The Great 'How To Spruce Up Your Garden For Less' Hunt

MSE_Martin

When the summer finally arrives there will be nothing better than eating al fresco and making the most of your garden. So I thought I'd tap MoneySavers' collective knowledge to pool ideas on how to landscape your garden for less. Whether it's bargain flora and fauna, cheap garden furniture or toy for the kids, share your ideas to how to make the most of your garden

mjr600

Is that for less time or for less money ? There is little need to spend a great deal of money to get a nice garden it requires 30% planning and 70% physical work, it's the physical bit that takes the time.

Anyway most gardeners are an accomodating bunch and the easiest way to establish what will grow where you live is simply to ask the owners of a local garden you like, chances are you will come away with a cutting, some seeds or an entire plant.

wurzelsar

Not exactly landscaping but planting.............

Keep an eye out for reduced to clear plants in B&Q.
Our local store has them weekly.........
I planted up all my hanging baskets and pots this year with plants that were reduced from £3.98 to 20p-30p a tray. All because they needed a bit of water to revive them.

At this time of year, stores like Wilkinsons and Garden centres sell off their seeds stock for around 10p-25p a packet. Store them in a cool and dry place and they will come for next year.

Also, reduced to clear sections in the garden centres have perennials which have finished flowering. Trim them up and plant them out and they will flower next year.

If you need large pots.........for floral displays or even to grow potatoes in.....Tesco give their flower buckets away for free, but they are popular so keep on asking.

Alternatively, Morrisons supermarkets sell their flower buckets @ 99p for 8. When they have a glut of them they have more in each pack. I have had as many as 24 for 99p. Just drill holes into the base of each one for drainage.

Errata

If you want some nice garden furniture for the next few years, this is the perfect time to buy it. Watch out for the sales in Homebase, B&Q, Wilkinsons etc as they need to shift the stocks they haven't been able to sell because it's been hissing down for weeks !
I've just bought a hardwood garden seat reduced by 50% which at full price would have been a luxury rather than a treat and although I may not get to use it much this year, if at all, I have great plans to get a lot of use out of it in the years to come.

computerwoman

when I first moved into my house 7 years ago now.
I started digging the garden and re-shapeing the lawn.
the whole neighbourhood came out and offered me plants, bulbs, cuttings, etc to fill up the empty spaces that I had dug....my garden is lovely now 7 years on it has matured lovely and looks great both in summer and in winter.....thanks to my neighbours .....one saw one give me something then another and another it was amazing......and I truely thank them for that.........so dont be afraid if they have something you fancy ask them if you can have a cutting.....as most things in summer need it be cut back to keep there shape and tidiness...and stop them from becoming over powering for other plants............they can only say 2 things yes or no and they are free........cw.:D

save-a-lot

Hi

All our clematis are from Morrisson's and cost ALOT less than garden centre prices... all are now strong healthy plants

Kazza1

Try visiting local village fetes. Most round here have a plant stall and the plants rarely cost more than 50p (for pretty mature plants). Sometimes they even reduce prices further at the end of the fete. We got half a dozen chilli plants last year for £1 (and they produced loads of chillis with virtually no effort apart from a bit of watering).

Plum_Pie

I would recommend Freecycle:
-throughout spring when people give away what they've pruned off bushes and shrubs (which you can trim and plant as cuttings)
-late spring/early summer for seedlings (esp veg) which they have no room to plant out.
-throughout year for excess harvested seed.

madmum33

Freecycle is good for hard landscaping as well.

I've been watching recently and seen old bricks and paving slabs offered, so that's your paths and patios sorted!

If you can only afford/get your hands on a few odd slabs, lay them randomly then surround with cheap gravel.

olly300

If you like a neighbours garden ask them where they got their plants from. They will either give you cuttings or tell you what day the local garden centre or DIY store has cheap plants. Or tell you which market stall/greengrocer in your area sells cheap bedding plants, perennials and bushes.

For example I was told that my local Homebase store has cheap plants on a Friday evening, and that my local fruit and veg stall sells cheap perennials and bushes that last for years.

BTW by cheap I mean much cheaper than DIY stores or garden centres.

ampersand

wurzelsar wrote: »

Not exactly landscaping but planting.............

Keep an eye out for reduced to clear plants in B&Q.
Our local store has them weekly.........
I planted up all my hanging baskets and pots this year with plants that were reduced from £3.98 to 20p-30p a tray. All because they needed a bit of water to revive them.

At this time of year, stores like Wilkinsons and Garden centres sell off their seeds stock for around 10p-25p a packet. Store them in a cool and dry place and they will come for next year.

Also, reduced to clear sections in the garden centres have perennials which have finished flowering. Trim them up and plant them out and they will flower next year.

If you need large pots.........for floral displays or even to grow potatoes in.....Tesco give their flower buckets away for free, but they are popular so keep on asking.

Alternatively, Morrisons supermarkets sell their flower buckets @ 99p for 8. When they have a glut of them they have more in each pack. I have had as many as 24 for 99p. Just drill holes into the base of each one for drainage.

Yes, I agree with all of this. The Branches I cite have green-fingered, gifted,kindly staff, who share knowledge willingly. Chrissie@B&Q Cambridge is a lovely lady.
20p trays of sweetpea seedlings(min.12 plants)are now blooming well.
In fact, most garden department staff seem happier souls than many. Prolific quotes in poetry and prose from all languages echo this.
In France, Aldi's seeds do not exceed 22c, more often 19c(roughly:10c=7p).
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Yes Olly, you're right, too.
Homebase Nmkt man is also very good and explained to me that their men in suits generally arrive on a Tuesday and that after ANY wild weather rips through their outdoor areas(i.e.NOW)they have massive clear-ups/chuck-outs to do.
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And, as others are saying, FREECYCLE.