Receive free advice and comment updates with our myFT Daily Digest email. A recent trip to the garden centre resulted in a significant drain on my finances. What was intended to be a quick purchase of seeds and compost turned into a shopping spree, including begonias, annuals, artisan bread, and a bush. The cost of landscaping and maintaining a garden can be exorbitant. While children are taught that plants grow from seeds and nature provides free flora, the reality is that I need to purchase flowers for my pots and beds. With the current financial crunch, I am looking for ways to save money on gardening expenses. However, I am not willing to let my garden grow wild or fill it with unnecessary objects.
One lesson I learned is to avoid opening your garden for charity events. While it may raise funds for a good cause, it can consume a significant amount of time and resources. My neighbors recently experienced this and, although their garden looks amazing with a beautiful water feature, it took away from their personal time and required a significant investment. Even without opening your garden, there are still numerous expenses, such as hiring a gardener, purchasing a ride-on mower, buying lawn feed and weed killer, and keeping garden furniture clean.
Growing your own fruit and vegetables is often touted as a money-saving option. However, it is not as economically viable as it seems. While I am encouraged by the progress of my cucumber plants, each plant will need to produce more than four cucumbers to justify the investment in compost. Additionally, pests and wildlife can wreak havoc on fruit and vegetable patches, resulting in little to no yield. However, I have found ways to make the most of my harvest, such as making jam or freezing excess berries for future use in cocktails.
While gardening can be expensive, it provides numerous benefits, including wellbeing, tasty produce, and a connection with nature. The joy of sitting in a garden filled with colorful flowers and enjoying a meal made from homegrown ingredients is priceless. However, one area where I could save money is by investing in better protection against wildlife that often destroys the fruits of my labor.
In conclusion, gardening may not be a cost-effective hobby, but the rewards it brings in terms of mental and physical well-being and the joy of connecting with nature make it worth the investment.
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