Everybody appreciates an attractive space surrounding their home, and the good news is that it’s easy to pull off on a budget. If you’re hoping to make some visual improvements to your outside space this year, read on to learn how to landscape your house when money is tight.

Start with a master plan

Start by brainstorming a master plan. Write down everything that you’d like to have in your outdoor space and then separate those items into a “must have list” versus a “wish list.” 
Your landscaping “must haves” will have more to do with elements that provide comfort for you and your family or provide necessary home improvements. For instance, do you need a grassy area where your children can play?  Do you need more privacy from your neighbors?  Are you hoping to install a fence to protect your property from trespassers?

In contrast, your “wish list” items should be things that you’d like to have but can ultimately do without. For example, a water garden or trellises will provide attractive décor but are not fundamentally necessary for a functional landscape space.

Sketch out your priorities

The next step is to plan your project in phases. Sketch out your property and mark down the different phases of your proposed landscaping plan. Prioritize the order in which you will tackle your projects, beginning with your needed improvements and ending with your garden “wish list.”

Tips to landscape your house when money is tight

Once you have planned and prioritized, begin implementing your landscaping project. Use the tips below on how to landscape your house when money is tight. Each tip has the potential to save you a considerable amount of money, thereby stretching your budget so you can make more improvements sooner.

• Make your own compost. Making homemade compost will save you from having to spend money on fertilizer. To begin, you either need to build your own compost bin or purchase one at a garden store. Fill it with leaves, grass clippings, and leftover food from your kitchen. Fruit peelings, coffee grinds, and discarded vegetable cuts make excellent compost. As an added bonus, your trash bin will not smell and your level of waste will decline.
• Plant from seed. Instead of buying healthy young plants from the garden store, purchase seed packets. You’ll get plenty of planting potential for just a few bucks per pack. Start your seeds indoors in late winter and you’ll have your own healthy young plants to put in the garden come spring – but at a fraction of the price you’d usually pay. You can also plant an entire lawn from seed. Though time-consuming in the beginning, a planted lawn will thrive just as one planted from sod will, but it will ultimately be much cheaper.
• Buy plants past their prime. If it’s too late in the season to plant your own garden from seed, look for discounted plants that are past their prime. Many garden stores will sell mature plants for a low price if they appear scraggly or less than optimal. In most cases, these plants only need to be transplanted to a larger space. They may require a little extra attention when you bring them home, but the savings will be worth the effort.
• Plant perennials. Fill your garden with perennials, or plants that come back year after year. Annual plants, or plants that need to be re-planted each spring, will cost you more in the long run.
• Xeriscape. Many areas, particularly in the Southwest, are moving toward attractive xeriscaping plantings. Xeriscaping involves the use of colorful rocks, pebbles, and other non-organic materials laid out in patterns and punctuated with occasional plantings. This format requires little irrigation and upkeep. Xeriscaping will save you money on water and plantings and will save you time spent tending to your landscape.
• Start a container garden. Placing a few containers with bright plantings at the entrance to your home can liven up a dull space. Look for planters from discount retailers rather than from garden stores and plant from seed when possible.