You’re looking to spruce up your front yard. But you’re on a budget. What can you do?
Check out these 16 cheap, simple front yard landscaping ideas to get off to a great start.
1. Place Flower Pots
One of our favorite solutions is placing flower pots. They’re simple; you can find them in different designs, and if you don’t like where you set them up, you can simply move them wherever. Plus, you don’t have all the extra labor of trying to dig up ground to plant your flowers.
If you’re looking to save money over the long term, try investing in pots that you can use over and over again.
Some of our favorites are these D’vine Dev Terracotta pots. They have a nice, sleek look to them and are very durable.
If you’re looking for pots for tiny plants. Check out these Brajttt succulent pots. They’re really cool and artsy and are very durable as well for a small pot.
Lastly, if you’re looking for hanging pots, look no further than these Foraineam baskets to be the cheap and sturdy solution for you.
2. Creative Mailbox
Have you updated your mailbox lately? Many people forget that the design of your mailbox can add a bit of creative flair to your front yard for cheap.
One of our favorites is this solid wood house mailbox if you’re willing to spend a bit extra to replace the full mailbox to your liking.
Otherwise, check out a simple mailbox cover like this one that nature lovers will enjoy. Mailbox covers are much cheaper to do a quick redesign on a budget.
3. Evergreen Shrubs
One of the best investments I’ve made is planting some small evergreen shrubs like this in the front yard. When you buy them small, they’ll be relatively cheap. Plus, they grow big and strong rather quickly, so they should fill up some extra space in no time.
These can be preferred by many to flowers since they stay looking nice year-round. The only real maintenance on them will be some quick trimming as they grow to maintain the desired shape.
4. Focus on Perrenials
Want to save money on your front yard landscaping? There’s no better way than planting perennials that will grow back year after year.
Some of the top perennials that people love are:
- Black-Eyed Susans
- Shasta Daisies
- Coneflowers
- Irises
- Daylilies
- Sedums
- Lavender
- Peonies
All these options and more are great, cost-effective options to optimize your front yard’s appearance long-term.
5. Accentuate With Edging
A small detail that can spruce up your front yard’s landscape for cheap is using edging bricks or pavers. Something like this is usually pretty easy to set up. You just do some simple measurements for how much space you need to cover and then visit your local hardware store to browse the options they have available.
6. Fun Birdhouse
Why not give the birds a nice resting place while sprucing up your front yard? Adding a birdhouse can be a simple and fun activity to get the whole family involved.
If you’re looking for a pre-built birdhouse, we love this one because it’s plain wood and allows you to paint and customize it yourself. It can be a good summer activity when the kids are home from school.
Or this is another of our favorites that’s pre-decorated. It has a fun and majestic look to it.
7. Start From Seeds
Those who have a bit of patience can benefit by starting from seeds. Typically, plant seeds are much cheaper since you do all the work of raising, planting, and nurturing them from the ground up.
If you’re looking for one of the best places to buy seeds, we recommend Eden Brothers. They have a wide selection from flowers to vegetables at great prices.
8. Fill In With Interesting Rocks
If you can’t afford more flowers but still have empty spaces in your front yard’s decorations, try adding some interesting rocks. Most hardware or landscaping stores will have rocks available for relatively cheap. Just make sure you have some help and an easy way to transport them before buying.
9. Lay a Simple Path
Have you ever considered laying a simple stepping stone path to your front yard? Whether you want to add it to a garden space or lead up to your front door, it’ll help accentuate your landscape.
10. Put Up a Fence
How about a fence to spice up your front yard’s appearance? Adding a decorative picket fence to your front yard is a classic style. However, many people don’t do it anymore. So, if you have an appreciation for classic styles, give this one a try.
If you’re looking for a cheap and easy-to-install decorative front yard fence, this one from Zippity Outdoor is one of our favorites.
11. Add Garden Beds
Garden beds are a common addition to backyard landscaping, but they can also work well in your front yard. They’re a simple way to add to your yard’s appearance if you don’t have much dedicated gardening space.
One of our favorite cheap garden beds for front yards is this one from Foyuee. It’s made from galvanized steel and has a sleek, modern design. It’ll withstand harsh weather conditions and keep your plants secure through the season.
Otherwise, we enjoy this one from Yaheetech for a more unique design. It’s a 3-tier garden bed that can make your front yard plants stand out.
12. Long Grasses
An option that many people forget about is long grasses, like fountain grass, fescue, or zebra grass. Most of these grasses are fairly cheap, take up empty spaces, and will grow back year after year. Plus, they’re typically easy to maintain.
13. Low Maintenace Hostas
Hostas are one of my personal favorites because they’re easy to maintain and grow fast. In fact, if you want a single plant to turn into multiple plants, it’s possible with hostas. They’ll typically get very wide over time, so you can split them out and plant part of each one in different areas of your yard.
It takes a bit for a strategy like that to come to fruition, but with careful planning, it can be a great way to fill up your front yard for cheap after a few years.
14. Xeriscape for Dry Areas
Do you live in a dry area? Don’t worry. We didn’t forget about you.
Xeriscape can work well when you struggle to get many plants growing in your region. It’s a minimalist design based around rocks, gravel, fancy mulches, and other spacious elements that are pretty cheap. Plus, you can still accentuate with some bushes or cacti that grow well in dry places.
15. Window Boxes
Those with small front yards without much room to plant flowers will enjoy window boxes. You’ll see pictured above; you can even decorate them differently based on your home’s style and the seasons.
One of our favorites for a sleek, classic design is this one from Mayne Fairfield. It’s durable and will hold up year over year, making it an excellent investment.
16. Porch Swing or Bench
Last but not least, we have the classic porch swing bench or your typical porch bench to add some style to your front yard decorations. These can be great if you don’t have much space to sit in your backyard. They’re just a classic style you don’t see as much nowadays. But we’re still suckers for them ourselves.
If you’re looking for a cheap porch swing that’s still very heavy-duty, check out this one from Amish Casual. It’s tested and can hold up to 800 lbs, so you should have no issues with its stability. Plus, the frame is made from pure pine wood, adding to the quality and durability of its design.
Those looking for a regular porch bench will like this one from Psilvam. It’s made for all weather conditions and is very durable, so you don’t have to worry about the materials rotting or fading as time goes by.
You Have Many Options to Decorate Your Front Yard for Cheap
By now, you should be able to tell that you have many options to decorate your front yard, even if you’re on a budget. Check out some of the options we recommended on this list, and ultimately, plan things out to see what works best for your needs.
Additionally, if you’re wondering how much money you’ll have available for front yard landscaping, check out our monthly budget template designed to help you optimize all your monthly spending to stay on track with your financial goals.
Thanks for reading, and happy decorating!
