Starting any garden can be expensive so here are some tips to help you get started on an English Garden, without spending much cash. There is no way you can have an instant English Garden (unless of course you are very rich and most of us aren’t!), but it is all part of the pleasure of a garden, watching it develop and grow.
Why not ask for plants as birthday, Christmas or anniversary presents? Create your own wish list of plants and tell people about it. That way your friends and family will know what to get you and you get to prioritize the plants you would like!
When visiting friends and neighbours who have gardens/plants you admire, why not ask if you could have a small cutting to take home?
In the autumn or spring when they are dividing their herbaceous perennials they might be perfectly happy to let you have a plant or two or three!
When your friend is trimming their box hedge or topiary ask if you can have the cuttings. Box is easy to grow and although not instantaneous you can get enough box plants as cuttings to edge a path or herb garden in a few years.
It is very pleasant to watch your little box plants grow and thicken up. If you set the cutting into an oblong window box you can leave them be and you will end up with a moveable box hedge!
Ask if you can collect the seeds from some of the plants you admire in other people’s gardens. Most people are willing to part with seeds and will give you advice on growing that particular plant.
Buy packets of seeds and grow your own perennials or annuals. A good way to get a better selection of plants is to grow seeds and then swap the extra maturing plants for something else you have been coveting.
Join a local gardening club. They will have informative meetings, visits to Gardens and nearly always have a plant swap scheme and swap seeds.
Go to garage or boot sales, where you can find people selling their extra unwanted plants quite cheaply. In England, the Women’s Institute markets are an excellent way of buying good plants without paying garden center prices.
Visit as many local English Gardens as you can to get ideas and talk to their owners if possible – usually they are very willing to give you tips and hints on plant growing.
Add lots of English Garden features – these could be ideal projects if you have a relation who enjoys woodwork or DIY or have a go at making them yourself.
Go for birdhouses, bird baths, seats, arches and arbors. Create a little pond to attract wildlife – this could be in a barrel – it doesn’t have to be huge.
Containers for plants are also easy to find – it is surprising how many people have plants growing in an old pair of wellies! But again visiting garage or boot sales you can pick up cheap plant pots and containers. Just make sure you add drainage holes if there are none.
A little herb garden set out in squares or a circle is an easy feature to make and adds character to your English Garden.
Growing lots of tall perennials or annuals towards the back of your border or flowering area helps to create that lush English Garden look.
You can buy seeds relatively cheaply so get a couple of packets of mixed wild flower seeds and grow a little patch of annual meadow flowers, that will look glorious in the late spring and summer months and all you will have to do is admire it and collect the seeds in the autumn.
Enjoy your garden !
