Your lawn and garden deserve as much attention as the interior and exterior of your home. The house itself might look like it belongs in the pages of a design magazine, but if the garden leaves a lot to be desired, then you’re not maximizing your property’s potential. According to a recent study, investing in proper landscaping can boost your home’s value by as much as 70 percent.
However, as any professional can tell you, landscaping is more than just planting a few shrubs and flower beds. A landscaping project often entails a lot of research and planning, not to mention elbow grease. If done with thought and care, your new garden will not only make your home a better place to live in, but it can also boost its curb appeal.
Fortunately, you don’t need to spend a small fortune on beautiful landscaping. With a bit of planning and dedication, you can transform your outdoor space at a minimal cost.
1. Start with a plan
Before doing any work, you need to have a plan first. Many homeowners rush to their nearest home improvement center without one and end up with plants and fixtures that aren’t suited to your garden. Every property is unique so you need to take into consideration factors such as topography, soil type, moisture levels, and so on. To craft a plan, you need to study your land.
There are three things you need to keep in mind: water, light, and utility. Pay close attention to the way surface runoff and rainwater flow through your land. Next, observe how the light moves throughout the day, and whether certain places receive more light than others. Finally, think about the kind of garden you want. Do you see yourself planting fruits and vegetables or do you prefer a low-maintenance ornamental garden?
2. Manage water flow
We can’t control water, but we can harness its power. Water can be a blessing or a destructive force, depending on how you manage it. If you live in an area with regular rainfall, you need to consider the way water behaves in your property to ensure a successful landscaping project. The topography of your yard affects how water flows through the land, and seemingly minor concerns might have major repercussions for your project.
Water follows the grade of the land. Even a slight grade can mean the difference between a beautiful garden and a flooded one. When doing a landscaping project, you want to make sure that your work won’t make your water situation worst. At the very least, the runoff should be led away from your home’s foundation. You also don’t want standing pools that will attract mosquitoes. Feel free to move land as you see fit to change the way water flows through your garden.
3. Know when to buy
There is always a right and wrong season to buy things. Some people do their winter shopping during the summer, when prices are at their lowest. The same concept applies when shopping for gardening tools and supplies. Keep in mind that the peak season for gardening and landscaping is spring, when everyone’s itching to rebuild their gardens after the long, cold winter.
If you want to buy cheap landscaping tools, buy them in autumn or early winter. Lawnmowers, gardening hoses, rakes, gravel, and more are often sold at a substantial discount to make room for season-appropriate merchandise. You can also scour local newspapers and online newsletters for coupons you can use.
4. Choose plants carefully
You need to be positively sure that you’ve selected plants that are appropriate for your garden’s soil type and the climate of your area. Rose bushes might look and smell lovely, but you’re going to have a difficult time propagating them if you live in a dry climate. They might survive for a few days before dying out.
When choosing plants, pick first native species first, then introduced non-invasive species. Just because a plant can grow in your area doesn’t mean it should. Invasive species can wreak havoc on the ecological balance of an area. If you’re not sure what to plant in your garden, it’s best to ask local gardeners and horticulturists about popular native species.
The bottom line
Hopefully, these things will help you build a garden without breaking the budget. With a bit of planning and preparation, you can achieve all the perks of a healthy and vibrant garden with the usual price tag. Not only are you saving money but you’re also boosting your home’s value.
