After reading this article I realised that money was not the pivotal requirement for starting a garden. I mean, I knew that already, I just hadn't considered the outworking of it. Then I began contemplating whether, in fact, it could be done for absolutely zilch dollars? Well could it?

The answer to the title comes from the article already mentioned. Obviously, if you can start a flower garden for $10 you can start one for $5 - just by sharing the costs (and the seeds) with another person. If $5 is too much, then find two other people and split the costs and seeds 4 ways. You get the concept.

So, taking this to another level of gardening for zilch cost, one only has to be just as frugal and willing to think outside of the 'box' to get started.

Obtaining plants for your flower garden

• Annual Flowers: - once your neighbours' flowers have finished blooming ask whether you can deadhead their plants for them and collect seeds while you're at it.
• Bulbs: - some gardeners only grow bulbs for one season and then discard them. Find these gardeners and hang around them towards the end of spring and early summer.
• Divisible Plants: - agapanthus, clivias, sansevieria, irises can often take over gardens. Offer the gardener to divide these for the princely payment of keeping some of the divided clumps.

What about soil for your frugal garden?

Obviously you compost - because that's free. This awesome natural resource can be used for multiple garden requirements.

• Seed-raising and potting mix
• Soil Improver (or Ammendments, as you like to call them north of the equator)
• Mulch
• Liquid fertiliser

You name it, compost will become your best friend when starting a frugal garden.

Tools?

If you don't have a rich aunt who loves to endow you with gardening goodies every time she feels benevolent then start finding other alternatives for forcing your garden into submission. I wrote a post a while back which gave some helpful tips on where you could source some cheap garden tools.

With these three elements in hand you should have no problem starting your flower garden for 'next to nicks'. C'mon...stop using lack of funds as an excuse.