Creative Gardening

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

16 Jun 2007 10:54 AM

Beautifully landscaped gardens don't come cheap... or do they? Yesterday I popped into our local Garden Exchange to pick out a Father's Day gift for my uncle who is an avid gardener. Boy, some of the items in there cost a fortune... and I was just looking at the plants and flowers. A person could go bankrupt filling his garden with all of the gorgeous options that are blooming in gardening centers.

I left empty-handed, but determined. I figured there had to be ways to add to or create a stunning garden without having to rob a bank to do so. After a few hours of research I found several ways to achieve the ideal garden for next to nothing. The key: creativity... and craigslist.

Who knew you could get free plants online? At sites such as craigslist and FreeCycle you can create a post and ask specifically for what you need. Or, you can read what other gardeners are trying to get rid of. Some gardeners who post on craigslist are willing to trade plants while others simply give away plants on a first-come-first-serve basis. The only downfall is that there are hundreds of posts listed on the sites so it may take you a while to comb through all of them and find exactly what you are looking for... and how far you need to drive to pick up your free greens.

Another affordable option is to check with local landscapers. Many have plants on hand that they have dug up on jobs and will give them away for free to the first person that shows up. Ninety percent of the time landscapers dump unwanted plants and trees within a week's time so it's a good idea to check with them every five days to see what new items they may have collected.

Garden clubs are another good way to find cheap flowers. Our local club has an annual plant swap coming up in a few weeks, which is open to the public. All you need to do is bring a plant from your garden that you are willing to trade.

Another tip: Divide your perennials and share with other gardeners. In most cases you'll find that they will return the favor. Also, you can cut down on costs by saving seeds to plant next year.

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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