May is the perfect time to get your garden looking in tip top shape. However, planting can be incredibly expensive, especially if you don’t know how to maximize what your planting and choose items that are simple to grow. Although it may be hard to choose how to plant your garden, there are many options that can maximize your money to give you the most back. With these ten plants in your garden, you’re sure to feel the wealth of what a home garden can bring. You may not even have to spend a dime, if you are truly looking to keep your garden frugal.
1. Lavender
When it comes to adding beauty to your garden, nothing will help you quite like lavender will. The plant creates a beautiful purple color that will help set your garden apart from others. It will also add a calming scent that will make the whole family want to spend more time outdoors. Apart from creating a nice setting in the garden, lavender has a lot of uses. You can actually cook with it, add it to your tea or eat it straight out of the garden to create many amazing health benefits. Lavender makes a great display in the home too and can liven up any room. Another great option for lavender is to create lavender oil, which offers many health benefits. One huge benefit from lavender oil is calming children before bedtime, which could be a major reason to rejoice in your household.
2. Shrubs
If you don’t like empty space in your garden then shrubs are the way to go. They come in all shapes and sizes, which make them perfect for creating shapes or adding borders to the garden. One of the best things about shrubs is you can shape them to suit your needs. If you need them to stay short then all you need to do is keep up with the trimming. Of course, if you like large shrubs for shade then this is a possibility too. You can grab shrubs that grow berries or shrubs that stay green all year long, depending on your climate and the aesthetics of your garden. Best of all, most of them don’t need a lot of water to survive, so you can keep your water bill down without sacrificing the beauty of your plants.
3. Azaleas
When it comes to the Spring bloom, you can’t go wrong with azaleas. A simple seed packet of these flowers can leave you with a beautiful burst of color every time spring rolls around. These stunning flowers are simple to care for too and can last for several weeks. This will ensure you won’t have to worry about putting too much work into your garden, especially during the indecisive Spring months. These flowers grow best under shade, so they could be the perfect way to spice up the trees in your yard or to add to areas that don’t normally grow plants well. The lovely pinks of the flowers are sure to be a hit with the neighbors, especially if you pair them with other flowers of different colors.
4. Herbs
Freshness can really change the way your meals taste, which is why you might want to consider adding herbs to your garden. These delicious plants tend to be easy to grow and will allow you to head to your garden for a clipping of basil, rosemary or more whenever you need to cook something special. The best thing about herbs is you can regrow them in no time at all. This will allow you to keep up with your garden without having to spend a penny on new seeds for the herb section. A lot of herbs can even keep away mosquitos and other bugs, which is great for the summer months when they tend to hang around the home. A lot of herbs also put off delicious scents, which will make you want to spend more time in the garden and less time cooped up indoors.
5. Cypress Tree
Having shade for the home and lawn can be pretty important, especially if you live in a hot environment. That’s why a cypress tree or three can really come in handy. These trees come in a wide variety, so you can easily choose one that suits the look you’re going for or is simple to grow in your climate. These trees tend to be on the cheap side too and are simple to grow so you’ll only need to purchase them once. The best thing about them is they shoot up fast, so your yard will get the shade it needs in no time at all. This can cut back on your cooling needs while adding a lot of charm to your yard. Many people even plant these trees in rows to create the illusion of a fence, without having to spend the money on one. With the price of these trees so low, you can easily fill your yard with them without damaging your budget, which is what makes them a must have.
6. Tomatoes
Another cheap option to add to the garden is tomato plants. You don’t even need to purchase seeds for this plant. Instead, cut open a tomato and plant it in the ground. This will sprout a new tomato plant, which you can begin to tend to. Tomatoes are a bit more challenging to grow than some of the other plants you may try, but they are still beginner level. Having tomatoes in your garden offers a lot of benefits though. They are fun to grow and allow you to build onto your gardening skills. They also help you cut down on the amount of produce you have to buy at the store. With tomatoes growing in the garden, you can create your own pasta sauce, jar stewed tomatoes or simply have delicious sandwiches. You won’t even have to worry about pesticides or other toxins on your produce, which is always a nice feeling.
7. Squash
If you’re looking for another way to stretch your grocery money then growing squash can really help out. Squash is one of the easiest vegetable to grow in your garden, so you can even have the kids help out. One of the greatest things about it is you can grow different kinds to keep your home stocked with colorful foods. This can help keep your family’s diet filled with nutrients and will even allow you to always have a vegetable option on hand. Apart from having so many varieties to try to grow, the seeds are incredibly cheap to buy. A packet can even last you years, so you won’t have to spend money to make your garden great. Squash tends to go pretty fast too and you can even try to grow large items to enter into contests during seasonal fairs.
8. Lilies
When it comes to adding even more beauty to your garden then lilies are certainly an option to consider. These lovely flowers come in wide varieties too, but the price of seeds also varies. Of course, one of the best things about these flowers is they are a cinch to grow. In fact, in some places they will even grow wild, so you may find they expand their reach after you plant them. Lilies can really bring a touch of romance to your garden, which might even win you some prizes if you enter a competition. The flowers from your garden can also be clipped and made into bouquets that you can sell to make some extra money from.
9. Ivy
One way to add a dramatic effect to your garden is to add a little ivy. This plant is cheap to buy a grows quickly to create a stunning look that will add to the background of your garden. You can use special poles or decorations to grow your ivy, or to keep it even more frugal, you can add it to the side of your home. Usually this plant spreads incredibly fast, so a little goes a long way. Before you know it, you will be able to show off your garden’s charm faster than you thought possible. There’s a wide variety of ivy too, so you can choose one that suits your style or grow a variety to add even more beauty to the garden.
10. Sunflowers
Another charming addition to the garden is the sunflower. This stunning flower is not only lovely to look at, but follows the sun which creates an amazing look in your garden. These flowers can grow quite large too, which will help limit the need to plant a whole lot of other items. Sunflowers can easily be sold for extra money, but they also make great snacks. All you need to do is collect the seeds and bake them and you’ll have a healthy snack most of the family will love. This is especially great during sports seasons, so you don’t have to waste money on snacks at the venue. Sunflowers don’t need a lot of upkeep either, so you can enjoy a beautiful garden without as much worry.
Gardening is a great way to relax and add value to your home. However, sometimes it can drain your budget. Luckily, these ten plants can quickly become your favorite go to plants that will make your garden thrive for less money. Before long, you’ll have a beautiful getaway that may even earn you some extra money.
