• Topics: Environmental Horticulture  | Financial Planning  | Shrub Selection  | Black, Robert J  | Hamilton, David F  | Lawn and Garden Basics  | Lawn and Garden Design and Layout 

Budgeting For a Better Landscape¹

Starting a home landscape project can be difficult, especially for the novice. While most homeowners cannot afford to hire a professional landscaper, with proper planning you can create your own landscape project that will enhance the beauty and value of your home at a cost within your budget.

One of the most important factors in creating a successful landscape project is the relation between initial plant costs and future maintenance costs. Before you begin, learn about the relative costs of plants and the expense of their upkeep.

The Landscape Budget

Your home grounds improvement project requires use of a good budget plan. Include both the initial amount of money for plants and installation and also the amount of time and money required to keep the plants healthy and neat.

Looking for a bargain? People often select plants that seem to be cheap. This could be a mistake, however. Over time the cost of labor to maintain such plants raises the cost far above that of more expensive nursery plants. Slower growing plants may be more costly initially but usually require less maintenance. Thus, keep your future maintenance budget in mind when selecting landscape plants. With proper foresight in design and selection, you can reduce the cost and the amount of maintenance work.

Plant Costs and Size

In estimating maintenance costs, consider the size and kind of plant. A common pitfall is that of choosing a large, fast-growing species instead of a smaller, slow-growing one. Of course, pleasing effects are more immediately visible because the landscape seems more filled in. But the amount of maintenance increases for larger species. Lasting effects may diminish if upkeep lags and the landscape appears to be overgrown (Figure 1 and Figure 2).

Figure 1. 

Rapidly growing shrubs, if misplaced, can block the view from the driveway, hide and partly block doors and windows, and crowd the yard. If pruning is delayed, an overgrown and unattractive landscape may result.

Figure 2. 

The desire for quick shade often leads to poor tree choice and poor placement.

Plant Selection and Existing Conditions

You can easily determine the existing environmental conditions of the space you plan to landscape. What are a plant's requirements in relation to those conditions?

Select plants adapted to the conditions of a particular location, whether full sun or dense shade. You can modify soil factors to provide a suitable growing medium, but you'll save money by selecting plants adapted to existing conditions. Is the soil wet or dry? Acid or alkaline? Carry out your well-developed plan as time and budget permit. If needed, get more information on plant culture from your local county agricultural Extension agent.

Using the Suggested Plant Lists

The sample plans included here show common residential plantings arranged for maintenance ease. The suggested plants have proved dependable in Florida. Each plant is listed with the section of the state to which it is adapted. The geographic areas are:

• N, north Florida - Pensacola to Jacksonville and south to Ocala.

• C, central Florida - Leesburg south to Punta Gorda and Fort Pierce.

• S, south Florida - Stuart to Fort Myers and south to Homestead.

• NCS - entire state.

Each plant is also listed with a maintenance rating. With a 1 rating, the plant needs only minimal watering in dry weather and occasional fertilizing to preserve foliage color. With a 2 rating, the shrub or tree may require pruning, extra fertilizing, or other occasional maintenance for best growth. With a 3 rating, the plant requires such attention as periodic spraying to prevent insect attack.

The ratings are relative to each other. For example, on this scale a rose plant, which is not listed because of high maintenance requirements, might have a rating of 6. The plants listed are among the most maintenance-free plants available in Florida for home grounds use.

The amount of light needed for each plant is listed. Sh indicates that the plants need shade for optimum growth, Pt Sh indicates part shade, Sn indicates sun, and both Sh and Sn indicate that plants will tolerate either shade or sun.

Landscape Plans

You can adapt the landscape plans to both rural and urban settings throughout Florida. Numbers on the drawings refer to plant numbers on the corresponding list. For example, number 12 on the low budget plan (Figure 3) refers you to number 12 on the low budget suggested plant list (Table 1). Although several choices may be offered, choose only one type of plant for a given location.

• Low budget planting plan - Figure 3, Table 1

• Medium budget planting plan - Figure 4, Table 2

• Higher budget planting plan - Figure 5, Table 3

Figure 3. 

Sample low-budget planting plan.

Figure 4. 

Sample medium-budget planting plan.

Figure 5. 

Sample higher-budget planting plan.

Tables

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.

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