Whether you are buying a new or resale home or selling a home yourself, landscaping is typically an added cost homeowners will have to face at some point. Landscaping in Southeastern Virginia on a budget is highly achievable by leveraging native plants and seasonal sales. In this region, basic landscape redesigns for a typical home generally range from $4,000 to $8,000, while smaller maintenance tasks can start as low as under one hundred dollars. As with any project, do your research. Look for plants, trees and even grass types that are common for this region. You don’t want to invest in these items only to find out they are not compatible with sandy soil, milder winters, or even rarely but occasional droughts, heat waves or hard freezes. The good thing about this region is when we experience abnormal weather, it is typically not for an extended period. For example, below freezing temps rarely last for longer than a week. Heatwaves can be brutal on lawns, but early a.m. or dusk watering can help keep things green even under the harshest of conditions. And, as typical, those hot temps don’t stick around for long.
Here are some suggestions to consider when starting new landscaping, updating existing landscaping or trying for curb appeal to help with a home sale.
Phased Installation: Instead of a total overhaul, break your landscaping project into phases over several seasons. Focus on high-visibility areas like the front entrance first, and then move to side and back yards. A lot of homeowners like a natural look in their back yards so forgo the lush lawn look and use ground cover or decking and patios – these can often be less costly in the long run.
Use Native Plants: As mentioned above, do your research, and use plants and trees native to Virginia – like the Eastern Redbud, which are adapted to the local climate and require significantly less water, fertilizer, and maintenance once established. Leland Cypress grows well here and can create natural boarders between neighboring yards – they grow fast and are generally hardy.
Cost-Cutting Materials: Consider using mulch or crushed stone for paths instead of expensive pavers. One popular idea is shop during fall clearance sales where can save you 40–50% on plants compared to spring prices. If you get Hydrangeas that are past prime and often on clearance racks, Fall is a great time to plant them for future growth and color. Look for perennials, as planting those browned sticks (with healthy roots) off-season will reward you when it is their natural time to shine!
Bulk Buying: Check out nurseries which allow you to “bring your own bucket” to buy stone, sand, and mulch by the pound, which is often cheaper than bagged options. This bulk buying technique also works if you buy product and have it delivered or dropped in a pile in your driveway. Here too look for seasonal sales or off or late season specials.
An investment in your home’s yard initially, and well-maintained throughout the years can prove to be very low maintenance and low cost if done right. Ideally, mulching and fertilizing seasonally should be all you need to do to have a lovely, landscaped yard.