How to Have a Beautiful Yard on a Budget: Retirement Garden Ideas

Building and maintaining a home’s landscape demands careful planning and lots of thought and hard work. Fortunately, if you have a clear vision of what you want your yard to look like, you can do it on a budget. And, now that you are ready to retire, you finally will have the time to do so.

As long as you make a plan and stick to it, you’ll be able to make a gorgeous outdoor setting without any too high costs.

Paint whatever needs painting

Take a walk around your house and check for any places with fading paint or spots where it has started peeling away. Then, get to sanding and painting. You won’t believe what difference a well-placed gallon of paint can make.

This type of endeavor doesn’t cost much but makes a big difference. Pay special attention to things like front doors, shutters, deck railings, windows, and window ledges.

Plants, plants, plants!

A good looking yard is one that is full of life. Get different types of flowers and plant them in your yard areas that get plenty of sunlight (consider flowers like roses and mums, which can bloom for multiple seasons) and water them regularly.

Add a couple of shrubs throughout your yard, and perhaps a few particularly tall ones to frame your doorway, and you’ve got yourself a yard that is full of life and colors.

Get to trimming

Here is where the tricky part starts. Unless you keep your plants and bushes neat and trimmed, things can get out of control quite quickly. Try to keep your hedges at a consistent height and cut anything that has overgrown so much that it’s getting too close to your home or your neighbor’s yard.

As long as you are in good shape, you should be able to keep your yard under control with just a pair of long clippers, and a band saw. Or, you can get a rechargeable, cordless hedge trimmer on the cheap. They are reasonably light compared to the fuel-powered counterparts and more than good enough to get the job done.

Put some mulch on the ground

Mulching your garden has multiple purposes. First of all, it makes it harder for the weeds to grow while simultaneously protecting plant roots from the hot summer sun.

A bag of mulch costs just a couple of bucks, making it an excellent investment, especially once you see how much the color of your flowers pops up against the dark mulch.

Tip: always buy one or two bags more than you think you’ll need.

Get an old bench or a birdbath

You’ll be amazed by how much something as simple as a strategically placed bench can spice up the way your garden looks.

You can get one for cheap at yard sales or antique shops. Just sand off the rough edges and give it a fresh coat of paint. Finally, place it in some shade or next to a flowerbed to create a place for enjoyment and relaxation.

A birdbath can have the same effect, as it will liven up your yard and attract many birds for you to look at. Place it next to some trees and wait for your new feathered friends to come.

Power wash your house

All the effort you’ve put into your yard is going to be in vain if the house itself doesn’t shine as it should. So, get a power washer, or even better, rent one and start blasting the years away from your home’s exterior.

I, Mschel / CC BY-SA

The heavy rains and intense sun that your house has endured over the years must have left their mark on it. Vinyl siding might get stained or discolored, brick and stone walls begin to look dingy, and the roof might look dirty. A good power wash can sort it all out.

Build a fire pit

During the colder nights, nothing beats sitting next to a fire. That is why a fire pit can be a great addition to any yard.

Some ready-made options just need to be installed out there, but they might cost too much, especially for something that you can easily build yourself. You can easily make one yourself using some flat stones and cement or mortar on a gravel surface. It’s a great DIY project that doesn’t require much money while creating a great place to spend time in your garden.

Get a few planters

Even if you don’t have much time or energy to devote to maintaining an entire flowerbed, outdoor planters can be a great and convenient way to bring some flowers into your yard.

Mix up different types of plants: vertical (such as upright fuchsia or fountain grass), horizontal (like impatiens or heliotrope), and cascading (like the asparagus fern or wave petunias) to get a stunning, natural look that will brighten up your yard.

Author Bio

Kevin has gone through an extensive home renovation with his son, which he has both thoroughly enjoyed, and dreaded every morning. He is now the proud owner of half his dream house (the other half has been waiting for spring). You can read more of Kevin’s work on PlainHelp.