Ready to discover some amazing budget-friendly landscaping ideas?
You’ve probably picked up a home and gardening magazine, flipped through its pages, and started daydreaming about creating your dream yard. But after that, you came back down to earth and said that it was too expensive. But this is not true! Here are some incredible budget-friendly landscaping ideas that will help you create an inviting space.
Yes, you don’t need a lot of money for beautiful landscaping. All you need is some patience and creativity. Sure, if you want to hire a professional landscape designer or buy unique pieces, that will be expensive, but there are some other options that are truly budget-friendly landscaping ideas.
Stay with us and learn how to create your dream yard without breaking the bank. Make your space pop!
1. Always have a plan
Ok, so you decided that you wanted to do everything by yourself and not hire a landscaping designer. This is an amazing budget-friendly landscaping idea, but that doesn’t mean you should skip the part when you plan everything in advance.
Even more, if you don’t work with a professional, it is more important to start planning beforehand. You will not have a guide by your side who will take care of everything, and this can make things a lot more difficult.
Start by thinking about what you want to have in your outdoor space. Make a list. For example, do you need a path to the front door? If yes, put it on the list. Do you have a path that needs repair? Again, put it on the list. Do you want a sitting area? There are many questions you need to ask yourself. According to them, you can strategize and build a plan.
Once you are done with the plan, you will need to begin researching the prices. In this way, you will be able to cut off the items that do not fit your budget.
2. DIY drip irrigation
A beautiful yard is a yard that has grass and plants. And one universal thing any plant needs is water. This means you will need an irrigation system for your garden. Unfortunately, most of the time, these systems are costly, which makes them a not-so-budget-friendly landscaping idea.
But you don’t need to rely on expensive irrigation systems and choose the alternative when you take out the tools from the garage and build an irrigation system yourself.
You can’t start a landscaping project if you are not able to water your plants, and this is why the DIY route can be the one that will save your garden and your money at the same time.
Go to the closest garden center, and you will surely find rolls of drip irrigation lines at affordable prices. Then you will need to buy a DIY drip irrigation kit, which you can find online. As you can see, you don’t have to do everything from scratch.
Several kinds of drip irrigation may be installed with just a few hand tools. There are also multiple good video lessons available for homeowners who want to learn more.
3. Eliminate mulch
When you want to save money on landscaping, it can be a great idea to eliminate mulch. There are many other budget-friendly landscaping alternatives, such as landscaping beds and river rocks.
This might be a bigger investment, but it is totally worth it. It is an upfront investment that will definitely change your yard and will definitely add beauty to your lawn.
Choosing river stones over mulch appears to be a developing national trend. Previously, only homes in warmer climes utilized such material to save money, but those in chilly regions of the nation are now making the transition.
The disadvantage of using mulch and other organic materials, such as straw, is that they don’t last long. You will be bound to spend money with them year after year, and this might drain your wallet.
River rock typically costs $75 to $100 per ton. For this sort of gardening product, you should look into professional landscaping providers in your region, as big-box retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s do not typically have it.
Even if river rock needs to be locally sourced, be sure that you will find a local supplier in your area. They are everywhere, and you will be able to purchase the rocks in bulk.
4. Consider a soil test
You want your new plants to survive and live in the best conditions possible, right? This is why you will need to conduct a soil test to make sure that everything is okay, and you will also need to select your plants based on the results of the test.
Prepare the soil so that it is capable of supporting the load, matching its acidity and nutritional balance to the plants you want to grow in your yard.
Since this is a budget-friendly landscaping idea, you need to know that you can easily buy a soil kit test from big-box retailers such as Home Depot or Lowe’s for as much as $12. This test will help you find out what the pH level of your soil is and also see any nutrient deficiencies.
Soil pH meters are also sold for around $12 on Amazon, so you can get one from there. However, keep in mind that ready-to-buy home soil tests do not always produce trustworthy results. This is why you might want a professional lab examination of your soil, but this may cost you extra money.
5. Long-living structural plants are an amazing idea
We know that the brightly colored rows of flowers look mesmerizing, and you want your garden to look like that. Purchasing annuals can get quite expensive. These flowers last only a few months, and then you will have to buy them again next year.
This is why a good budget-friendly landscaping idea is to invest long-term. When you finally have a landscaping budget, you should start with long-living plants that will grow more and more every year and will make a change.
Shade trees, evergreens, and ornamental perennials are all incredible ideas for your garden. Begin with big feature trees, hedge plants, and any major plantings of perennials. In the following seasons, you may replace the empty spots with blooming perennial plants, annuals, and container-grown plants.
When buying perennials, get them for the best price possible by purchasing them during a specific time period. During this period, which varies from store to store, you can get some huge discounts. Most of the time, you can find these discounts during the fall.
If you have decided that you want to get into budget-friendly landscaping, we hope that this guide will help you start this journey. Having your dream yard is easier than ever, and all you have to do is keep in mind these things.
Be mindful of your purchases and always have a plan beforehand!
If you want a soil test for your garden, you can buy a good one for an affordable price from Amazon: Luster Leaf 1605 Digital Soil Kit for pH, N, P and K, 25 Tests
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