving over time by becoming an advocate for the area surround your investment.

You may see yard gnomes, plastic flowers, statues, it might not be your taste but you know these people have pride of ownership.

Dawn, I assure you, you would have fit in just fine, all you'd need to do would be to put a flower in your hair!

My other investment is a SFR in Flower Mound and it rents for $1700 per month with a tenant who pays on time and takes really good care of the property.

I have a nice garden that's not too much to maintain, lots of rose bushes the tenants can cut and bring inside, flowering vines on the fence (and take care of any repairs/issues around the building - real "pride of ownership").