I need a DIY Ideas for landscaping? Something easy to upkeep.

i love Mexican sage. beautiful and grows very quickly. also any kind of ice plant is a great ground cover.

Creeping phlox lay down groundcover that stays green most of the year and has lovely flowers. It also spreads/naturalizes well and is really visually lovely as it will droop over stone walls or landscaping borders. If you want a shrub, try a lilac - they are hardy, require vitually no upkeep, give blooms that smell great in spring and stay green into fall.

Make a rock garden with 'found' rocks, not ones you buy at a home store. It can be big or small. Dig out your design (round, bean shaped, etc.). Use a bunch of newspaper instead of expensive landscape fabric on the bottom. Add the biggest rocks on the perimeter and put your soil in the middle. Pile rocks and soil to whatever heights you want, remembering to leave places for your plants. Pop them in and water. You can use something like Preen to keep the plants happy and discourage weeds.

What is the location and lighting?

Also love the look of Mexican sage!

Can't even begin to suggest anything until we know your location and the sun/shade conditions. Also, what is "affordable"? For some people that means $1000 and for some it would mean $100. How big is the area? What direction does the house face? What colors do you like? There are a lot of variables to a successful landscape.