Landscape on a Budget: How Second-Hand Gems Can Transform Your Outdoor Space
If your home has a yard, big or small, you can definitely make some changes to it to make it a space that is both beautiful and functional. Often, landscaping efforts can create a huge dent in your pocket, but with the right plan, you can make major improvements without breaking the bank.
Detailed Planning
Before you start out, you need to have an idea of what you want your space to look like and the budget you have to spend on this project. You first need to create a floor plan on whether you want a garden, a water feature, an entertainment area, etc. This will help you then create a suitable budget.
After this, you can look at affordable ways to bring this plan to life.
The Basics of DIY Landscaping
The Floors
Look at budget-friendly materials to use in your efforts. Use gravel, concrete, and recycled materials. You can use it for your patio deck, for creating pathways, or even zoning off areas in your backyard.
• Gravel is inexpensive and can be used for the patio surface or even for a footpath in your yard. It comes in a variety of colors, so you can opt for the ones that work best with your plans. While gravel is known for shifting, you can use landscape edging to help stabilize the gravel, and you can also use landscaping fabric under the gravel to prevent weeds from growing into your patio and pathway.
• Concrete is versatile and durable. You can customize it to look like a grid or paving for your pathway or patio. It is also affordable and a great option for people looking to DIY their yard.
• There is a variety of recycled materials that you can use for flooring. This includes repurposed bricks, stones, concrete, wood, and even rubber from tires. You can achieve a flawless look while still saving money.
The Decor
Another integral aspect of your landscaping efforts will be how you go about decorating your available spaces. This can also be an expensive venture, but with a creative mindset, it can become an extremely budget-friendly and exciting project.
Revamp second-hand furniture
Instead of buying brand new furniture for your patio and garden, you can either give your current furniture a new lease on life by treating it and giving it a new coat of paint. Alternatively, you can buy second-hand furniture and repaint them to fit your aesthetic, you can use Facebook Marketplace or sites like eBay and Poswatch.
You can sift through their top-selling categories to find some high-end luxury home and decor gems that will work great in your yard space or others that can be converted to suit your needs. There are dining sets, holiday-related items, and even office furniture that can be used for an outdoor workspace.
Salvaged objects
Upcycling is another great project. You can find items that are next to nothing in cost and tweak them to be functional for other purposes. An old table and stools can be turned into a raised garden bed. Pallets can be treated and painted and then used to create a lounging area and coffee table for outside use.
Reuse containers
Old tins and bottles can be cut and cutely painted to be used for potted plants that line your garden. You can even use old bathtubs, tires, pots, and pans for this. It will give your space a more rustic look that is very homely and welcoming.
DIY fire pit
By using concrete retaining wall blocks or even recycled bricks, you can create a cozy firepit that can be used when hosting outdoor events or when just relaxing with family, especially in the winter.
[Image 2: Lisa Fotios from Pexels]
Gardening Projects
Depending on the space you have available, a full-on garden may not always be possible to have in your yard.
Vertical gardening
A fun venture where you can use old flower pots, ladders, and tables to create an upright garden against a wall. It is a fun way to maximize the space in your backyard while creating a hobby for the homeowners to engage in.
Xeriscaping
This is a structured and intentional way of planting your greenery and flowers to reduce the need for an irrigation system. It is a cost-saving effort, as you would not need to water your plants a lot due to the natural climate providing them with the nutrition they need.
Use Native plants
Native plants have already adapted to the climate and environment of the area you live in. By adding these to your garden, you save time, money, and water needed to attend to these plants. They also encourage a natural ecosystem to develop in your backyard.
Additional Budget-Friendly Tips
• Mulch alternatives: Create your own organic mulch by using lawn trimmings, unfinished compost, pine needles, wood chips, newspaper, straw, and so much more, instead of having to buy expensive mulch all the time.
• Lawncare in all seasons: By actively taking care of your lawn in all seasons will require fewer costly maintenance visits by professionals. Fertilize and overseed in spring, water often and cut less in summer, aerate and water less in fall, and create a spring revival plan in winter.
• Sustainable practices: This includes harvesting rainwater for use in the garden, adding plants for pollinators, and endeavoring to grow your own produce. These are a few ways you can be more sustainable with your landscaping
Conclusion
Landscaping can be a costly endeavor for many homeowners, but where there is a will, there is a way. Create a plan on what you would like to accomplish with your landscaping efforts and set out a budget.
Thereafter, you can engage in using recycled materials for floors and paving, upcycling furniture for decor, and creating a garden with the space you have. These not only will help you achieve the aesthetic you envisioned, but you can also create a wonderful native ecosystem for local fauna and flora.
