DIY Landscaping to Save $

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XtremeSki2001
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DIY Landscaping to Save $

Post by XtremeSki2001 »

Anyone ever DIY your landscape? We gutted our landscape as the previous owners didn't maintain it well. We have ~ 600 sqft of garden beds. We've went to a free consultation at the local landscape place - they put together something really quick and as I look at it there are some flow, height, and balance issues.

What have you done to plan, prepare your beds, and re-plant your landscaping? My challenge is visualizing what it will look like from the front because I don't know heights and how big plants will get, etc. I don't want to spend $500-$1,000 on plants and it look sloppy.

Just interested in any input. I've tried forums specific for landscaping and didn't really get much good input.
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Jack FFR1846
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Re: DIY Landscaping to Save $

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

It's sweat equity vs writing a check.

I used to do all of the landscaping work myself until we started with rebuilding retaining walls (stone), installing a new sidewalk (from gravel to pavers) and doing our beds aroung the house (landscape fabric with crushed stone).

I literally looked at the intended work and realized that if I spent every spare moment for an entire spring, summer and fall, I might get it done. We hired people and I did fun things instead, like not hauling around big rocks and digging for 10 hours straight.
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mhc
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Re: DIY Landscaping to Save $

Post by mhc »

Here are some ideas.

1. drive/walk around town and see what you like. Pay attention to details. Take pictures. If you don't know what the plants are, take the pictures to the nursery. They will know.

2. County and/or local University Extension services. My neighbor received a plan from a University landscaping student for free/low cost.

3. Seminars at nurseries, university, city, county, ....

4. Attend Home & Garden tours to see what people do.

5. My DW loves volunteer plants and wants to keep them all regardless of how they look. Just enjoy what comes up.
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JohnF
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Re: DIY Landscaping to Save $

Post by JohnF »

Before doing anything establish “plant” objectives and spend a few hundred bucks with a professional landscape architect for a plan to achieve them. In my experience its money well spent.
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Kenkat
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Re: DIY Landscaping to Save $

Post by Kenkat »

We've done all of our own landscaping. Get a couple of books - relevant to your area if possible - that list plant characteristics, sizes, growth rates, etc. They serve as great reference materials.

Most landscaping companies will recommend putting in about twice as many plants as needed in my experience. Looks nice when everything is small but quickly becomes overgrown. Better to plant small plants and let them grow to fill the space. You can always fill space temporarily with annuals or low-cost perennials until the landscape matures a bit.

Remember that trees can get really big. Don't plant them next to the house, no matter how nice they look initially.

In terms of flow, someone one told me that your landscaping should frame your house and key features of your house. Larger trees on the right and/or left side, taller landscaping plants closer to the house on the ends or where there is a break in the flow - a door, a gable, etc., with lower plants in front of windows, walls, etc.

Plants tend to look good in threes. Three in a row, three in a circle - perhaps around a taller plant in the middle.

Go with a curvilinear look for the beds - long sweeping curves are more interesting than straight lines.

Get some graph paper and draw a scale drawing of your house and your proposed beds. Then pencil in plants based on sizes, etc., to see how it might all fit together.

You can add additional interest with the occasional stone or statue or even a small wall if you are just a little more ambitious. You can also DIY landscape lighting while doing the landscape. Easy to do while installing beds.

Think future maintenance when planting. I am not a big fan of pruning and trimming so I try to stay away from plants that need it to hold their shape. My wife has been known to tear plants out if excess pruning is needed! :D
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Nestegg_User
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Re: DIY Landscaping to Save $

Post by Nestegg_User »

kenschmidt wrote:Plants tend to look good in threes. Three in a row, three in a circle - perhaps around a taller plant in the middle.

Go with a curvilinear look for the beds - long sweeping curves are more interesting than straight lines.

:D
Actually, I've been told... plant in odd numbers: 3, 5, 7 etc. Then arrange in a staggered pattern... people notice if a straight line is even just a slight bit off so staggered breaks up the visual and allows for a more natural feel.

We'll be looking at having it done (we've done a lot of DIY in the past) since I've just had knee replacement and there is going to be addition of soil, etc.

Make sure they address any issues with exisiting trees, so as to not crowd them out and weaken them or cause puddliong and rotting roots, etc. Loosing a mature tree with the others really breaks up a good flow so avaoid loss of them if you can. Good luck.
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Toons
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Re: DIY Landscaping to Save $

Post by Toons »

Last year we did our own(again)
Purchased
1,Ground Cover (from lowes)
2.Bags of medium sized stone to go over ground cover(about 25 bags)
3.Spring and summer ornaments,artificial(flowers,butterfly etc. from the Dollar Store)
4.Mission accomplished,no weeds,no maintenence,,,,Keep It Simple :happy
"One does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity" –Bruce Lee
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Kevin21
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Re: DIY Landscaping to Save $

Post by Kevin21 »

I enjoy this kind of work, so I do it for the pleasure of the work and saving money is a nice bonus.

I did a retaining wall and fence on one side, and am now looking to correct any drainage issues. Up next, overall design and garden beds.
likegarden
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Re: DIY Landscaping to Save $

Post by likegarden »

I agree, I love to work outside. There is free exercise of bending, working and lifting in sunshine and fresh air. I also enjoy watching my garden grow, it has become my hobby. That's why I do it DIY and save some money too. Important is to get the knowledge about landscape design, soil, plants, hardiness zone and summer heat, sun and shade. Same as Boglehead literature, there is landscape and gaedening literature to read. You should read web sites like Garden Web, they have a Landscape Design forum.

I would first read and learn to understand into details, or you get sold a landcape plan which lateron has mistakes. I had my deck and patio done by others, but did all the walkways and small walls on my 1/2 acre lot myself. Though I do not remove tall trees and plant trees with heavy root balls. Good Luck!
agent13x
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Re: DIY Landscaping to Save $

Post by agent13x »

I don't see it mentioned here, but I have a piece of advice that I picked up last year. Avoid wood mulch, as it loses it's color and is supposed to be cleaned up and replaced with new mulch yearly. The alternative is rubber mulch, available in a variety of colors. Lasts much longer, doesn't need replaced, holds color longer, helps block weeds better, etc. This is the exact one I used and I love it. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Vigoro-0-8-c ... 5yc1vZbx4a
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mhc
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Re: DIY Landscaping to Save $

Post by mhc »

agent13x wrote:I don't see it mentioned here, but I have a piece of advice that I picked up last year. Avoid wood mulch, as it loses it's color and is supposed to be cleaned up and replaced with new mulch yearly. The alternative is rubber mulch, available in a variety of colors. Lasts much longer, doesn't need replaced, holds color longer, helps block weeds better, etc. This is the exact one I used and I love it. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Vigoro-0-8-c ... 5yc1vZbx4a
Wood mulch is better because it breaks down into the soil and improves the soil. That is why it needs to be replaced. If you live in an area with good soil, maybe it doesn't matter. I have never bee so fortunate.

Also, if the wood mulch gets into the grass, I don't mind mowing over it. No problem. What about rubber mulch?

Wood mulch does not lose its color if it is natural.

In my city, you can get free wood mulch from the city.
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