Your budget and finances may be limited, but you will want your yard to be welcoming and attractive. Creating an easy to maintain yard on a small budget may be challenging, but there are always ways to accomplish this. A bit of gardening knowledge, some creativity and a willingness to think outside the proverbial box will go a long way to creating an enjoyable space for both friends and family, as well as your other house visitors.
Plan Ahead
Take pictures of your entire yard and draw a rough plan, approximating the dimensions of tough to measure areas. If you live in a multi-story building this will be easier to do from the height of the second story to fill in the remaining details. Doing this will help you identify the problem areas you want to concentrate on, without getting bogged down in specific tasks. Make a list of your yard’s assets/best features as well. This sort of planning goes well into ensuring a successful landscaping project to transform your yard into a beautiful space.
Track Down Free Resources
Different locations will have different resources, but there are a variety of free resources you can usually take advantage of. Contact your local tree trimming company for free mulch and wood chips, they will usually be happy to provide this to you. Oftentimes building yards can give you pavers or bricks, that you can use for creating borders around your grass and plants. Many local chambers of commerce and garden clubs offer sales and deals on shrubs, trees and bedding plants, in order to help green the area. Contact your county extension for information on soil testing.
Plant Perennials in your Yard
What can save money in the long run is using perennials instead of annuals in your yard. While annuals can provide beauty to your landscape for a single year, perennials will come back year after year and offer similar beauty for years to come. They put down strong roots and reseed themselves, minimizing the necessary maintenance. Examples of good perennial flowers to plant are: Peruvian Lilies, Catmint, Coneflowers (Echinacea), Coreopsis (Mango Punch), Forget-me-nots and Heucheras.
Plant More Local Plants
Local plants tend to require less upkeep and maintenance than plants from exotic locations. Contact your local garden club or landscaping maintenance professional for advice on what local plants do best in your area. This strategy is especially useful in areas with special climates and soil issues.
Use Annuals for Accents
To make use of the seasonal bright colors, use sparing amounts of annuals throughout the yard, in containers and planters. Place a planter full of zinnias by the mailbox, or in a spot where they get be noticed. Later on in the season you can plant daffodils or tulips, and then later geraniums.
Make Use of Hardscaping
You can reduce the size of your lawn and replace it with hardscaping, such as gravel or stone. These need only minimal maintenance and can help you save money and time, requiring only an occasional sweep.
