1. Potted choice

Many perennial plants, such as this columbine, come in 15-20cm pots, but you’ll often find they are also available in small or mini pots. So you can buy 2-3 plants for the same price as one large pot. Put the mini plants in the ground, and in as little as one season, they will have reached the size of the specimen in the large pot. Note: pot size is measured across the mouth of the pot, not by its height.

2. Thrifty pots 

Venture up to the back of your nursery and you’ll probably find chipped or damaged pots for sale, discounted by as much as 75 per cent. You can easily position pots so flaws are hidden, or you can just grow trailing plants over the chips.

3. Mulch

Bagged or block mulch is very convenient when you only have a small area to cover. But when you have an entire garden to mulch, it can become a very expensive option. Instead, contact your local landscape supplier or, better still, tree lopper. You may find that you can buy fresh mulch for less than $20 a cubic metre.

4. New-release bargains

There’s nothing like the pleasure of owning a beautiful new-release plant, particularly a rose. The problem is that when you buy them in pots, in full bloom, you can pay $50 or more. However, there are ways you can save money. Just buy your new-release roses early in the season as bare-rooted stock, and pot or plant them yourself. Or, if you can wait just a little while, once they have finished blooming at the end of the season, you’ll often find them heavily discounted.

5. Post blooming

There’s an old saying, ‘anything is only worth what people will pay for it’. This is very true when it comes to plants in bloom. Plants such as clivias and agapanthus are likely to have a premium price attached to them when they are in flower. If you are after a specific colour or shade, buying in bloom is advisable. If, however, you aren’t too fussed and are simply after regular colours, then buy before or after flowering to avoid any price spikes.

Many plants are a breeze to grow from cuttings or, in the case of succulents, leaves. Keep a bag of propagating mix on hand for when you prune. Simply take fresh tip cuttings, about 10-15cm long, and push them into a pot filled with the mix. Position the cuttings around the edge of the pot as this will provide them with support and keep them warm.

Then simply water well and ensure they’re in a warm spot. In as little as a six weeks, they’ll start developing roots and will be ready to pot. For succulents, any leaves that break off, or clippings that are taken, can just be partially pushed into propagating mix and watered sparingly. In no time they’ll start sprouting new pups and will become independent plants.

7. Seed savers

Growing your own vegies is fantastic fun, but it can get costly when you want half a dozen punnets of quality seedlings. So why not try growing your vegies from seed instead? You’ll pay a fraction of the price for a multitude of plants. In fact, chances are you’ll have so many plants, you’ll be giving them away!

8. Small is beautiful

One of the greatest bargains to be had when nursery shopping is tube stock. These small, narrow pots (about 40 x 80mm) were once only used commercially but are now more readily available. Tube stock settles into the garden very quickly and will often grow at a surprisingly rapid rate. The best part is, when you buy in large quantities you will be paying as little as $1.50 a plant!

9. Local knowledge

You may be very surprised at the discounted or free, goods and services available from your local council. Depending on where you live, your council may offer discounted worm farms or compost bins, free or cheap mulch, or a chipping service that will turn your prunings into mulch.

Just about all plants need a good feed for best flowering and fruiting performance – like these. Many fertilisers are available in a variety of pack or bag sizes. Don’t just grab the bag that suits your immediate needs or is easiest to carry. Look at the pack sizes and do a quick calculation of cost per kilo. You’ll discover that bulk bags, 20-40kg, are dramatically cheaper per kilo. If you don’t use it all in one go, then store the extra in a sealed container.