Tips for Landscaping on a Budget

Whether you’re reeling from inflation or just on a limited income, you may feel beautiful landscaping is out of reach for your pocketbook this year.  However, that’s not the case.  There are many ways you can create attractive landscaping on a budget, with a few helpful tips.  Our team at Hilton Landscaping can help you design a plan and identify materials for any size budget to create a beautiful yard and garden.

Creative DIY Tips for Landscaping on a Budget:

1. Reduce the amount of grass in your yard.  Keeping grass green and lush is expensive.  It requires regular irrigation, cutting and maintenance, and fertilizing.  You’ll save money all year by eliminating some of the grass and converting it to a rock garden or mulched flower bed.  Start by deciding where to place rock or mulch, and then determine how you will remove the grass.  You can either rent equipment to strip away the grass layer or cover it with tarp or newspapers until the grass dies.  Applying a layer of landscaping fabric under the mulch will keep weeds away and extend the longevity of the mulch.  Fill with shrubs and plants.
2. Plant perennials.  Annual plants must be replaced each year, but perennials will return season after season.  Investing in perennials this year means you won’t have to pay to replace all your flowers next year.  It’s also a good idea to watch your local garden stores for sales.  Towards the end of the season, these stores have fantastic deals you can take advantage of to fill your flower beds.
3. Don’t get rid of all weeds.  Trying to make your grass look perfectly green and even is tempting.  Some weeds, like crabgrass, definitely need to be removed to keep your grass healthy.  However, other “weeds” are good for your lawn, like clover.  Clover is a natural nitrogen-fixer that will fertilize your lawn for free.
4. Select reasonable hardscape projects.  Not all hardscape projects need to look like they came from Better Homes and Gardens.  There are plenty of options using local materials to give you the functionality you need with a beautiful appearance.  For example, local river rocks or gravel can be used to create pathways, with flat cement bricks encased within the rock as “stepping stones.”  A good landscaping supply store will help you be creative and stretch your dollars.
5. Choose drought-resistant plants.  When shopping for shrubs and flowers, ask the gardening staff how much water the plants need.  Drought-resistant plants are better able to deal with heat, arid climates, and less irrigation.  Choosing these plants will impact your water bill a lot less.
6. Make your own compost.  Invest in a compost bin once, and you can have free fertilizer for life.  Compost bins process landscaping clippings and food waste into nutrient-rich material to feed your plants.  If you’re interested in starting a backyard garden, composting material is perfect for helping your vegetables grow.

Hilton Landscape Supply is your one-stop shop for all your landscaping and gardening needs.

If it goes in your yard, you can probably find it at Hilton Landscape Supply!  Whether your garden needs a fresh load of soil, a new layer of mulch, or the best fertilizers and nutrients for your area, Hilton Landscape Supply is the place to go.  We’ve been serving Southern Oregon and Northern California since 1956, so we know what works best for growing healthy plants and vegetation in our regions.  Stop by our retail store in Central Point or contact us for more information about all the products we carry to enhance your garden and outdoor living areas.