Tip Tuesday: Gardening - The Frugal Fanatics Friend

I'm relatively new to gardening. We moved into our house about 2 years ago and just finally began adding some bushes and trees. I have, however, been an "armchair" fan for many, many years. While in High School and College I worked in the accounting department of a Nursery and my favorite thing to do on my breaks was wander the plants asking the specialists questions. For years I have collected books, picked my favorite plants, designed imaginary gardens, and taken a number of classes. Finally, this year I was able to start putting my knowledge to work.

One problem. Anyone who has visited a nursery or garden knows plants and supplies are expensive and you needs lots to make a beautiful garden. Slightly discouraged (one reason it has taken us two years to get started on our own yard), but determined to bring my dreams to fruition I went to a local garden store armed with my discount coupons and a $150. I was able to get 3 shrubs and a couple flats of annuals. Not a great start considering the huge yard I have to landscape.

After planting and lamenting about the sparseness of my yard (trying to convince myself the plants would get bigger and fill in). I hauled the kids to my weekly visit with my grandma. We collect coupon inserts from all the relatives who don't use them. Grandma and Grandpa were out in their yard doing a little spring gardening. While talking with them Grandma offered me starts of just about all the perennials growing in their yard. Not one to turn down anything free I grabbed a box and started collecting. I left their house with half a dozen new varieties of plants for my garden.

Interesting...

So, I did some research. The Dollar Stretcher has a huge collection of articles on Free/Cheap Gardening. Some of my favorite tips are to make your own compost or mulch, get starts from all the gardeners you know, and start your own plants from seed. Love Money has Cheap Tips for Beginning Gardeners. And there are hundred upon hundreds more. Just google "cheap gardening."

With all this new knowledge I visited my Mom's and Mother-in-Law's yard on the lookout for plants for my garden. I came home with another half dozen new varieties of perennials. Then I spread the word. "I want STARTS!" My mom calls the next week and would I like the six very large boxwoods from their front bed, she wants to do something different there. Would I!

Now, weeks after being confronted with an empty yard...

I have this, an excellent start to the fabulous garden living in my imagination. The Weeping Cherry Tree was an anniversary gift from my sweet husband. Much better, and much cheaper than I had originally planned.

Now, I just need to keep them all alive...