The spring is the time of chirping birds, sunny weather, and family get-togethers. You want to make sure your yard is up for the task of hosting a lot more people. This means that it needs to completely blow your guests away.
You sort of let your yard go a little during the winter though. It’s okay, it happens to the best of us. You still have a little while before spring break goes full swing.
To help you get your yard cleaned up in time to impress your guests and save money while you do, here are a few backyard ideas on a budget.
1. Add a Border
The quickest way to add a little flair to your outdoor garden area is to add in a stone border around your flower beds. If you planted your garden a little at random, a border will cast the illusion that there was some method to your madness. You can usually buy these stones for fairly cheap in department or gardening stores.
If you live in an area where rocks are in abundance you can even go around your yard and collect them to lay them down.
2. Hide the AC Unit
The AC unit is a necessary evil if you want to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. The problem with it is that it’s a bulky machine just sitting near your garden. It doesn’t exactly go with the decor.
You can make it fit in by building a tasteful wooden cover for it. Keep in mind that it will still need maintenance so make sure that you can still get to it. You can do this by leaving enough space for someone to squeeze back behind the cover, or just make the cover moveable.
3. Cut the Lawn
Another easy way to add a little character to your yard beside putting stones down and creating a border around your plants is to cut the grass into a shape. All you have to do is mark the area with string or some other indicator and cut around it like a stencil.
If you want to add a little bit of extra flair you can use plants or stones as a border. This will bring more attention to the shape that you cut.
4. Use a Watering Timer
Sometimes you may get busy with your daily life and forget to water your garden. Accidently skipping a few times is okay but if you do it enough then your plants will wither which will do no wonders for your curb appeal.
It’s for this reason that you want to invest in a water timer. You can hook it right up to your outdoor faucet to install it. From there, you’ll use a little keyboard to tell the system when to start and stop watering your plants.
The batteries will last up to a year so you can go the entire spring without having to worry about even touching your water hose. Water timers are also cheaper on the water bill than a sprinkler system.
5. Trees
Trees are a great highlight for any garden. They tower over everything and bring the viewer’s eye to the entirety of the garden. Trees also live for years.
While you may be afraid at the expense of trees, they’re actually not too bad on the wallet. They’re still more expensive than your average houseplant but you only need about three.
They’re an accent, like a centerpiece to your dinner table. You don’t want to crowd your garden with them.
6. Add Gravel
Most people want a path for their garden. It sort of ties things together. The problem is that the materials for said path could be a little pricey depending on what you want to do.
One classic look that isn’t too bad as far as pricing goes is gravel. Gravel is also so easy to put down that you can do it yourself. First, you’re going to clear away any grass and loose dirt.
After that, you need to put something down so weeds won’t grow over time and break through the surface. When this is done, it’s just a matter of putting the gravel down.
7. Fairy Lights
You’re doing all this work on your garden, it would be a shame if people couldn’t see it when it gets dark out. You can fix this and add an enchanting touch to it with fairy lights. They can be bought throughout the year and are fairly cheap.
These lights are also versatile as far as design goes. You can hang them from your porch, arrange them on your fence, drape them on your yard furniture, or place canes in the ground and suspend them from those.
8. Your Walkway
If your walkway is looking a little cracked you can tear it up and put a new one in. If it isn’t cracked though, you may be able to save it. If it’s just dingy then there is no sense in spending extra money to replace it.
Instead, just try cleaning it. All you need is concrete cleaner, a scrub brush, tank sprayer, and a water hose. The end result should be a bright sidewalk that looks brand new.
Decorate for Less: Backyard Ideas on a Budget
Your family and friends will be coming around a lot more often when spring rolls around. While your backyard may not look the best right now, it should be pretty easy and cheap to fix it. Use these backyard ideas on a budget to get started.
Are you planning on selling your yard and everything that goes with it? Contact us to get a cash offer on your home.