They are lovely! I thought my garden wouldn't support a magnolia stellata but was tempted into paying £2 for an abandoned stick in a pot in Morrison's. It's a beauty, now, one of the best things in the garden.
I deliberately avoid calculating exact expenditure in the garden, I would be horrified and OH more so! Starting from scratch, as I did 5 years ago, it has been pretty high, several thousand at least, maybe much more. My soil is a thin layer of clay over rock so expensive raised beds were the only way to get any planting depth and the cost of constructing and filling those must have been ten times the cost of plants to fill them.
I thought I would be done with major expenditure and be near ‘completion’ after 3 years, but quickly realised there is no such thing. Always in ‘need’ of a new fence, bed, feature, plant... but what price could you put on the satisfaction and enjoyment of creating and developing a garden and why would you want to?!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
I wouldn't dare add it up, but when I do buy I try and do a bit of price checking to make sure I've got the best value, and I do tend to but small plants to grow on. Luckily I've a fast growing climate. Also, I love bulbs and they happily come up year after year, so obviously great value for money - that's how I justify it anyway. Compost, plant food, tools, I really daren't think!
But I love my garden more than anything else and during these dark days it has been motivating and relaxing at the same time. What price is happiness and sanity worth. 😁
“Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
I don't count, don't want to know. But I guess 2020 could well be over a thousand. There were some bigger purchases like obelisks and arches. 2018/19 we did some hard landscaping and built the pergola. So every year is different. I haven't had a year yet that would be just upkeep. But a year like that would still cost £100 in compost and another £100 in bulbs and annuals for pots. I don't care because it is my major hobby the only thing I spend money on (not counting traveling but that wasn't a cost in 2020 and probably won't be in 2021 ). I don't buy fancy clothes, I don't use any beauty services, we don't eat out etc.
I spend a lot, too, but it's one of my two main hobbies (the other is playing bridge, and that's very cheap!), I'm learning so much just by doing (rather than spending money on courses), and, during my son's recent mh problems, it has saved both my sanity and the cost of counselling... I'm lucky to be able to afford it, and that I never have to justify the amount I spend to anyone other than myself (think my husband believes in the "happy wife for a happy life" saying...)
My other hobby garners an income so, on balance, I could probably spend more on the garden. However, I'm a tight northerner, who today returned from an emergency trip to get a light bulb from B&Q delighted at the discovery of a 'Free Pots' crate
I never tally up what i spend but it's a lot, however I don't smoke, drink alcohol, have any TV subscription or have any other hobbies. I just garden and if I see something I like I buy it. Most expensive plants are 2 tree ferns and a large Trachycarpus fortunie all 6ft tall and each was £250, I also bought a pack of lupin seeds for £2 and grew 85 plants last year so I'm also quite tight sometimes.
The garden is my passion and took a huge amount of sacrifice to buy it so now I really enjoy it
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I thought I would be done with major expenditure and be near ‘completion’ after 3 years, but quickly realised there is no such thing. Always in ‘need’ of a new fence, bed, feature, plant... but what price could you put on the satisfaction and enjoyment of creating and developing a garden and why would you want to?!
But I love my garden more than anything else and during these dark days it has been motivating and relaxing at the same time. What price is happiness and sanity worth. 😁
I don't care because it is my major hobby the only thing I spend money on (not counting traveling but that wasn't a cost in 2020 and probably won't be in 2021
The garden is my passion and took a huge amount of sacrifice to buy it so now I really enjoy it
About £60 on seeds