What About Landscaping?

How To Keep It Cheap

Well, cheap may be a stretch because there is nothing cheap about landscaping. But, there are

ways to keep your costs down. Like I said in my previous post, if you can include landscaping in your construction loan, do it! It's much easier to pay it from there than out of pocket after building. First, of course doing anything DIY will cut down costs. Landscaping companies will start charging at least $40 an hour per worker. That adds up quick! So recruit some friends and family, and try things out yourself. Second, check into getting anything recycled or second hand. I made the walkway in my side yard with old tiles that were pulled out of a kitchen renovation. Third, try to utilize the natural materials from your land. I had a ton of rock that was dug up from excavation and I used them to make garden beds and borders. That saved a ton on materials. Finally, look for people getting rid of plants or those who are willing to part with starts. I've gotten many of my plants from other people's gardens.

If You're Laying Sod, Lay It In The Fall

Sod/grass may not be the most environmental choice, but I wanted to have a small yard for my dog. Have you ever smelled turf or pea gravel that has been peed on over and over by dogs? Not ideal... When you first lay down sod, it requires a lot of water. The last thing you want to do is waste a bunch of water by watering your lawn multiple times a day in the middle of summer. Early September is a great time to lay it down so you don't need as much water and it still has plenty of time to settle before winter.

Be Prepared To Transplant

I have dug up and moved multiple plants. Mostly, because of deer. Be leery of anything that says deer resistant. My cute little deer have eaten every single plant I've planted, except ornamental grasses and my lavender, rosemary and sage. I bought these lovely, expensive peonies and planted them in my side yard because everyone said that deer never touch peonies. Well, they ate mine to the ground. So I dug up what was left and moved them into a fenced area. They came back just fine this year! So if something isn't doing well because of critters, too much sun or lack there of, look into transplanting it. Plants are a lot more resilient than you think.

Landscaping And Gardening Is An Experiment

Some things work out great and some things don't go as planned. I planted azaleas right next to my back steps, hoping for beautiful blooms all summer long. After they only bloomed for about two weeks, I learned that was their bloom life. Two weeks. Bummer. As I said before, I planted a bunch of beautiful plants in my side yard, only to be eaten by the deer. I'm still trying to find things to plant over there, but for now, it's looking a little sad. I bought and spread a ton of wildflower seeds and saw maybe 4 wildflowers. Last summer we had a really hot spring and this summer we had a really wet spring and my plants did completely different things. Some loved it one way and others didn't. We learn as we go! But, some things we try work out wonderfully! I wanted to do a living walkway. I planted some woolly thyme and spread some creeping thyme seeds. I didn't know if it would work or the seeds would take, but it turned out to be one of my favorite landscaping features. Be okay with experimenting! Be okay if something doesn't work out as planned and be stoked when it turns out better than you could have imagined.