Free or Inexpensive Landscaping Ideas

Go Native

• One of the best cost-effective ways to landscape your property is to go native. Using preexisting plants in your area cuts down on the expense of buying imported plants and the additional work they may require in order to thrive outside their natural habitat. According to University of Florida's IFAS Extension, native plants are already adapted to the climate, soil and pests that exist in their areas, making them less problematic for growing in native landscapes than plants introduced from outside the area.

  Neighbors and friends can provide free cuttings from plants you have previously admired of theirs, and surrounding woodland areas can offer free access to native plants too. Some cities have gardening groups that participate in swaps or exchanges of plants at no charge to its members, providing yet another means of obtaining your landscaping plants for free or inexpensively.

Remove Diseased Plants

• Diseased plants can ruin the look of a beautiful landscape. They can also prove expensive to treat if not removed quickly, as they can infect other plants. Eradicating diseased plants in the landscape is the fastest way to improve the look of the garden. It costs nothing to manually remove a diseased plant, yet it can save a gardener a lot of money otherwise spent on chemical treatments or replacing other plants that may become infected.

  According to North Dakota State University, one of the integrated disease management principals recommended for homeowners' is removal of diseased plants every fall. This will prevent problems from occurring in the spring, when plants have remained in a diseased state for a full year.

Landscape Bartering

• Landscapers who are just starting a new business sometimes don't have a ready-made client list; they need some new customers to help get their business going. Contacting a new landscaper in your area might net you a quid pro quo arrangement, in which you get your home landscaped and the new landscaper gets a showcase for their work in a high-profile area. For agreeing to allow them to place a sign promoting their business in your yard, you can get your landscaping done for much more inexpensively, or even for free.

  The landscaper might opt to sow your grass or plant an attractive flower bed, highlighting their work as the garden improves. This tactic will bring you and your neighbors' enjoyment, at no charge, while it highlights the benefits of the landscaper's services.