Landscaping your yard On a Budget

Is it possible to have a unique look to your yard without investing thousands of dollars to it every year? I truly believe it is. By practicing some basic conservation ideas you can save money and still make your yard look great.

1. The best way to stay within your means when it comes to landscaping is to do the job yourself as with many other areas of budget concern. This would mean doing everything, from picking your plants to weeding and pruning. Now to many of us who really enjoy being out in the yard this is fun. For those of you who question your knowledge and ability, the information age is in full swing and it is not hard to educate yourself well on all the different tasks specific to your yard.

As for the weeds, you are probably going to have to expect a few. If good isn’t good enough when it come to waging a campaign against your weeds (and this is especially true of your lawn) you are going to end up spending a lot of time and money on various chemicals and treatments. These procedures may in the end be doing more harm than good. Be satisfied with some weeds in your lawn, particularly if they have some intrinsic appeal, such as clover.

2. One great new innovation that is all the rage is the art of xeriscaping. Xeriscaping refers to landscaping and gardening in ways that reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental watering. It is often promoted in areas that do not have a good supply of fresh water, but it is also catching on in other areas as climate patterns shift. With water becoming an ever more valuable commodity, many homeowners, when it comes to their yard, are seeking to conserve their water costs by choosing plants that do not need as much water to survive. These plants are available in many different varieties, and they will add a splash of color to your yard while still saving you money. Knowing which plants tend to use a lot of water like cedar hedges, for example, is crucial so they can be avoided. You won’t want to plant any of these if you are concerned about your water costs!

Another way to save money on water is to include material that has good water retention qualities when you’re planting new plants. For example, Peat moss is very inexpensive. When you mix it in with the dirt and bone meal while planting your new flowers or hedges, any water that goes near the area will be soaked up and retained for later use as the plant’s needs dictate.

3. Don’t be afraid to skip the nursery and buy your plants at a box store. A lot of the time, the plants you buy at a big store that carries many varieties of items will cost much less than those at the local nursery. These plants will not have been tended as carefully as the nursery plants, but with some care taken when you’re planting and tending them, they will grow just fine and should grow to the same levels as the plants which cost more but took less time initially in tending. Most do-it-yourself gardeners like to maximize their time outside anyway, so the extra attention these plants may need will help to increase the time spent on your hobby.

4. One way to keep a low budget in your landscaping is to limit your green space. Smaller lawns and fewer flowers mean less materials needed for the upkeep. Watch what you use as your replacement, though some types of landscaping rocks (such as lava rock) can be incredibly overpriced. Bark mulch can be a fairly inexpensive option, but again, you have to be willing to invest a little extra time into its containment and maintenance. I personally don’t like this option because I love my flowers too much but it will save you money in the long run.

There are many more ideas for landscaping on a budget but we will have to wait for a different time to discuss them.

Landscaping On a Budget “by the yard”

Ways to Jazz Up Your Outdoor Living Space

One of the easiest ways to jazz up your outdoor deck or patio is by using splashes of color. Sometimes it only means investing in a few accent pieces that make a bold statement and your outdoor living space perks right up. You don't always have to buy new – with a little elbow grease and some creativity you can make second hand items look brand new.

Before you begin though, clear everything off your deck or patio and give it a good wash. I don’t recommend power washing but there are some good washes you can add to your water and then scrub it clean. If it needs staining, all the new patio furniture in the world won't help. Bite the bullet and give it a new coat of stain or paint. This is actually a great place to get started with your colorful accents. Now that your deck is ready here are some colorful ideas to help you get started.

1. Try painting your fence posts a bright, coordinating color such as teal, or. Or paint or stain a pattern or border around the edge of your deck.

2. Your deck is for socializing, so show that you are ready for company. The addition of a new patio table is a great place to start. Place a colorful bar cart in the corner and load it up with bright acrylic glassware.

3. Give your old wicker furniture a facelift. Paint it in bright sunny colors, or if you're feeling adventurous, use a stencil and add flowers or other patterns. Just use acrylic paint, but seal it with varnish to protect your paint job.

4. Add a fancy ice-bucket by getting hold of a galvanized bucket or oblong container. Paint it bright blue or orange and add a vine pattern on the outside. Voila, now you have a fancy ice-bucket for all your coolers. Remember, use a rust inhibiting or food-safe paint, or the surface should not come in direct contact with food.

5. Use themes such as the seashore, by incorporating fish, sea shells and beach balls in your accents or stencils. A citrus theme works well by using pale greens, oranges and yellow as colors for chairs or bistro tables. Try painting a slatted table top with two or three different corresponding shades.

6. Your garden shed doesn’t have to be brown and boring. Add colorful window boxes, gingerbread trim and some wild stripes on the walls.

7. New outdoor lighting goes a long way to perking up a patio area. Colorful lanterns or strings of lights can be hung from overhanging trees or beams providing a fun, economical source of lighting.

8. Now what about that white vinyl furniture that's still in great shape? Don’t worry, with paint specially formulated for vinyl furniture and some new cushions you can make your old chairs look brand new.

9. Use your color wisely though by tying everything together with your accessories. For instance take four chairs each painted in a different primary color and add a cushion in a common color such as red or green, and place them around a neutral table top.

Jazzing up your outdoor living space “by the yard”