Whether you are just renovating a small garden plot or choosing to do your entire backyard, a garden renovation can become a costly and time-consuming project. From determining what type of plants you want to the layout of the garden bed, to the choice of garden features, there’s no shortage of spectacular ideas once you evaluate the space you have available.

Fortunately, for those looking to do a garden renovation on a budget, there are several affordable and clever tricks you can use to trim down the renovation without sacrificing the project.

Determine how you want your new renovated garden to be used. Once you figure out the type of garden, you can then take a look at the materials needed to make it happen. This will allow you to shop for budget-friendly materials which will, in turn, help you work out the features if your plot.

Once you know the size and type of garden, figure out the list of features that you want. Number these features by priority and make sure to include practical must-haves as well as items that you may want to earmark for later incorporation. For instance, if you want to have a nice water fountain but don’t have the budget, still work it into your space and earmark it for later.

Recycle all of your old furniture that you have laying around and incorporate it into your garden as design pieces. For example, if you know that you have an old kitchen set or chairs, re-use these by giving them a fresh coat of paint and place them as your seating area within the garden. Another option would be to choose fold up furniture instead of a brand new set as this not only minimises the wallet expense but it can be stored during colder months.

Choose to use forgo site clearance. Rather than taking out the trees or the rocks that you don’t like, use them to your advantage and work them into your garden area. This is going to save you a ton of money as site clearance can be several thousand depending on what you want to be taken out.

Be smart with what plants you buy. If your budget is extremely tight, trim down the garden renovation by choosing shrubs and perennials that come back each year. If you can, choose to buy bare root plants and bulbs in the autumn and winter as they are inexpensive during these months and can be bought in a large variety online as they don’t need to be bought potted. You can also grow plants from seeds rather than buying them potted and this will save a decent amount of money as well.

If you are planning on putting down some hard landscaping like turf for a children’s play area during your garden renovation, consider the alternatives. You could use a weed-proof membrane and wood chips, or you could use AstroTurf which is an artificial grass surface that can be bought online. Both of these are great short-term solutions to the high-maintenance and expensive regular turf option.

Rather than getting rid of mature plants, give them an established look by pruning them. Or, choose to move them instead of removing and buying new.

Finally, make sure to work the existing features of your environment. For example, if you know that you have a sloping site, use rows of sleepers to make your garden easier to plant, rather than digging out the soil and levelling it. Or, if you have a damp plot, don’t try to dry it out but rather make it into a bog garden instead. By learning about your environment and what can be done with it, you can turn your plot into a magnificent area without expending a lot of money.

Feel free to contact us if you have questions about Strata garden maintenance, lawn mowing, lawn care or garden maintenance.