We live in a want it now society where we can buy what we want without taking the time to wait. You will save some serious money by simply being willing to wait for results. When we moved in to our house close to a year ago now, the backyard was just that, a backyard. It contained a Redbud tree and a rose bush that were both in dire need of a trim. The rose bush was so overgrown that I couldn’t even see that our gas meter had been covered up (not quite sure how the meter reader was checking it). The Redbud trimmed up quite nicely, but the rose bush will look a little scraggly until it grows back in.
Along with the newly trimmed Redbud, rose bush, and now exposed gas meter I was also “blessed” with a strategically placed electric box in my yard. The only good thing about these two lovely items being in my yard are that they are in almost the same spot on either side of the yard. My plan is to plant the same grass in front of each so that I create some symmetry. I can either spend a large amount of money on mature grass or save money by purchasing some small plants and waiting for them to grow in.
Recently I visited The Home Depot with my sister-in-law who was purchasing a Japanese Maple for us for our front flower bed. While there I wanted to price the tall grasses that I need to disguise the electric box and gas meter. I found the grass but it was in 5 gallon buckets and priced at $15 each would would cost me around $60 for the four plants I need. I felt that was a little steep, and at the time couldn’t locate any of the 1 gallon plants that would do just fine as they would grow over time. The 5 gallon grass would actually be perfect, but I thought about the way society has taught us to go ahead and get what we want because we deserve it. Sure I deserve the 5 gallon bucket grass, but I would rather pay a significantly lesser amount for the 1 gallon buckets that I will have to continue searching for.
My sister-in-law did find the Japanese Maple we were looking for and luckily we were able to purchase a 2ft version of the tree for around $30 versus the 5ft version for about $130. I have all the time on my hands that I need to watch these plants mature and grow on their own without paying the heavy price for the mature plants. I will try and remember when given the option of purchasing the mature plant or the small newly grown plant, that I should opt for the latter because all I have is time. The money I save on purchasing the smaller plant can be used for other great things that I may need.
Tags: Landscaping
Do you know anyone who has the variety of grass you are looking for? My dad gave us the ornamental grass we put in our front flower bed. His yard was completely landscaped, so he didn’t mind that we took a little because it filled back in after a season or two. We took newer, less mature plants so it wouldn’t be so noticeable in his beds, but now after about two seasons, ours are really taking off. Our grass was of the smaller, bushier variety though. But if someone is thinking about thinning out their flowerbeds, it might be just the thing.
Oh that is such a good idea. My mom just gave me some tulips, irises, and Dragon’s Blood (ground cover). Now I have just have to find someone who has the grass I need. I had no idea you could take some of the grass too. Thanks so much!
I think part of the waiting process is the joy you get from watching your plants grow and your backyard transform.
When we moved into our house a year ago it had a chain link fence that the previous owners used for a garden. The fence was rusting and falling apart so this spring I took it out. The yard looks much better and bigger without it.
I have other plans for the yard and slowly it is becoming a place of fun and peace for our family.
That’s exactly what I was telling my husband. I really want to watch my stuff grow and see how it fills in rather than purchasing the whole mature garden all at once. Plus I don’t really have the budget to purchase the whole garden all at once.