HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR DOLLARS

Use an experienced professional designer

• Correct plants for your site = less time & cost on maintenance
• Planting beds sized correctly allow for proper growth- adding later costs a lot extra.
• Get long term durability from a good plan.
• Eliminate costly over-planting & resulting labor to change things.
• Eliminate costly mistakes- done right the first time.

Install hardscape items before you sod and before access is gone from neighboring empty lots.

• It costs on the average about 25% more to install later if there is not machine access.
• If you still have machine access, there is still the cost of repair for the access road.
• If you are adding a hardscape item such as a retaining wall that will change the grade, there may be much more repair.

Install the trees as soon as possible.

• You can plant smaller potted sized trees that in 5 years will be the same size as expensive balled & burlapped (B&B) trees.
• Trees take much longer to develop than shrubs or perennials.
• Add black dirt and seed the backyard instead of sod if it isn’t steep= a lot of cost savings for a little bit of TLC and patien

Planning dual purpose areas can maximize the use of your spaces.

• A fire pit with a portable fire bowl can serve as extra dining or seating for large parties.
• An outdoor kitchen for the family can serve as the buffet and the bar at an adult evening party.
• A pergola over part of your patio or a trellis on part of a deck can make the space usable whether it is a cool spring evening or a hot summer afternoon.
• An under-deck rain containment system can keep that area dry for an outdoor dining room or a spa area that you can use in the rain.
• Deck too low to walk underneath? Add some panels and use it for an additional storage area.

Sweat equity can save you a lot of labor dollars.

• Consider having a professional install hardscapes, while you install the plants and mulch.
• Know what you are capable of installing. Retaining walls are structural and can be dangerous if they fail.

Pavers are very complicated and require specialty equipment and a lot of experience.

• Even bed edging is tough for the inexperienced to install properly.
• Poorly installed hardscape items lack durability and will need to be redone later at a repeated cost.