Cheap Garden Wins: How I Stock My Yard With $2 Zinnias and $3 Mandevilles
People love to act like you need a fat wallet to have a pretty yard or a productive garden. Truth is, most of my best plants came from clearance racks, roadside deals, or little mom-and-pop stands where plants cost less than a fast-food meal.
The Bargains That Built My Yard
- $2 Zinnias: Picked up in rough-looking pots, perked right up once I got them in the ground. Now they’re thriving and bringing pollinators into my garden.
- $3 Mandevilles: Beautiful climbing flowers that I scored dirt cheap. They add instant color and give the yard a tropical vibe without the tropical price.
- $4 Fall Mums: Bought on markdown because the season was “ending.” Guess what? They’ll come back next year.
- Facebook Marketplace Banana Trees: $10 each and already four feet tall. Try buying that at a nursery and see what they charge.
Why I Hunt For Deals
I don’t care how pretty the garden center looks—most of the time you’re paying for the marketing, not the plant. Bargain plants teach you to look past a little wilting or a half-broken stem and see potential. With a little water, sun, and care, those “cheap” plants can outgrow the expensive ones in no time.
The Real Win
Every bargain plant is one less excuse. You don’t need thousands of dollars to start growing beauty or food. You just need patience, some dirt, and a willingness to take a chance on the underdogs.
Cheap plants, big rewards. That’s how I stock my yard.
