Inexpensive Landscaping Ideas for the Frugal Gardener

Landscaping your yard can cost tens of thousands of dollars. It can also cost next to nothing. While most people do not have that type of expendable income talked about in home and garden shows on the television and in magazines, they still desire a beautiful landscape filled with plants, flowers, and garden decor accents. This look at inexpensive landscaping ideas can help you on the way to a magazine-worthy yard and garden.

Start with an attractive lawn. A green, lush lawn is the first sign of quality landscaping. A yearly application of fertilizer or weed killer does not cost much if you do the work yourself. If you have bare patches of weeds encroaching on the grass, rip it up and broadcast grass seed.

Once you have a decent lawn established, it is time to begin creating your dream landscape without breaking the bank. The first step is to plan where the flower garden beds will be. It is customary to have some sort of garden beds near the house where both bushes and flowers can be planted. Lay out a garden hose or a piece of rope to outline where the garden will be and then dig out all the grass and weeds in that area. Use the grass and dirt to start a compost station in a secluded area of the yard.

The next step in creating beautiful gardens and landscaping is usually a trip to a garden center to buy overpriced bushes, perennial plants, and overpriced flats of annuals. Then you need to buy stone or brick garden edging, bagged mulch, and garden statuary too. Instead of blowing all your money, consider the following options.

Garden edging is easy to save money on. Not only could you use rocks that are found naturally in your area, you can ask for bricks, rock, or pavers on freecycle or post a sign in your neighborhood for what you want. Of course, garden beds do not need edging at all.