Best Ways to Save Money Whilst Gardening

Gardening, some people love it, some people hate it. It’s like the marmite of chores. With the summer season definitely over until next year, now is the best time to plan how you want your garden to look for the upcoming spring-time. 

Many people make the mistake of not planning, and through personal experience, I can tell you that planning is definitely important. With everything in life, the cheaper the better, and whilst gardening can be a rather expensive hobby, or chore to undertake, with gadgets and gizmos galore, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. 

Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to save money whilst gardening, meaning you can tick off one more job on your endless to-do list and save money at the same time. 

Planning is Important

I’ve already touched on how important planning is, but I’ll mention it again. 

It’s easy to do, simply take a picture, or draw out a diagram of your garden if you’re on the artistic side. Make sure you take some measurements from your garden, so you know exactly how much space you have. 

Planning effectively means that you can maximise the potential of your garden, and only buy materials and products based on the size of your garden. This means you’ll make the most of your outdoor space whilst sticking to your budget. 

Take Advantage of Second Hand Goods

At this time of year many people are looking to get rid of their gardening tools and materials. This is the perfect opportunity for you to jump in and grab some bargains. From lawnmowers to plant-pots, there are tonnes of goodies available. 

I’ve found that the Facebook Marketplace is the best place to find these discounted garden materials from compost to 4m composite decking but eBay is also another good option to snag a deal. 

You can save a lot of money buying used goods, whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a rookie looking to get started, you can find most of what you’re looking for at the click of a button. 

Get a Second Opinion

Gardening can range from planting flowers or veg to completely landscaping your outdoor space, so sometimes it’s not always in your skill-set to do the job that you want. 

That’s why it’s important that you should get a second opinion on your garden project. A professional opinion may be the best way to bring your idea to life, but they may also be able to make suggestions based on your budget and time-scale. 

It’s also suggested that you should get more than one professional company to give you an estimate for your project. Contact 2 or more companies to get a valuation and save the most money. 

Buy Only What You Need

If you’re just getting started gardening or getting your stuff in for the new season then it may be tempting to buy every garden tool possible, and buy in every flower, fruit and veg seeds you can think of. 

Whilst this sounds like a good way to avoid buying things in the future, it won’t be cost effective. So let’s just say you want to plant some flowers, you won’t need every tool under the sun. So again it’s back to planning. Plan what you need and where you want to put it, and then buy what you need for the space that you have. This way you’ll get what you want whilst not breaking the bank. The great thing is, if you want to expand then you always have the option to do so because you didn’t spend all of your money on things you won’t be using. 

Grass

A big part of your garden is of course the grass, and people spend a good chunk of money to maintain and preserve their grass. On the other hand, people are now looking at getting artificial grass into their gardens instead of the traditional option of planted grass. These both have their benefits and cons, but it’s important to get an understanding of these so you can make the best choice for yourself. 

Planted Grass Benefits

• It’s traditional – there’s nothing nicer than a full live lawn to run around in. 
• It looks beautiful and can really make a difference in your garden

Planted Grass Cons

• Regular upkeep is required, it requires a lot of time and love to maintain it to a high standard. 
• It’s costly to keep it looking good all year round, this includes equipment costs, time and watering facilities, although we do get plenty of rain all year round in this country. 

Artificial Grass Benefits

• It’s a lot easier to maintain in the long run in comparison to planted grass. 
• It’s cost effective, in both time and money. 
• It’s very durable, and perfect for those with pets or children, it can take a lot!
• No matter the weather or the season, artificial grass looks perfect all year round. 

Artificial Grass Cons

• It’s simply not the real thing, and some people just love the feel and smell of real grass. 
• It will eventually need replacing, with the average lifespan being around 25 years. 

Grass Direct offer a range of artificial grass types so you can choose a type that suits both your garden and your budget the best. Should you be on the fence about buying artificial grass for your garden, Grass Direct offer free samples that you can take a look at before making your final decision. 

It’s a big decision making a big purchase like this, but by installing artificial grass into your garden you can save money each year, making gardening a lot cheaper and not seem so much of a chore. 

So there we are, some of the easiest ways to save money whilst gardening. Although we are out of gardening season now, there’s no better time to get organised and start planning for next year, making sure you take advantage of some of the ideas here to save you the most money possible whilst making your garden look as beautiful as ever. 

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