I can't afford to spend a lot on my yard.

Make a couple areas really stand out with gorgeous annuals. You could arrange them by creating borders out of landscape border materials like the plastic strips you can install in the ground. You could also use recycled tires. Cut them in half and then make a circle with them (scalloped) and then fill with soil and plant. You can paint those tires too. This way you can have something that stands out and you can increase it year by year.

Have you thought about Xeriscaping? Here is a link to peruse . . .

https://www.pinterest.com/jolley536/xeriscape-ideas/

Call your County Agriculture agent to find out your growing "Zone". I live in South Texa and mine is Zone 9b. Then you can Google "Plants for zone "#". Roses are great as is Salvia and blue Plumbago here in my area. Your County Agent can tell you what plalnts are hardy and low-maintenance. Also look for "clearance Sale" plants at places like WalMart Home Depot and Lowe's.

Annuals have to be re-planted every year, good if you don't like it but costly if you do. Peranials will grow year after year. Day Lilies are good, come in many colors and styles. Each bloom lasts only a day but several buds come out same time. They will spread. Spring bulbs(tulips, buttercups, etc are good and can have annual seed planted over them or lilies planted with them. Google seed catalogs and pick some plants or trees to take up lawn space. Leaves can be used for mulch to protect plant beds over winter.

You can fertilize you lawn yourself and not have to pay for a service. There are many you just attach to the hose and spray, or the kind you have to use with a spreader. Use weed and feed in the spring and that will help. They also have them for different times of the year, so you could use one of the ones this fall that is for the fall season to give it a boost for next year.

Thank you very much! That helps

Ok, this is a cheap on cheap idea, but I have seen someone do this and it looked great. They buy silk flowers (the ones that look real!) and put them in pots and in their borders in the front yard. So if you have some laying around and want some color, try it!

I agree with Nancy Turner. I use Scott's fertilizer. They have a 4 step program. Because of financials, I skip Step 1 but spread out Step 2. That keeps the dandelions at bay. I skip Step 3 but use Step 4 in the fall. That helps protect the grass roots for during the winter. Our yard looks nice. We have other plants and flowers around the house, most of them are annuals. I hope this helps you. Good luck.

After admiring many of my neighbors plants, she offered cuttings and even rooted some for me. I never buy annuals, only perrenials. I like flowering shrubs myself, less watering and hardier. I like camelias, rhododendrons, azaleas, hydrangeas, peonies. Flowering trees like cherry trees, mimosa, dogwood and lilac.