Digging in the Dirt of Landscaping Realities

Written by Jaqui Lividini

With spring officially sprung, it’s time to deal with the question of landscaping our beloved Haycock Point beach cottage. All of the heavy lifting is essentially done on the house itself, so landscaping should be a breeze, right? Well, a very expensive breeze I found out when I received my first landscaping estimate of $70,000 (including $20,000 for the driveway!)  Not to mention that the cottage sits on just a quarter of an acre of land—most of which is rock.

After the shock wore off and I digested the information of just how expensive it is to landscape as well as hardscape a property, I revisited my inspiration board and adjusted my expectations. I decided that the patio, fencing and planting boxes from my original design were my primary, non-negotiable aspects.

Now the trick is figuring out how to make it affordable. Takeaway: there’s a very good chance that a do-it-yourself work ethic and multiple trips to Home Depot are in my immediate future!