Credit crunch gardens

That hasn’t put award-winning garden designer Sarah Eberle off, though. She has created three fun credit crunch gardens at short notice (costing £5,000 each), to fill the space Fleming’s left when it withdrew its show garden due to the bush fires in Australia in February.

Money-saving visitors should be inspired by Sarah’s creations – The Overdrawn Artist’s Garden, The Off-Shore Garden and The Banker’s Garden, which show how to create entertaining, environmentally responsible gardens on a budget.

The gardens feature hard materials, furniture and other items made from things found at the local scrap-yard, while environmental messages include water harvesting and urban drainage.

Sarah says there are many things gardeners can do to save money during the credit crunch.

“Use your imagination and think outside the box as to how you could use materials to make your garden more personal,” she suggests.

“It’s much better to have something charming and slightly more informal than trying to do something that the professional landscaper would do.”

For those who want a selection of new plants, but don’t want to have to pay a lot for them, Sarah advises hosting a garden party.

“Invite your friends around and ask them to bring plants instead of wine. Alternatively, visit your local summer fete, which always has a plant stall, and swap with friends if you have to lift and divide clumps of different plants.”

When choosing plants, she says anything slow-growing and evergreen is going to be more expensive.

“Choose plants which are naturally prolific as they may grow quickly and self seed.”

She recommends grasses which can be grouped together and offer real value for money. They also look fantastic in small urban gardens.

“You can make whole gardens out of grasses and cut different lengths into patterns,” Sarah says. “Draw a couple of ground lines, mow them and come up with something really interesting.”

If you’re after colour, try seeded flower mixes in urban situations, she advises.

“Get a load of seed and scatter it for a wonderful blanket of colours.

Sow seeds of annuals, which you can change each year. They will give a much more natural effect than bedding plants.”

Don’t overspend when trying to achieve a particular look – like giving paving a brick edge, which may be unnecessary.

“Although details are important, overall it’s the quality of the space which is paramount – and that comes from personality, comfort and feeling appropriate to the user.”

There are other techniques you can use to save money.

Award-winning horticulturalist and TV gardener Chris Beardshaw (pictured above) advises that you limit yourself to one new plant each month. “That way you will have something new to admire and, if you choose one for each month of the year, you can be sure that your garden will have year-long interest.

“Take advantage of multi-purchase offers as planting in blocks makes a bold impact and fills an area quickly and cheaply.”

Chris also recommends shopping at nurseries rather than supermarket-style garden centres.

“There is often more variety or more unusual plants on offer and you have less non-gardening items to distract you into spending more money.”