Read a lot here about internal renovating ideas.
Am wondering if there are any great gardening-on-a-budget ideas?
Our just purchased property has a large backyard with assorted dry weeds surrounding a large gum tree and soon-to-be-removed rubber tree. It’s in a water restriction area.
Any ideas other than hardy shrubs would be appreciated.Thanks, Diane[8D]
Everdine,
I believe anything planted underneath a gum tree is going to need to be hardy as they take a lot out of the soil, so you probally won’t like it but “natives”.
clear the area, put down sheets of newspaper (cheap and it lets moisture through and as a bonus is bio-degradable) then cut holes put the natives in and “mulch’ the area.
i’ve seen it done and looks great and keeps the weeds down.Other than that “vinca’s at the base of a gum tree look good- my folks have done so and they’ve survived.
OH- and “gardening on a budget”- get good at growing “cutting’s” from friends etc etc
Redwing
“The man that thinks at 5o as he did when he was 20 has wasted 30 years of his life”
Hi Redwing,
appreciate your ideas and natives are a good option.Unfortunately the cuttings are not an option as the property is across the border from us, and although it’s only an hour and a half away, we are not permitted to take any plant material.
Maybe they have street stalls we can buy plants from on our days off!
Will keep the natives and vincas in mind.Thanks Diane
Everdine,
Mightn’t be a bad idea to weed and mulch the garden area so it looks good and fresh. Then the tenants can put their own potted shrubs around and take them when they leave.
The last place we did was neglected all round, so we weeded and tidied the garden beds which were edged with bush rocks. We ordered a big load of cyprus mulch which the people at the landscaping place said was a deterrent to weeds and white ants. It cost about $65. It looked really good and the managing agent commented as well.
We also trimmed most of the other plants as we have found that some tenants don’t have the time for gardens or aren’t interested. Then the ingoing condition report says that the grounds are tidy etc. and we expect them to be in similiar condition when they move out. I mention this because the agent said that the grounds were bad when the previous tenants moved in and so they would not do any garden work at all. Her mistake initially.
Anna
Hi Anna,
appreciate your thoughts and ideas.
We didn’t realise in SA it’s the landlords responsibility to pay someone to maintain the gardens, or provide the tools for the tennant to do it, if you get a tennant who wants to!!
When we rented years ago we had to do and provide everything, so this is all new to us, and we are investigating it further this weekend.
So appreciate your imput on low maintainence and tidiness.Diane[
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