Creating your dream backyard doesn’t have to cost you thousands of dollars. With a few easy backyard ideas, you can have an outdoor space that’s comfortable, looks great, and is perfect for entertaining. Learn how to give your backyard a beautiful makeover using these affordable renovation ideas.
Build a Deck or Patio
A deck or patio carves out a dedicated space for entertaining in your backyard. Plus, outdoor furniture sits more easily on a hard, level surface. Build a floating or freestanding deck rather than a raised deck. Raised decks require more advanced carpentry skills and are typically more expensive and time-consuming to build. A floating deck rests freely on the ground and isn’t attached to your home, so you can make easy repairs and save money on building complicated structures. You also have the freedom to place a floating deck wherever you want in your yard. Build a concrete paver or brick patio. Create unique patterns and shapes for a patio that is entirely your own design. Build a barefoot patio. Lay a grid of pavers with about one inch of space between each one. Fill the spaces with a soft ground cover like moss. Create a gravel patio. Clear a patch of grass in your yard using a cultivator, then lay landscaping fabric and fill the space with gravel. This is one of the most affordable options for a patio space, especially when you need large backyard ideas on a budget. A bonus is that gravel requires little to no maintenance.
Add Paths
Give your backyard a whimsical look with these path ideas. Paths are an inexpensive way to segment large backyards, but they can be just as charming as accents to garden beds and smaller yards. Use the same barefoot patio technique for paths if you want an easy, overgrown, and natural look. Space out pavers and fill the space between with your yard’s existing grass or with another groundcover. Use pressure-treated and sealed wood boards to create wooden plank paths. If you struggle with flooding in your yard, an easy gravel path can help by collecting and letting runoff water pass through them. To prevent weeds and grass from growing up between the gravel, lay landscaping fabric before laying the gravel.
Lay Fresh Mulch
When you’re trying to spruce up your backyard landscaping, sometimes all you need is some fresh mulch in your garden beds. Choose uncolored mulch. Color-enhanced mulch is beautiful but can be more expensive than uncolored mulch, which has its own natural wood tones. Bark mulch degrades more slowly than shredded mulch, meaning you replace it less often. If you want mulch solely for the look of it and not for its soil nutrients, consider rubber mulch. It may be a more expensive initial purchase, but it can last ten years or longer. By contrast, shredded mulch should be replaced once a year. Pine needles are an inexpensive, long-lasting mulch alternative. Pine needles only need to be replaced about every five years. Note that because pine needles are very flammable, they are not recommended for use in dry climates.
Plant A Tree
Choose young trees and saplings: Trees can greatly vary in price, but usually, younger trees are less expensive than older, larger trees. Plant fruit trees: Most fruit trees tend to be easy to take care of and can be pruned to fit your backyard space. You will have to be patient, though; it may take a year or more for newly planted trees to bear fruit. Trees, especially fruit trees, can add value to your home in the long run.
Start a Garden
Plant Perennials: Perennial plants will come back year after year. Annuals, on the other hand, will only last one season and will need to be replanted each year. Purchase young plants or start from seeds. Save money on groceries by starting an edible garden. Start a container garden on your back porch: Planting in containers is an easy alternative to adding garden beds. Garden containers are affordable, and some materials of containers can be painted to add bright pops of color to your yard. Plant vertical gardens: Vertical gardens are great when you need small backyard ideas on a budget. Attach small containers to existing fences, hang premade vertical planters, or create a DIY vertical planter to put against an exterior wall.
Plant ornamental grasses
Ornamental grass will take up a lot of space in your backyard but won’t require the maintenance of a garden. Popular ornamental grasses include Blue Oatgrass, Feather Reed Grass, Fountain Grass, Maiden Grass, and Zebra Grass.
Customize Your Fence
Instead of installing a new fence, refresh the appearance of your existing fence. Fence customizations are also great small backyard ideas on a budget. Re-paint or re-stain a wood fence: A fresh finish can make an existing fence look brand new. Add some personality to your home by painting the fence a color that contrasts with the house color. Paint a mural on the fence: If you’re not an artist, consider using stencils to get a look you love. Cover your fence with greenery using trellises and vertical planters. Recycle a piece of old fencing to use as an accent in your garden beds.
Add an Outdoor Area Rug
Adding an area rug is a quick, easy, and inexpensive backyard update. Outdoor rugs provide cushioning to anyone walking on your deck or patio, with the added benefit of covering unsightly cracks and stains. Rugs made for outdoor use are water- and fade-resistant. The large variety of designs means you can easily find the look that’s right for your backyard.
Add a Fire Pit
Backyard fire pits are often considered a luxury, but many styles are available at lower price points. Premade fire pits are made from durable materials like steel and aluminum, come in various sizes and shapes, and are typically inexpensive. Plus, you don’t need to install them. You can simply place them on your porch or patio. Adding a small fire pit to your backyard can create a cozy place to gather on cooler nights. Or, if you have the space, you can install a built-in fire pit in your yard using a fire pit kit. These simple and inexpensive tricks will add an extension to your home, creating a welcoming environment to enjoy the summer season. Happy gardening!
