OT-Cheap ways to improve landscaping

[mommy22gurlz]

Okay guys, I am really on a TIGHT budget saving for our Disney trip in Dec !! I definitely need to do something with the front yard!!

I have a pre-designated area along the front of my home for a flower bed but it only has WEEDS! I definitely don't have a green thumb (isn't that the saying?) but I need to decorate it up a little so it won't be so BLAH!

Any ideas on what to get or what kind of flowers/plants or any thing else that I can use that is money conservative.

Thanks

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

I would go to Lowe's garden center and ask. You can make things look nice without spending alot of $$$$. I don't know where you live, so that is why you need to talk to a pro about what plants would work best for you.

But.... as an example----we have 5 red tip shrubs in the front of our house with a big hibiscus plant on either end. We bought them all when they were small and less than $8.00 each. Now they look wonderful!!!

I also have two big flower bed type areas that I was struggling to keep looking nice. So, we bought 4 6-packs of ground filler---I think ours is some kind of jasmine??? They were $3.00 per 6-pack at Lowe's. By the following spring, our beds were overflowing with the stuff.

Then, I put a few potted flowers in the beds on top of the ground cover. That way, I don't have to put out as many flowers and I can change the pots out seasonally. For example, right now I have Caladium bulbs ($1.00 each===I think I bought 8 total) and petunias (I bought 3 6packs for $2.96 each).

Not alot of money, and our yard rivals the professionally done yards in the neighborhood.

Good luck!!!

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

Forgot to add that the most important thing to do first is dig deep into that flower bed and lay a quality weed mat to keep those weeds out!!!

Then fill with dirt/planting soil and add your plants according to the recommendations of a garden center.

 

[scanmom]

my DH takes vare of the yard, and it is beautiful. I agree....go to Lowes, they will help you alot. And to help with weeds, we put pea gravel on our flower beds. It looks great, keeps weeds out, and we got a pickup truck load of it for $5.00 at our local sand plant! We used to use the weed mat.....but it didn't help as much as the gravel, and it seems like little pieces of it always made their way above ground, and looked tacky.!

 

[jarw00]

Everything depends on where you live. This will determine what kind of plants to use, what to do to your soil, etc. I work at Home Depot so I would never suggest going to Lowes, but you can find good help anywhere. Just ask the person what their experience is. I have 4 people in my garden center who have decades of experience plus myself and I know stores who are lucky to have one. One last suggestion is to contact your extension service to get plant and gardening tips.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Every garden needs to be thinned out occasionally and maybe if you have friends with overgrown gardens they would gladly let you have some starts in return for helping them thin out their stuff. Most of my flowers come from what friends have given me and I offer starts to others. Spread the magic!!

Slightly Goofy

 

[grlpwrd]

You might want to read about frugal gardening at http://www.stretcher.com/menu/topic-g.htm#gardening .

Plus, here are some ideas yet you need to plan ahead for the next season:

* better to get bulbs that you can divide, like daffodils, irises, and tulips, so over time when you divide the bulbs and replant your harvest gets larger

* yes, get trade plants with friends and neighbors - or you could attend a local plant sale and hopefully you will find a deal and/or indigenous plants to your area

* start plants from seeds or buy from a reputable seller on eBay

* visit the forums at www.gardenweb.com for more budget gardening ideas

HTH