Having a lawn is wonderful. Having a lawn and a small garden is fantastic! And, you can have both quite easily. Creating a garden in an area of your lawn will reduce your food budget and increase the value of your property. Gardens add beauty, interest, and sustainability to your home.
Choosing a spot for your garden
There are a number of considerations for choosing a good spot for your garden. The number one priority is selecting a space that gets full sun during the day or at least 6 hours of sun. It would be great if the spot is near your outdoor water spigot to make watering easier.
Look over your lawn at different times during the day to see which areas get the most sun. Try to find a spot that will integrate into the design of your existing landscape and yard design. Examine the space during heavy rainfall to make sure it’s not an area that gets flooded.
- Select a space that gets full sun during the day (at least 6 hours)
- Make sure there are water outlets nearby for easy watering
- Examine the area during heavy rainfall to make sure it does not gets flooded
- Find a space that will integrate into the design of your existing landscape
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How To Choose The Type of Garden: Garden Bed or Garden Box?
There is no one-size fits all when it comes to gardens. There is a lot to consider when choosing what type of garden will work best for your circumstances. A garden can be dug into the ground or it can be an arrangement of garden boxes or raised beds that sit on top of the ground.
A garden bed dug into the ground is the less expensive choice yet requires more work. It is also a more permanent landscaping choice since it will be harder to reverse if you change your mind. The lawn will need to be marked off and the sod removed. Once you’ve got the garden bed set-up, though, planting is easy and soon enough you will have fresh vegetables to harvest right outside your door.
A raised bed garden costs more than a dug in garden. Raised beds, however, can be removed if you decide you don’t want a garden anymore. They also tend to be more visually appealing, especially if they are made with nice wood or done with stone. There is less weeding needed when you have a raised bed garden.
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How Much Does It Cost To Set Up A Residential Garden: Garden Set-Up Costs
For a dug in garden bed, the costs are mostly your time and labor. You’ll need a good spade or shovel to remove the sod layer and that’s really it. Once the sod is removed, you should lay a stone or brick border around the edges of the garden to prevent the lawn from trying to sneak back into the garden space.
A raised garden bed will necessitate the purchase of garden beds or wood or stone to create your own. Garden beds can cost hundreds of dollars, depending on the type you buy or build. Once it’s set-up, you will need to fill it with quality soil which can also be hundreds of dollars, depending on the number and size of the beds.
Whichever type of garden you choose to build, you’ll be glad you did once the harvest starts rolling in. There is nothing quite like growing your own vegetables in your own garden. The freshness and taste will certainly be reward for all your hard work.
