Extreme budget landscaping

Discussion in 'Landscaping' started by joel, 22nd Nov, 2015.

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  1. joel

    joel Well-Known Member

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    Hi all,

    I'm hoping the PC community can help me with some quick and easy landscaping ideas, or anything else that will add street appeal. The main point is cost, I don't want to spend much.

    Thanks in advance.
     

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  2. D.T.

    D.T. Specialist Property Manager Business Member

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    Talk to @Liam Blanden , he's a landscaper in Adelaide who might have some low budget ideas.
     
  3. wombat777

    wombat777 Well-Known Member

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    Is the improved street appeal for the purposes of sale, for finding a tenant or for obtaining a valuation?
     
  4. joel

    joel Well-Known Member

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    #2 and #3
     
  5. dmb1978

    dmb1978 Well-Known Member

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    I'm no landscaper and I'm not sure how budget you are talking but I would probably look at removing some of the grass to square up to the carport. It looks like it is driven over so maybe just put some crushed granite or the like down to provide extra parking and then plant some low maintenance plants or shrubs in front of the fence and maybe along the side fence too.
     
  6. Brian84

    Brian84 Well-Known Member

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    What is your budget?

    I would do the following
    - flatten out the mound of dirt on the right of the property
    - put sulphate of ammonia or grass seeds to make the grass trough throughout front yard
    - as suggested cut out the grass where it is driven on and put road base or the like
    - plant some small plants along the left fence
    - put a picket fence across the front of property of the budget allows.
     
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  7. rhinsor

    rhinsor Well-Known Member

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    I would look for a cheap white second hand picket fence off gumtree and install it.
    It would enclose the yard off a bit and look better.
     
  8. joel

    joel Well-Known Member

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    Both great ideas, my budget is maybe a few hundred at most, depends what's leftover.
     
  9. Brian84

    Brian84 Well-Known Member

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    If you are going to do the sulphate of ammonia it is best to do it just before it rains or just hose it in. If you just put it on and leave it then it will kill the grass.
     
  10. wombat777

    wombat777 Well-Known Member

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    A few suggestions.

    1. A timber-edged garden bed ( 1 metre depth ) parallel to the front path. Add mulch and 6 shrubs.
    2. A timber edge around the street tree. Add mulch.
    3. A timber edged garden bed along the front of the house. Add some 4 shrubs and mulch.
    4. A garden bed along the driveway adjacent to the fence. Just add 6 shrubs and mulch.
    5. There seems to be an existing garden bed adjacent to the right fence. Tidy this up by adding mulch and strappy-leaf plants.

    Make sure that the timber edging is treated pine to avoid termite issues.

    Weed mat and a good depth of mulch will help prevent weeds. The mulch also helps the garden with water retention so the shrubs will be healthy.

    Sections of turf removed to create the front garden bed can be used to patch the damaged sections of lawn on the nature strip.

    Find a good garden wholesaler and buy cheap drought-tolerant shrubs that are low-maintenance. Pick a mixture. Maybe some strappy grasses for the existing garden bed.

    You might be able to find someone on airtasker that will do the work for you.

    When the work is done, go there regularly yourself for a couple of weeks if you have to and do some watering to ensure the shrubs establish. Alternatively get the tenant or someone off airtasker to do it.

    A very rough sketch lol

    image.png

    Edit - exceeded your budget, but money does need to be spent if you really want to properly improve street appeal.
     
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  11. D.T.

    D.T. Specialist Property Manager Business Member

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    From a rental perspective, is that carport 2 cars wide? It looks like it might be. If it is, this can make it a lot more marketable to tenants to say so, as most families have 2 cars. I think someone above already mentioned that you could kill off part of the grass and chuck some gravel or something down so that the driveway width tapers out.

    I'm not sure if you can afford a roller door to the carport - this would be beneficial for car security, especially in that suburb :D

    The fences look in good nick which is good.

    Remember tenants don't take real good care of stuff, so you want it to be fairly water wise and resilient.
     
    Last edited: 22nd Nov, 2015
  12. joel

    joel Well-Known Member

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    I feel like the gravel may look ugly and could possibly be expensive. Carport does have a roller door, not sure if you'd fit 2 cars in the front section though
     
    Last edited: 22nd Nov, 2015
  13. JenW

    JenW Well-Known Member

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    Another thing to keep in mind - check out what plants are available for free on Gumtree. Just keep in mind that this might mean more of your time is required, eg. you might need to remove them yourself, go a fair distance to pick them up, etc.
     
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  14. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    Gumtree is your friend!
    Also check out local markets and classifieds, find the retirees and pensioners that split plants and sell for bargain basement prices.
    Something hardy you can split or already split.

