Most people want a beautiful backyard, but sometimes budget constraints can prevent homeowners from being able to hire a whole crew of landscaping professional to makeover your yard. But being on a tight budget doesn't mean that you can't have a great yard for you and your family to enjoy. Use the following tips to create a wonderful backyard without spending a lot of money:

Consult a Landscape Designer

Consulting a landscape designer like one from Design Scapes of Manasota Inc may sound counter-intuitive when you don't have a lot of cash to spend on landscaping, but a landscape designer can actually save you a lot of money in the long run. When you work with a landscape designer to create a blueprint for your backyard, you will have a plan to follow yourself and also know what types of trees, plants, and shrubs will work best in your climate zone. Investing in a consultation with a landscape designer can prevent you from buying the wrong types of plants or working hard to create your own landscaping plan only to realize that it is not visually appealing.

Grow Your Own Lawn

A lush patch of grass is great for kids to play in or for pets to run around on, but purchasing sod and having it installed can cost a lot of money. When you want to keep your costs down, it is in your best interest to plant a lawn from seed. Prior to laying any grass seed, make sure the ground is completely free from weeds or dead grass, and put down a thin layer of topsoil to provide the seeds with nutrients. If you're diligent about watering on a daily basis, you will have a gorgeous lawn in several weeks for a fraction of the cost of sod.

Shop for Plants at the End of the Season

The end of the growing season is an excellent time to shop for plants, trees, and flowers since most nurseries slash their prices so they can move inventory before the weather changes. When shopping, don't forget the list of plants recommended by your landscape designer-- having the list handy can help ensure that you don't buy something that is going to die quickly when your yard gets too much or too little sun. Another money-saving tip when purchasing flowering plants is to look for perennials instead of annuals, since perennials can live and bloom flowers each season for many years.