New year, new you, new goals, new dreams…. same budget. Landscaping projects can have a huge impact on your home, but you can skip the hefty price tag with some careful budgeting and thoughtful landscaping. We have all found ourselves staring at images of beautiful landscapes and daydreaming of creating our own inviting landscape. There are a few things to consider before jumping into a project to help you save time, money, and stretch your budget as much as possible.
Start with the obvious – Make a plan
If you jump into your landscaping project without thoughtful planning it may be rewarding, but you’re likely to end up with sticker shock and buyer’s remorse if you don’t consider your budget. Advance planning will help you to move forward successfully. Take into consideration how you would like to use your outdoor space. Develop a rough draft of your ideas and then take a moment to research the costs. Defining the costs can help you to eliminate the items that don’t fit into your budget.
Look out for freebies
What can help you stay better within your budget than something free? Look around your neighborhood, community, marketplaces, and connections. It is quite common for people to uproot and give away landscaping items when they are moving, expanding, or changing up their landscaping. Sometimes you can even offer to dig up and transport items into your yard.
Take a moment to test your soil
Dirt is dirt, right? Why test it? This step, while seemingly odd, can pay off in the long run. Your soil needs to be the right type for the plants that you select in order for them to survive and thrive. This will give you a chance to prepare your soil for it to handle what you hope to grow.
Think longer term with your plants
Yes, those colorful annuals are eye-catching and incredibly tempting, but your budget is best used for plants that will provide year after year. The smartest way to save money while landscaping is to buy perennials instead of annuals. Evergreens, ornamental perennials, shade trees, large feature trees, ornamental grasses, hedging plants and more can help you stick within budget. The best time to buy perennials is during the fall when they are deeply discounted. You don’t have to give up on annuals all together, you can fill the extra spaces with them.
Think close to home
Selecting plants that are native to our region here in the San Joaquin and Central Valley will save you a lot of time and trouble. These plants have grown here and are accustomed to our climate. They will be lower maintenance, drought tolerant, won’t require extra fertilizer, and will save money on water, care, and replacement.
Take time to think ahead
Take a moment to plan for the future by not overcrowding your landscape. It may seem sparse at first but look at the bigger picture. When the plants grow and flourish, they will need space. Overcrowding will hurt immature landscaping and your wallet.
Planning your landscape can be a fun and exciting experience especially when you’re able to stay within budget. Another way to stick to your budget and plan safely is to hire a landscaping professional to help you along your journey. If you would like help with your landscaping needs, we are here for you!