With prices rising almost daily, Mark Lane’s new book The Thrifty Gardener couldn’t have been better timed. Designed to show you how to reduce waste and make your money go further, it’s about gardening on the cheap without sacrificing style.
(#Ad. Sent review copy. Not paid to post.)
For designer and TV presenter Mark, (you can read my previous interview with him here) thrifty doesn’t mean just saving pennies, it’s also about saving the planet by reducing waste, recycling and making choices that benefit nature.
“In a world of climate change and growing inflation, every gardener needs to reassess how they garden and how they spend their money,” he says.
As such, The Thrifty Gardener is aimed at both the novice and experienced grower – the latter can learn how to “cut out unnecessary expenses”.
The book opens with an overview before moving on to basics such as getting to know your garden, the soil type and any microclimates along with how to start planning.
Advice includes avoiding garden fashions in favour of what you like, when to call in the professionials, and the importance of keeping a garden journal, something that’s particularly important when taking on an established plot.
Recycling and DIY are great ways of saving cash and The Thrifty Gardener includes ideas for alternative containers, how to use an umbrella as a temporary cloche, and recipes for homemade soil pH testers and pesticides.
It moves on to choosing plants along with suggestions for everything from trees to edibles. Native plants and those that thrive in your neighbourhood are good bets as they are likely to need less coddling.
Of course, the truly thrifty way of planting is to propagate your own and there are step-by-step instructions on all methods as well as saving seed.
Above all, resourceful gardeners are adaptable, changing planting plans if something is unavailable or too expensive, and making use of everything.
“Thriftier gardening is a mindset and practice that all gardeners should embrace,” says Mark. “What we do today will affect or dictate how we garden in the future.”
The Thrifty Gardener by Mark Lane is published by Frances Lincoln with an RRP of £18. #Ad You can buy it here for £13.59. (If you buy via this link, I receive a small commission. The price you pay is not affected.) Alternatively, you may wish to buy from an independent bookseller here. All prices correct at time of publication of this post.
Top image: Salt Dean garden.
All images © Sarah Cuttle and Mark Lane.
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