You can fill a flower border without spending a ton of money by planting some annuals and perennials by seed, says Kier Holmes, author of Amazon's The Garden Refresh: How to Give Your Yard Big Impact on a Small Budget.
Buying smaller plants is quite cost-effective. Young herbaceous perennials planted in April will bloom in summer and grow and blossom again in coming years.
Keep an eye out for discounts and special deals. A wonderful method to achieve this is to buy shrubs and perennials out of season. They may look ragged in the garden center, but they'll revive next year.
Ask your garden center about customer perks. Many provide a guarantee on hardy plants, so you may return them for a refund if they fail.
Look for perennials that can be divided to grow new plants. Purchase larger plants and divide them to generate more plants, suggests Kier, to save money at the garden center.
Between fall and early spring, several plants are sold ‘bare root’ (without soil), which is cheaper and gets them established faster.
Grow fast-growing evergreen vines and shrubs to gain seclusion on a budget, says Kier. Birch trees, Clematis montana, rambling roses, star jasmine, passion flower, cherry laurel, butterfly bush, and bamboo grow quickly.
Buy a healthy plant to guarantee it survives planting and doesn't bring pests or diseases to your garden. You want good foliage, no moss on the compost, and no slugs or yellow overloaded roots.