Download 20 Ideas For Saving Money And Time In

20 Ideas for Saving Money
and Time in the Garden
How much time and money is too
much?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Don’t have time
1 to 4 hours
4 to 8 hours
Wish I had more time
What takes the most
time?
A.
B.
C.
D.
$50 to $100
$100 to $300
$300 to $500
I don’t keep track
What costs the most?
Start with
Good
Design
Know your
plants
Know your soil
Know your
climate
Low
Maintenance
that doesn’t
look it
•
•
•
•
Simplicity
Repetition
Personality
Editing
Use big
plants
Arching, cascading or vase
shape with wide spread
Low-growing with mounding
or irregular shape
Larger plants = Fewer plants
Use evergreen
plants
Color and foliage all year
Neat growth habit = less
trimming
Choose
colorful
foliage over
flowers
Flowers =
deadheading, regular
maintenance
Large foliage with
color and interesting
shapes and textures
Coarse textures,
complex shapes
Use plants with a
naturally pleasing
form
Requires less trimming
Plants with a loose, open form can
grow naturally
Mix forms for variety and interest
Use a simple
plant palette
with fewer,
hardy plants
Repeat the same types of
plants in several beds
Group plants with same
water needs
Slightly crowd
plants
Install so they touch and slightly
overlap at maturity
Dense foliage helps keeps weeds
down
Fit the plant
to the space
Slow-growing, small plants in small
areas
Match the natural shape of the
plant to the shape of the space
Use small
trees or large
shrubs for
shade
Fewer leaves to rake
Trees with small leaves
don’t require raking
Be OK with
bare soil and
leaf litter
Leave sandy soil bare under
trees
Leaves under trees for mulch
Use structures
for spatial
organization of
the garden
Provide edges and
mass to frame
plant material
Gives garden a
finished look
Use containers
and planters in
plant beds and
on patios and
decks
Containers add year-around color
and texture
Use only one or two long-blooming
or foliage plants for easy care
Use garden
ornaments
Functional ornaments- supports
for plants or homes for wildlife
Large ornaments- avoid
scattering small ornaments
around yard
Use several
small patios or
seating areas
Small open areas
organize the yard into
functional spaces
Lay brick, pavers, or
stone on sand for
drainage
Use overhead
structures to
provide shade
Arbors and pergolas where trees
are a maintenance problem
Or where trees cannot be locatedclose to buildings or utility lines
Use outdoor
furniture for
color and
texture
Set the theme for the
landscape
Show personal style and
color preferences
Use durable outdoor
materials and fabric
Use garden walls,
low fences, and
pathways
Separate beds with pathways or
short walls to provide a neat look
Build in planters
around decks
and patios
Keep plants and mulch
contained and off patio
Easier to water and trim
plants from the deck
Hide or disguise
unattractive
areas
Hide dog runs, blank walls
and work areas
Screen with fence, lattice,
vines on a trellis
Cover bare areas with
large rocks, stone
pathways, dry stream
beds
Stormwater
management
Route water away
from house
Retain water on site
for irrigation
Protect areas from
erosion with rocks