Nobody wants to spend an exorbitant amount of money on landscaping whenever they don’t need to. Cost-effective landscaping ideas are hooking up all the time, fueled by not just a wish to do more with less but also by the “green” movement. Many homeowners have understood that achieving a beautiful landscape doesn’t need to be a bank-breaking encounter. With just a little forethought and imagination, you can produce many cost-effective landscape elements.
Naturalize
Among the best ways to stretch your landscaping dollar is to naturalize. Together with naturalization, you arrange indigenous plants to mimic a natural habitat such as a meadow, forest or wetland. Native plants are typical to a particular region and climbed there before the Europeans arrived. Naturalizing your landscape provides a habitat for all kinds of wildlife and presents several educational opportunities. Choose plants that are compatible and complement each other for optimal results. Replacing cultivated areas with natural plants requires some research and planning upfront, but will save both time and money in the long run.
Repurpose
With a modest outside-the-box thinking and a couple of recycled supplies, notions such as using empty wine bottles pressed to the ground for old or borders window frames for trellises keep the landscape budget reduced. Any container that will hold soil can be easily transformed into a flower bud. Such book planters as old boots and retired kitchen kettles add some whimsy to any garden. Fences are easily constructed from twigs or pruned limbs, and birds will happily drink from any shallow dish. Garden paths can be fashioned from any number of recycled things including broken concrete paving stones, shredded mulch or aged bricks.
Divide and Swap
A fantastic and frugal way to breathe new life into your current landscape is to divide mature, booming plants and attend a plant swap. Many plants require division every several years or so to perform their best. Exchanging your old plants for new and exciting plants is a no-cost way to add variety to your landscape without having to buy any new plants. If your local community doesn’t hold a plant swap, think about organizing one. The green thumbs in your area will thank you for your attempt.
Install Hardscape Elements
Incorporating hardscape, or non-living elements, such as benches, patios, rocks, water features, fire pits and gazebos to your landscape is a cost-effective technique. Apart from their initial cost, these elements last for several years and require little if any upkeep. As opposed to elements such as flowers, bushes and trees, hardscape elements require less fuss and often offer practical solutions for hard-to-landscape areas.