    Where is this place? Council tips often give free mulch which you can use for the garden beds. If you can get those things you'll keep to your budget
     
  15. joel

    joel Well-Known Member

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    Yeah I've found a few plants on Gumtree. Not so much luck with picket fencing. This place is in Smithfield SA
     
  16. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    Leave that for last if you can find it.
    Put plants in the left,across the front and the right side, looks like it was an old garden so mulch the mound.
    Mow the grass down to the lowest setting to get rid of as much as you can, then round up the remaining grass. Then start planting once the round up does its job

    Passion fruit vines grow quick but tenants probably won't maintain
     
  17. WestOz

    WestOz Well-Known Member

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    I wouldn't use gravel, roadbase or any loose product, gets picked up on shoes, walked into the house, tears up carpet, scratches flooring etc.

    Very tight budget

    My first thought was if it were mine I'd open up the right side (with a gate) to accommodate a trailer/boat/van etc... Could make it more appealing for future tenant$.
    However with the following that would require quite a bit of earthwork$ removal, over your budget, UNLESS you and your mates have strong backs...

    Poison the entire front yard well (5ltr sprayer, fill with 3ltrs of water, add recommended dose, add 5 cups white vinegar, one cup dish wash liquid, top up to 5ltr, put lid on and shake) spray mid morning when no rain forecast for a few days, let it die.

    Grab a couple of mates with barrows and towballs, dig out a curved section from the corner where the drive meets the path, to the left front corner of the house 100mm deep.
    Spread/mound the dirt between the verge tree and house.

    Knock up some cheap formwork that will form the desired shape, strips of thin ply will do, support it with a few stakes and dirt.
    Measure it out (length x width across gut x top end width) take measurements to local bulk landscape supplier, ask how many bags of cement, how much sand and aggregate you need. Cart it in their trailers.

    Hire or preferably borrow a mixer, mix 1 part cement, 2 parts sand, 3 parts aggregate, spread with shovel, screed with a piece of patio tube or similar, doesn't have to be perfect but make sure there's runoff away from the house. (Watch some youtubes)

    So the new doesn't stand out from the old, after a couple of weeks cure paint all the concrete with driveway paint (acid wash old 1st).

    Dig out the mound on the right next to the fence allowing vehicle access to right side of the house, dig out a shovel width along the back edge of the footpath, adding it all to the now new mound in front of the house.

    As/when you can afford it (unless you can get it for free, scrape it up from a local bushy area) cover all but the concrete with a cheap leaf mulch or whatever is the cheapest way you can find, from tree loppers etc.

    As others said, check gumtree for people selling low maint native or flaxs type plants (retired oldies grow them to make some cash) plant out the mound and small ones down the side of the left fence.

    The council verge is a tough one, anything you put on it will fall/wash off...
    You could plant some ground cover but it needs water, maint etc.
    Its not that big an area, will take some more back ache but all I can think for now is poison the grass (not the tree) dig it down to ~100mm under lip edge, fill it with mulch, "maybe" throw a couple of small natives at it.

    Didn't want to spend too much time looking for a pic, took long enough to write this, just a kinda example, but in the above you wouldn't have the boarder or grass.

    [​IMG]
     
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  18. WestOz

    WestOz Well-Known Member

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    Just another thought, check gumtree for some old lattice or security doors, paint-em cream (also paint the window awning (assuming it ali) & fascia's), pack and screw-em to the walls either side of the window, plant jasmine under them, will add some pop to cover the bricks + when in season they have a great fragrant that will flow around and through the house.
     
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  19. Xenia

    Xenia Well-Known Member

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    Cover the whole thing with Bark - put an attractive tree in the middle. Contact me and I will put you in contact with my mum, she has a huge garden and lots of plants you can dig out (she wants them all separated anyway) or take cuttings from - all free.
     
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  20. Westminster

    Westminster Tigress at Tiger Developments Business Member

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    I'll second, thirst and fourth gumtree.

    I would look in gumtree for pavers - you know the ones which are free if you remove them? Get some of those (hopefully in a grey colour) and sort out that driveway edge that has been driven over a zillion time. If they aren't grey then I'd lay them then paint the driveway and the pavers with paving paint Pavers | Building Materials | Gumtree Australia Salisbury Area - Para Hills West | 1095830108

    Create some garden beds for something colourful, shrubby and low maintenance.
    Here is some free pebbles to put in the garden bed
    Free Scoria Pebbles | Other Garden | Gumtree Australia Salisbury Area - Salisbury Heights | 1095846476
    and some free garden rocks Garden rocks | Other Garden | Gumtree Australia Salisbury Area - Valley View | 1095469727

    Raid @Xenia's mum's place for plants
     
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