Patio tubs and baskets full of trailing annuals

I too love gardening and have to manage on a restricted income. I share seeds, cuttings and plants with friends - this cuts down a lot on the price. One friend save nasturtium seeds which she propagates for more plants, another loins and I cultivate the sweet pea seeds. It can be easy to have a lovely blooming garden with a bit of work and effort without spending a fortune. Happy gardening!!!!

Welcome to mylot! Although I try not to overdo with new buys, there´s always the temptation. Only yesterday, I went with a friend to buy "a couple" of bulbs. I ended up with a lavender shrub, many bulbs, two chrisantemus in bloom and some extra pots. My friend did something like that too. But I save as many seeds as I can and start them in late Winter under cover. And I steal cuttings from friends and family. Many grow if you place them in containers with very good soil and moist but not drown them. I love to garden!!!

It saves to buy annuals as plugs, ie small about 10mm high, in January and then pot them on at home if you have the space. I grew some geraniums from seed years ago and now with cuttings each year I have about 50 plants that I over winter each year. The last two years I have been over wintering begonias and only loose about 10%. The survivors start the summer as really big plants and make a great show. My sweet peas are already in for two weeks but the mice have eaten about half and the stumps are just starting to sprout again. Last year I put sprigs of sharp pointed berbris round the sweet peas and that kept the mice off but gave me painful stabs when I tilled the soil in the autumn so I tried to get away with it this year - failed! I over winter my hanging baskets and let the anuals die off and collect the seed in the spring. I then empty the basket and fill with new soil and re-plant those that have survived the winter like fuscias and geraniums then pop in some petunias and lobelia. The other really good show this spring has been my wallflowers that I grew last year from collected seed. I sowed a few rows in the vegetable patch and then lifted and planted then out in the autumn after the annuals were over. What a great show and scent for free! A lot can be done to save money as long as you have the time and the space.