Updating your landscape is a great way to bring extra beauty and value to your home. With the right planning, a new look doesn’t have to mean an empty pocketbook.

PLAN NOW FOR LONG-TERM SAVINGS

Begin by taking a serious look at your landscape needs. What works in your current landscape? What have you outgrown as a family? How do you plan to use areas in the future? Knowing what you really want to accomplish will help you get there more efficiently. A five-year landscaping plan is one of the best ways to stay on track. Having a plan for the entire property and working one year at a time, or as you have the money, gives you results that look good and work well together.

WORK WITH WHAT YOU HAVE

Sometimes a simple face-lift (an attractive fence, major pruning, new hanging baskets or a few new shrubs) is enough to turn the drab into dramatic. When you do tackle major renovations, try to “recycle” plants to other areas of the lawn.

THE RIGHT CHOICES NOW FOR HEALTHY PLANTS LATER

Nothing is worse than having to replace plants after only a year or two. To keep plants healthy, make sure you match the plant to the growing conditions.

Smaller, younger plants usually cost less than larger ones. If you’re willing to wait for the full effect of mature plants, you can save.

MAKE IT HAPPEN STEP-BY-STEP

By always having some change “in the works,” you’ll never grow bored with your property’s look, and you’ll be surprised how soon your entire landscape will shape up.