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 Landscaping
Tips
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Landscaping
Your Yard on a Budget
Developing or
creating your own landscape (with or without the assistance of a
professional) is simply a matter of brainstorming, prioritizing and
then problem solving.
Brainstorming
Now,
brainstorming might not save you money, but it is an important
process by which you let all of your ideas - from the sublime to the
grandiose - come to life on a piece of paper. If you censor yourself
in advance and only think in logical terms, you may miss out on a
concept that could help to make your garden a very special haven.
Make two lists
In your
brainstorming process, make two lists: a "want" list and a
"need" list. What do you want? Is it a cutting garden, a
cottage garden or groupings of perennial grasses lining your
property? Do you want a water garden? How about a stone patio?
What do you need?
The other
important question to ask yourself is: What do you need? An
area for a basketball hoop, a place for a swing set, grass for your
children to play in? Do you need more privacy between yourself and
your neighbor? What about a fence?
Once you're
done with the want and need lists, number them in order of
importance. Be honest with yourself, because this is how you can
start the landscaping process without spending a fortune.
Create a
sketch for yourself
Finally, make
a rudimentary sketch of your property and begin to sketch in the
landscape elements on the sheet of paper to see how and where they
would fit on your property. This sketch is strictly for you so that
you can begin to imagine the most effective way of designing your
landscape. Give yourself time and patience at this problem-solving
stage. You may end up doing a half dozen sketches before you get a
sense that you are on the right track. Don't try to do it all in one
sitting. If you get frustrated with your lack of progress, leave this
piece of the project alone and come back to it at some later point.
Six
more essential tips to landscaping on a budget:
1. Always have
a master plan from which to work. If your budget doesn't allow, do
the landscaping in stages. You may only be able to afford landscaping
the front of your house; the backyard might have to wait another year.
2. In order to
cut costs, use smaller plant material (even with evergreens)
selectively (particularly when it is a fast growing specimen, such as
Leyland cypress).
3. Make sure
to comparison shop. Take into consideration the quality of the plant,
the size and the reputation of the store from which you are
purchasing it. Do they stand by their plant material and do they
offer a warranty?
4. Make sure
that you have good, thick topsoil on your property so that you can
grow healthy, long lasting grass. If you are digging beds, add plenty
of organic matter and rototill it in to soil as deeply as possible.
5. Don't be
disheartened when you finish landscaping your property. The first
season, your yard and garden beds will most probably still feel
somewhat bare and you might even think to yourself: "Will these
plants ever grow?" Yes, they will grow more quickly than you can imagine.
6. Continue to
work from your master plan over the coming years; making amendments
when necessary. If you keep on adding new elements to your property
each season (even on a limited budget), you will be surprised at how
quickly your property will evolve from a somewhat sparse space to a
lush outdoor space. |
