Just because you have a small yard does not mean you have to give up on gardening. With a little work, some money, and a few imaginative ideas (we take care of that), you can make a great small yard garden out of nothing. It does not matter whether you want to plant veggies, herbs, or flowers  – these ideas will work.

Repurposed Furniture Yard Garden

This idea is a great one if you have any old furniture that is sitting around your home that you are thinking about throwing away.  You can repurpose it into a multi-tiered yard garden that saves space. Old dressers are the best for this purpose. They are also easy to find at yard sales or flea markets.  You can either plant your flowers directly into the drawers or put the plants in separate pots and then put the pots in the drawers.  This approach allows you to bring the plants in and out of the house easily.

Vertical Garden

These gardens are perfect for those who only have a balcony or a small patio but still want a lot of greenery. According to the growing demand for landscaping design in Sydney, a rise in vertical gardening is to be expected. One way to build a vertical garden is to use a shoe organizer. Fill each shoe space with some high-quality soil or compost and plant your herbs in them. Make sure you hang your new garden somewhere where it will get enough sunlight, but be protected from rain at the same time. Old pallets can also serve as vertical planters. Attach plastic or terracotta pots to a pallet, plant whatever you choose in them, and lean the pallet garden against a wall. Living walls are more of an artwork than simply a garden and are an inevitable part of modern garden designs. They can be as small or as large as you want. Once the greenery starts to grow thick, they even make a perfect fence.

Hanging Gutter Garden

Old gutters easily turn into beautiful hanging gardens. It is a perfect way to get rid of bulk trash after roof replacement. The length of the gutter depends on the size of your garden, and the guttering that you have. It can be a single or multi-level garden. Gutters can also be laid down on the ground and be used as yard garden dividers.

Kiddie Pool Garden

Do you have an old kiddie pool that your kids have grown out of? Instead of throwing it away, make a raised garden from it. This is a great idea even if you have a somewhat bigger yard with little or no soil and planting areas. Fill the pool with planting soil and start building your green haven. You can stack stones around the pool to make it look more natural.

Herb Spiral

Regardless of its name, this small yard garden is not intended solely for herbs. It is, however, most suitable for this purpose. Why spiral? For one thing, it provides more space than a simple round raised yard garden. Secondly, it provides planting areas that are more or less raised, and more or less shaded. Just make sure you take into account which herbs prefer which conditions while planting them. Those that require more sunlight should naturally go on top. You can make the spiral by piling up bricks, stones, or by placing wooden planks vertically into a spiral. Then just fill the space in between with soil and your garden is ready for planting.

Conclusions

There are numerous more ways to make your yard garden at least seemingly bigger that would make a world of difference to you. Are you ready for some planting?

Every single saved cent matters these days which is why you should increase your home’s energy efficiency as much as possible. You can increase your home’s energy efficiency in many other ways – from improving your bathroom eco-friendliness to redoing home insulation – even though we are in the age of the renewable energy and economical appliances. While improving the energy efficiency of your home will not aid you in a zombie attack, it will surely make it easier on your wallet.  That means you can save up for rainy days. And by “rainy days,” we mean the zombie apocalypse!

Here is a ten tier agenda for turning your home into a modern, economical place:

1. Water-Reducing Faucets

Gallons of water are sent through old-fashioned faucets on a daily basis. A homeowner aware of this problem we have with drinking water on the global level will install faucet aerators. These devices reduce the amount of water coming from the faucet.  Reducing the water running through the faucet prevents water from being wasted and increases the pressure of its flow.

2. Modern Shower Heads

A quick shower saves more water than taking a bath. Keeping yourself clean can be even more efficient if you replace the old shower head with a new one. The new ones have a similar impact on water consumption that faucet aerators do. They reduce the number of gallons per minute consumed and increase the pressure; both of which improve the shower experience.

3. Bathroom Bulbs

The bathroom is one of the most well-lit places in every home.  This fact is especially true during the winter season. Replace your old incandescent light bulbs and install new bulbs in your bathroom to increase your home’s energy efficiency. Both CFLs and LEDs are more efficient than the old incandescents.

4. Bathroom Window(s)

Bathrooms need to have a special air-refreshing system due to their typical use. It goes without saying that every bathroom should have a vent fan for taking away unpleasant odors.  It is also very important to replace your old bathroom windows with newer, more efficient ones.  They will reduce the amount of energy wasted through the panes.

5. Mind The Fridge

The kitchen, much like the bathroom, is a huge energy consumer. It is vital to install new, Energy Star appliances.  These appliances greatly reduce the energy wasted compared to the appliances made twenty years ago. The only in-kitchen appliance that runs all the time is the fridge.  Following the guidelines to get an Energy Star-friendly fridge will decrease your overall energy costs in the kitchen.

 6. Oven Education

Most families still use the oven on a daily basis. Modern ovens have dozens of programs and options. Educating you and your family on the oven’s operation will increase your home’s energy efficiency and waste as little energy as possible. Getting to know your oven will contribute to the enterprise of cutting your home energy bills.

7. Install Ceiling Fans

Owners of smaller homes should install ceiling fans even though air conditioners are becoming more energy efficient. These type of fans consume far less energy than any kind of air conditioning unit and have the added luxury of pushing hot air down in the winter as well as cooling down rooms in the summer.

8. Improved Insulation Increases Energy Efficiency

You can invest thousands of dollars in individual energy improvements.  One of the best investments, however that you can make in your home is to properly insulate the roof and basement. Likewise, make sure that heating and plumbing pipes are properly insulated as well.

9. Layering Walls

In order to reduce the level of dampness and humidity in a home, as well as to minimize through-wall heat leaks, every homeowner should take care of exterior wall cladding. Your home will be a sealed, warm place after this step.

10. Smart Thermostat

Everything related to homes should be tech-smart and efficient these days.  Why wouldn’t your thermostats follow the same pattern? If you want to make your heating and cooling systems even more efficient, invest in a programmable thermostat. In order to take all the advantages of this device, learn how to adjust it and use it.

Energy Efficiency Conclusions

These are only some tips and strategies for cutting your energy losses. Every home is different which is why you might want to consider hiring a professional energy auditor.  They will inspect your home and provide you with all the data necessary to maximize your home’s energy efficiency.