Making A Budget Friendly Garden

I’ve been thinking a lot about next year’s garden, and I wanted to chat with you about something that’s been on my mind lately: is it really possible to create a budget friendly garden?

It’s the end of the season here, and I’ve just tucked away the fountain and stored my ceramic pots for the winter. The nights are getting frosty, so I’ve settled into that quiet, cozy planning mode, dreaming about how to make my garden look even better next spring—without breaking the bank.

You know I’m not sponsored, and I don’t get any freebies sent my way for Garden Moxie, so I’m working with the same limitations you probably are.

I’m determined, though, to create something really beautiful on a budget. In fact, I’m going for a specific theme: a white and blue garden, inspired by a gardening legend I’ve been reading lately—Vita Sackville-West. Her book In Your Garden has given me tons of inspiration for plant combos and color schemes.

Honestly, I’m so excited about putting these ideas into practice. Since the garden’s basically asleep right now, it’s the perfect time to dream, scheme, and plan. It also gives me time to develop a budget friendly garden.

My Back Garden Layout

I’m dealing with four distinct sections in my backyard, each with its own light conditions, which makes things tricky and fun.

White flowers are amazing in shadier spots because they really pop, and blue flowers bring a dreamy, calming vibe. My goal is to reuse a lot of what I already have—dividing perennials, moving things around—so I don’t have to spend a ton of money.

For example, I’ve got white reblooming irises (‘Immortality’), hostas (‘Minuteman’), silver-toned Japanese painted ferns, some white foxglove seedlings, and single white peonies (‘Krinkle White’) that I can shuffle between the borders. That alone saves me a bundle.

Budget-friendly garden color scheme — Images to capture the essence of a white and blue color scheme

Spring Blooming Bulbs

For early spring, I’m focusing on white tulips and daffodils with those delicate “poet-style” blooms. They’ll really set the stage. I think white flowering plants brighten up the garden. Especially a shady spot.

I’ll also keep my eye open for off-season clearances on bulbs for a budget-friendly garden.

White flowers and tulips — White tulips and spring bulbs

I’m also thinking about adding blue flowers—like desert bluebells (Phacelia campanularia), baby blue eyes (Nemophila menziesii), blue Woodruff (Asperula orientalis), and one of my all-time favorites, love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena).

Photo of Nigella ‘Persian Jewels Indigo’ by Select Seeds

Many of these can be grown from seed, which is a total budget win. Sure, some of them need full sun, and not all my sections get that, but I’ll pick and choose what works best in each spot. Gardening is always a bit of a puzzle, right?

How I’ll Approach This Project

Right now, I’m deep into research mode. I’m flipping through old photos of the garden to remember what worked and what didn’t, browsing seed catalogs, and mapping out colors and heights.

Shorter plants, I’ve realized, can really help layer the garden nicely. Plus, I’ll be hosting a little wintertime garden design book club from January to April 2025, diving into all sorts of design books—In Your Garden included—to keep the ideas flowing while the ground is still too cold to dig.

I’d Love to Hear What you Think

So that’s what’s going on in my world: planning and dreaming under a warm blanket while the garden rests outside.

Do you think it’s possible to get a gorgeous garden on a budget? I’m determined to prove that it is. I’ll keep you posted as I figure out my final plant list and start setting the stage for spring. Talk soon!