Gardening & landscaping can be expensive. Here are six ways to save while keeping your landscape looking its best.
1. Create garden beds around trees and add mulch to the garden beds to reduce weed growth and labour to pull weeds.
2. Ensure the plants that you buy are tough enough to withstand the winter in your area. Check the label for the zone it will grow in. (Click on the picture above to access the hardiness zone map for southern Ontario).
3. Select plants & shrubs that require less water. Drought tolerant plants are a great way to reduce watering costs
4. When planting your garden, opt to select smaller plant sizes at the time of installation. Smaller caliper trees tend to acclimatize themselves better to their new garden than large trees, and save you money.
5. Reduce the size of your lawn area by converting your yard to a mixed landscape. This will save on water and energy costs due to lower lawn maintenance. Create a wildflower meadow to attract wildlife, or add a [patio or deck](https://gelderman.com/residential/patios-and-decks).
6. Convert your annual planting with an assortment of perennials to sustain colour all throughout the season. Annuals require yearly cost of planting and regular amounts of water, whereas, perennials have just a one-time cost of planting. *See our designer Andrea Weddum’s [top picks for perennials to add color to your garden](https://gelderman.com/blog/183/top-5-summer-blooming-perennials)*
