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Step 6Priorities and Budget
More than likely you won't be able to afford or complete everything that you want to do right away unless you've been saving and planning for a while, so it's important to check your priorities. What projects can you wait on? What will give you the most satisfaction to have done now? How long will it take for your fruit tree to actually look like a tree?
For us, the top priority was getting plants established, and for some plants, it will take years for them to look like much. We can't really afford the $300 specimen cactus right now, so we have to opt for the $20 cactus. Plus I won't feel so bad if I kill a $20 cactus as opposed to a $300 one. We also have informal paths and might install flagstone later when we can afford it, and we don't have any garden lighting or a big fancy boulder or fountain which could all be priorities for someone.
For a rough break down of our costs:
The money was spent according to our priorities, and I only mention the cost because that's what I'd be wondering about if I saw this Instructable. We could have purchased different plants, spent less on them, and then been able to put in some sort of lighting system. In other words, something has to give, and it's critical what aspects of the garden you care most about. If you badly need that beautiful specimen plant, consider putting off another project. If you really have to have that gorgeous cement hippo, then consider buying the lantana you found on sale. Just have some sort of goal and way of accomplishing it. If you can't afford the hippo right now, go ahead and dedicate the space for one later on.
Theoretically, you can landscape without spending any money, working with plants you propagated, and using finds from around town. There's no shortage of urbanite and native plants around here - contact a developer and see if you can go in before the bulldozers. You can also get free plants off craigslist and sometimes get mulched (although not composted) wood from your city. There's something to be said for necessity (or thrift) and creativity.
For us, the top priority was getting plants established, and for some plants, it will take years for them to look like much. We can't really afford the $300 specimen cactus right now, so we have to opt for the $20 cactus. Plus I won't feel so bad if I kill a $20 cactus as opposed to a $300 one. We also have informal paths and might install flagstone later when we can afford it, and we don't have any garden lighting or a big fancy boulder or fountain which could all be priorities for someone.
For a rough break down of our costs:
| 10 cuyd Decomposed granite | $360 |
| Landscaping fabric | $80 |
| Arbor | $180 |
| Stock tank | $140 |
| Hose reel | $100 |
| Plants | >rest |
The money was spent according to our priorities, and I only mention the cost because that's what I'd be wondering about if I saw this Instructable. We could have purchased different plants, spent less on them, and then been able to put in some sort of lighting system. In other words, something has to give, and it's critical what aspects of the garden you care most about. If you badly need that beautiful specimen plant, consider putting off another project. If you really have to have that gorgeous cement hippo, then consider buying the lantana you found on sale. Just have some sort of goal and way of accomplishing it. If you can't afford the hippo right now, go ahead and dedicate the space for one later on.
Theoretically, you can landscape without spending any money, working with plants you propagated, and using finds from around town. There's no shortage of urbanite and native plants around here - contact a developer and see if you can go in before the bulldozers. You can also get free plants off craigslist and sometimes get mulched (although not composted) wood from your city. There's something to be said for necessity (or thrift) and creativity.
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