I'm going to make a very bold statement here, everyone can afford a nice garden!! Whoa, I hear cries and gasps all over, but hear me out. The key to a nice garden is the love, care and attention that goes into it or blood, sweat and tears depending on your gardening style! You can't buy that, well ok you could hire a gardener but you get my point. You could buy a whole host of expensive plants but if you don't give them TLC you will end up with dead plants and that doesn't make for a nice garden. There are many ways to garden on a budget, you just have to get a little creative and be clever with any money you do spend.

Share

This is by far my favorite trick, the amount of times I pop round someone's house and end up taking home a cutting of this or that is incredible but of course it works both ways. I make a point of giving away as many cuttings as I possibly can. I will often nurture fresh cuttings in order to give the more mature plant as a gift, especially if it's something they have commented on in the garden.

Bulk Buy

Buying in bulk, whether it's seeds, bulbs, plants, gardening tools, compost or mulch, usually will save you money. Get together with gardening friends or neighbours to buy in bulk and share in the savings. Sometimes just spending over a certain amount in one go will get you a discount!

Research

Beware of impulse buying, that pretty plant you have fallen in love with and just have to have from the garden centre, may not suit your garden and be dead within the month. Make sure you do your research on any plant before you buy, to ensure you have just right spot in your garden for it.

Compare

Shop around, compare the prices of anything you plan to buy and remember to compare the quality too "buy cheap, buy twice". Sign up to newsletters from your local garden centre and of course your favourite garden hose company. (Our sign up is there on the top right, scroll up and sign up now...done it? Good, we can continue) That way you will be first to know when a sale or offer is running.

Be Resourceful

Just because something is broken or no longer needed doesn't mean it's totally useless, just look at the Mini Garden I created with old broken pots. You can also recycle old pallets into garden furniture, and you can make your own compost and garden mulch, the possibilities are endless, take a look at our Pinterest for hundreds more ideas.

Be Water Wise

It is very possible to save water and still have a lovely garden, not only will it save you money but it's good for the environment. Installing soaker hoses and timers is an easy way to start saving water. There are lots of ways in which you can be water efficient.

Gardening is a relaxing past time and it definitely doesn't have to be expensive. Do you have any money saving tips when it comes to gardening? Please let us know in the comments, sharing knowledge is just as good as sharing cuttings!!

Happy Gardening!