All too often, people make the mistake of thinking that they cannot afford to improve their gardens. They do not realise that there is actually a lot that they can do for free. With some thought, determination and hard work, there are plenty of budget-friendly garden ideas to implement that allow anyone to improve their outside space.
As a garden designer, I often work with those who have the cash to spend on design, as well as on their gardens. But just because many of those who engage my services to create permaculture designs have the luxury of a little extra spending money, that does not mean that permaculture is only for the rich – far from it.
I have also worked on designs (sometimes at a discounted rate) for families who, like so many these days, struggle at times to make ends meet. While I cannot usually offer my designs for free, I do some pro bono work where I can as well as taking on paying clients.
I also try, where I can, to educate home growers about the steps that they can take to transform their gardens without breaking the bank. It makes sense to find ways to improve a garden for free even if you are not on a severely limited budget.
Whether you can afford to employ a designer like me or not, having a good plan in place up front can save a lot of time and money. It can ensure that costly mistakes are not made, and reduces waste of all kinds. It can also help you make sure you are not spending money that you do not need to spend.
Beyond that, here are some of the other ways to improve a garden without spending any money at all:
1. New Plants for Free
Plants are of course important elements in any garden.
Many of us won’t begin with a completely empty canvas, which can work to our benefit. Any existing plants we like and want to retain in our gardens can be propagated to yield new plants at no cost.
A method of propagation involves growing from seeds. There are numerous types of seeds you could potentially gather at no cost from and for your garden.
Even if you need to purchase them, sowing and growing from seeds typically proves to be the most economical choice. Acquiring or obtaining seeds and putting in the effort is much more cost-effective than buying fully grown plants later on.
Save your own seeds if you can. Sometimes, you might be able to sow seeds from the produce you purchase, as well as growing new plants from vegetable scraps.
Another option is to take cuttings from current plants. Whether you take softwood, semi-ripe, or hardwood cuttings will depend on the season and the most suitable approach for the specific plant or plants you want to propagate.
Certain established plants can also be lifted and divided, involving taking a section of both the root system and above-ground growth to transplant elsewhere while replanting the remaining portion.
Even if we don’t have existing plants we favour or are beginning from square one, significant savings can still be achieved by considering whether we can propagate from plants in the gardens of friends and family.
Additionally, establishing community seed or plant swaps could enable us to make new friends and acquire new plants at no cost in the process. It can pay dividends over time to make connections with other gardeners in the area where you live, and many ways that those connections might save you money over time, as well as providing other benefits.
Free seeds and free plants may also sometimes be offered by online communities, so it is always a good idea to keep an eye on such sites in case anything comes up in your area.
2. Natural Resources in a Garden
Aside from the plants themselves, there are also many other ‘natural resources’ or gifts from nature that we might use to improve our gardens free of charge.
We all have access to at least some sunlight – and it is up to us to make the most of it. We do that through our planting, of course, which should aim to maximise photosynthesis.
We might also make the most of sunlight in our gardens in other ways – creating sunny seating areas, perhaps, installing a passive-solar design greenhouse or polytunnel to grow year-round, or using items like solar ovens, to give a few examples.
Natural rainfall is also an important resource that any good permaculture designer should consider how to use to the fullest on any site.
If you have water bills, you can save on these with the right water-wise design. Harvesting rainwater and catching and storing water within the landscape can also help you to avoid problems with plants, especially where water is scarce.
Sometimes, creating earthworks like swales or a pond in a certain area can help you improve your garden in big ways – and small projects undertaken manually need not cost any money at all.
3. Organic Matter – Soil Enrichment, Mulches and Fertilisers For Free
In reciprocity for nature’s gifts, we need to give back to the soil and to our gardens as a whole. We need to think about the role that we play in certain instances to work with nature and keep those cycles turning.
Collecting and redistributing organic matter is one of the key means of reciprocity in an organic garden. Fortunately, the organic matter that we need to return fertility to the soil and to feed micro-organisms and plants is often available to us for free – sometimes right there in our very own gardens.
For example, we might be able to use fresh or fallen leaves, grass clippings, hedge trimmings or other pruned material and more for composting, mulching, and even making new beds using the lasagna or sheet mulching method, or methods like hugelkultur.
Outside the garden, we might be able to forage for materials we can use (like small quantities of dead seaweed, for example). Community groups or even local authorities sometimes offer free compost/ wood chip or other similar materials. You might also be able to source manure for free from farms, stables, zoos or pet shops in your area.
We can also use plant materials to make our own organic liquid plant feeds to keep plants in tip top health.
Natural branches and twigs, and other plant materials (plants for fibre, for example), might also find a range of uses to improve a garden, and reduce the number of things we need to buy to enhance the space.
4. Reclaimed Materials
As well as using natural materials in a range of ways in our gardens – for pathways, seating areas, garden structures etc.. we can also use other materials that might otherwise have been thrown away.
From waste materials like plastic food trays and pots, to reclaimed wood, stone and metal, there are many materials that can have a second life in our gardens.
Using reclaimed materials and waste in our gardens is the sustainable choice – but it can also help us to improve our gardens – often without spending any money at all.
5. Collaboration and Co-operation
Relying on the kindness of others is something we may sometimes forget that we can do. But it is amazing how often it can be the answer to challenges we face in our gardens.
Don’t have the time or energy to manage your garden alone? Need more help for specific manual tasks? Need specific tools or equipment to improve the space? Community gardening groups and groups that match gardeners with gardens going untended can often help with these sorts of problems, so it pays to stay connected with others in the area where you live.
Collaboration and co-operation often won’t cost a thing – but can help us to improve our outside spaces – and our lives in general – in many different ways
EWSP Consultancy 