If you are giving your yard a makeover here are some brilliant bits that will help you save money this year and for years to come.
If you would rather watch than read…click here – 23 ABC
Plan First Shop Later
Find knowledgeable people – I am by no means a green thumb so when it came time to makeover an area in my front yard I struck up a conversation with some friends. I never knew they knew so much about plants and gardening. I also found expert advice at the home improvement store and on the Internet.
Things to consider when planning:
It’s vital to look at the growing conditions of your yard- match plants to the area and consider:
- Sunlight – Plants do better and live longer when planted in the correct sunlight.
- Water – Consider how hard it will be to get water to the area, instead of installing new sprinklers can you run easy to install drip lines.
- Size – Make sure you know how large or small the plants will get over time. You want to avoid planting a large plant in a small space it will eventually outgrow.
Stretch your Dollar
I’m ashamed to admit this but before my recent yard makeover I never knew the difference between annual and perennial flowers. What I learned was that annuals only last a year (makes sense) while perennial flowers last 2 years or more.
- Start with seeds – Some annuals are self-seeding – California Poppies for example are self-seeding and will come back each year without you having to replant.
- Buy perennial flowers – These flowers last 2 or more years, which means you will save time and money year over year.
- Divided plants – I loved the fact that my friends recognized several Agapanthus in my yard and suggested we divided them and replant them. This reduced the number of plants I had to buy for the area.
- Start with smaller plants – Consider purchasing smaller plants or stubs, maybe a 3 gallon instead of 5 gallon. The smaller plants will catch up by the end of summer.
- Shop other areas of your home – For example to finish off the courtyard we were working on we needed some stepping-stones. So before we headed off the store (again) we decided to shop in the backyard first. We saved ourselves another trip to the store and money by simply repurposing some rocks we already had.
Save Your Receipts
I’m 3 weeks into enjoying my new front yard however 2 of the shrubs we planted look like they are dying. Thank goodness I saved my receipt because Home Depot has a great return policy. I called the customer service line and found out that as long as I have my receipt and return the plant (I don’t even have to have the original tub it came in) they will refund my money or replace the plant.
- Buy at the right place – check out the return policy
- Save receipts most major home improvement retailers allow returns within 12 months
So this spring instead of spending money on a 2-night weekend getaway a weekend use the money to create an oasis you can enjoy all year long.
