Gardening can be expensive…(trust me, stay away from mail order unless you’re chaparoned by a non-gardener!)

But it can also be very inexpensive.. even free!

That’s right: free. Stop the Ride has a great post on Low Cost (and Free) Flower Beds.

These tips can also be used for growing your own food. Use open-pollinated vegetables, and save your seed! Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit organization that encourages people to save and propagate heirloom and open-pollinated seeds. You can get seeds from them (but not free) and then collect seeds from then on.

Also, ask gardeners for soft wood cuttings from fruit trees and bushes. Free food is even better than free flowers!