How can I buy or make fake snow cheaply?
I don’t know if you’d want to fill an entire backyard with it, but the best fake snow I’ve seen is Ivory Snow soap flakes or powder. It’d be great for small areas, and mounded against pillars, in pots, around the base of brick walls, etc. It also melts when wet, of course and is reasonably inexpensive and available in the laundry aisle of most grocery stores. The fragrance evaporates after a few minutes. You could also try a theatre supply for artificial snow. I’ve frequently called our local store for special effects items, and they’ve always had a way to provide substitutes for stage use.