What to Discuss With Your Landscaper When You're on a Budget

Homeowners with unlimited budgets can have beautiful landscaping installed all around their property without thinking about the purchase price or the cost of maintaining those features, but for those who need to watch the money they spend, it's good to carefully consider your landscaping choices. Note a few things to discuss with your landscaping contractor if you're on a budget, so you can contain your initial costs and the cost of maintaining your landscaping over the years.

Rocks as mulch

Rocks are a great material for mulch, as they hold moisture in the soil and keep weed growth to a minimum. They also don't need to be refreshed every year or so, as do wood chips and other common mulch materials. Have your landscaper incorporate rocks as mulch into the design of any flowerbed or landscaping feature, as you'll need to choose the right size and colour to coordinate and fit the space.

Perennials versus annuals

Perennial flowers are those that bloom every year and don't typically need replacement as the years go by; annual plants, on the other hand, have a lifecycle of just one year. While you may have your heart set on certain blooms and buds, always note how hearty they are and if they will need fresh seeds or replanting as the years go by, and opt for perennials so you can contain long-term costs for your home's landscaping.

You also need to consider landscaping features that grow well in your climate; for example, if you live in a hot and dry area, choose cacti plants and trees. If your area has long winters and doesn't get much sun, you may want to forego flowers altogether and choose hearty shrubbery that offers some colour, such as burning bush, forsythia, or rhododendron. This will save you money on the cost of maintaining and even outright replacing flowers in your landscaping every year.

Watering

Proper watering of your landscaping features will help ensure their overall health so you don't need to replace them, and watering outdoor plants year after year can add to the cost of maintenance. Your landscaping contractor should work with you to create an affordable and effective watering solution, such as underground troughs that direct rainwater toward landscaping features, or grading the property toward certain landscaped areas. Investing in these options when your landscaping is installed can ensure you reduce the amount of fresh water you use and also ensure your landscaping thrives over the years.