5 Budget-Friendly Backyard Upgrades: Big Impact, Low Cost

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

If you are lucky enough to have a backyard, you probably want to use it – enjoy it even! This takes smart design choices, and with a bit of planning, you can make sure all of this happens without draining your bank account.

The average spend for landscaping is $9,000, but you can save money by making smart choices on materials and prioritizing the jobs that need to be done.

The key to getting started is thinking about how you actually want to use the space. Do you plan on hosting BBQs every weekend? Is your backyard more of a “me-time” space with a garden you can tinker with? Maybe it’s a little from column A and a little from column B? Once you’ve figured out how you’ll be using the space, you can start laying the groundwork. 

At least one, if not all, of these budget-friendly backyard upgrades, should suit any plan or use that you have for your outdoor area. 

Adding a playset for the kids

If you want your outdoor space to be a fun zone, especially for the kids, a backyard playground is an easy way to create one. This clever addition has many practical benefits for parents, especially when it comes to multitasking. Life is busy, and balancing household tasks with keeping an eye on the kids can be tough. A playset in the backyard means you can watch them while getting things done around the house.

While public playgrounds are great, they’re not always as well-maintained as they should be, and there’s always the chance of bumps, bruises, or exposure to germs. A backyard playset means you control the cleanliness and condition of the equipment while making it easy to have active play just a few steps away from the house!

A playset encourages kids to use their imagination and build independence. We’ve all pretended to be pirates on a swing set. Kids learning to entertain themselves without relying on you to come up with activities is an important benefit of that new backyard addition that has added a pop of color to the surroundings!

Incorporating ornamental grasses

Certain grasses, like the trendy Miscanthus, offer a soft, textured, and natural, calming vibe to your outdoor area. They also look great and are very well-priced. They look great on their own or mixed in with other plants, making them suitable for just about every backyard design configuration.

The other reason why ornamental grass is so popular is because it’s also low-maintenance, perfect for those who live solo and already have a huge list of chores to get sorted around the house. Once planted, it’s basically set-and-forget. Miscanthus, pairs well with plants like Verbena bonariensis and Achillea ‘terracotta,’ a fast-growing groundcover that will create a lush visual without effort or upkeep. We recommend ornamental grass for a backyard with either a modern, minimalist look or something a bit more wild and whimsical.

Turn your attention to the fence

Fences are mostly functional, but they’re not exactly the most stylish feature in a backyard despite taking up such a significant amount of the visual area. A coat of paint in a strategic color can completely transform that dull, weathered fence into something that seems like your backyard has had an instant makeover without spending big bucks.

Charcoal is a popular choice when painting the fence, but it can come off a bit too cold. Instead, we recommend something like a dark brown that almost looks black but has a much warmer tone. This color really pops when paired with lush green foliage, adding depth and making your plants stand out. This subtle shift in color can make all the difference, turning your paling fence into a feature rather than something you try to hide.

Pro tip: Save time and hire a spray gun. It’s a quick and easy way to cover large fence sections.

Add some height to your backyard

Putting up lattice is a budget-friendly way to introduce an extra layer of visuals to your backyard without needing to expensively overhaul your entire space. Just attach a lattice to your existing fence and train some climbing plants, like Chinese star jasmine, to grow along it. The jasmine’s fragrant white flowers will bring a pop of brightness, while the greenery softens the look of your (freshly brown painted) fence.

A lattice extension can also screen off certain areas of your backyard that might be for storage or other less-pretty elements. Just make sure to check with your local council to see if you need approval for the extension.

Add the sound of moving water 

If you want to make your backyard feel calm and peaceful, adding a water feature is a surprinsgly cheap way to make it so. You can opt for a pond, a bubbling fountain, or even a simple trickling basin, all of which are easy to install.

When choosing which option will best suit your vibe, think about style and size. Are you into sleek metal designs or natural stone features? Placement is also a very important consideration. Your water feature should be visible from where you spend most of your time. If you have a deck or living room, you want to see and enjoy the feature but need to make sure it doesn’t get in the way of foot traffic through your garden. A well-placed water feature adds relaxation, a gentle trickle, and a visual component that will be a talking point when people pop over to hang out.

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