Tips

Landscaping Tips

Many home owners often look at their lawn and are lost as to how they can improve it through landscaping. Most home owners have a strict budget that can seem to prevent any large scale landscape projects or lawn additions. However, with these money saving landscaping tips, you can be well on your way to transforming your lawn into a piece of art, even on the tightest of budgets.

1. Consult With A Professional – Even if you cannot afford to have a professional handle your landscaping project, doing a quick 30 minute to 1 hour consultation session about your plans and goals can be very valuable. A landscaping professional can assist you in setting reasonable goals and defining a reasonable budget. Spending the money for a short consultation can save you from many costly mistakes later.
2. Make a Decision About What Design You Would Like – If you make too many sacrifices to save money on your landscaping project, you might find the result unsatisfactory. For example, if you have always dreamed of a circular gazebo, don’t settle for a square one. You may find that it is not as enjoyable to use as your previous plan.
3. Function vs Appearance – Keeping your yard functional is very important. In designing your yard, focus on function first and design the yard to maximise the aesthetics of the function of the yard. For example keep in mind traffic flow, sun, shade, maintenance, and views, etc.
4. Always Plan Your Yard Before You Make Purchases – It is always a good idea to map out your lawn and include notes about possible additions before beginning to purchase materials. Be as specific as possible. For example, it may not be enough to simply draw a stream through your yard if you are considering one. What will be the source of the water? Will there be a rock bed or would you prefer it to be surrounded by plants?
5. Be Prepared to Work in Phases – If you have some ambitious goals but a budget that does not justify them, do not be afraid to buy supplies over an extended period of time. For example, you might buy mulch and flowers one month, add stone steps the next and cap off your garden with a fountain during the final month. Buying in phases can also help you determine whether your new lawn will require too much maintenance once it is completed.
6. Do Not Make the Mistake of Thinking That Cheaper is Always Better – You may want to save a great deal of money on new shrubs for your lawn. However, if the shrubs are too low of quality, you might not get exactly what you expected. Although the prices at specialty landscaping stores might be higher than superstores, the specialty stores often have a much better selection to help you make better landscaping decisions.
7. Do Not Make the Mistake of Thinking That Cheaper is Always Poorer – However, if you find a great deal on landscaping supplies, do not be afraid to take advantage of it. For stoic supplies like stone and tools, you can easily get away with making the purchase at a mass supplier rather than going to a specialty store. You can also trust larger suppliers to handle common plants and flowers like annuals and perennials.
8. Make Seasonal Purchases to Save Money – Lumber, for example, is often much cheaper during the colder months of Winter. You can then store it in a shed or garage until the weather permits your landscaping project. In addition, you can save a great deal of money on shrubs, plants and soil late in the planting season. These items will often be much more expensive at the beginning of spring because the demand for them is high but the supply is low.
9. Don’t Forget About the Internet – Shopping online can quickly increase the selection of plants to which you have access while reducing the price of all products. However, remember to check if the plants will be able to survive in your region (especially if you live in northern areas where the winters are more severe) and add shipping costs before assuming that a product is cheaper online than buying locally.
10. Brainstorm With Neighbors – You might find that a neighbor is also considering the same sort of project as yourself. If this is the case, you might be able to convince them to split the cost of heavy equipment such as a tiller or chipper. As these rental fees can quickly add up, sharing the cost with someone else can help you save a great deal of money.
11. Make Sure that You Estimate Materials Properly – The amount of soil or mulch that you need depends on a variety of factors such as the size of your project and the depth at which the soil or mulch will extend. For example, remember that a metric ton of soil only fills about a cubic yard of space.
12. Ask for References Before Making A Decision – If you have multiple quotations from landscapers, make sure to ask for references and examples of work, especially if the landscaper is not a referral.
13. Hire Locally – Hiring locally supports your community and decreases costs and is more environmentally friendly.