Economical Gardens

Have you ever wished that you could spend just a little less time and a little less money on your garden - and still have it look beautiful? British gardener Charlie Dimmock says this is possible. All it takes is some creativity.

Layering - Fashion's big trend also applies to gardening. The idea is to plant a variety of plants with different growing seasons, all at the same time, so you have a colorful container all year long.

Here's what you do:

In the bottom of your container, plant bulbs that bloom late in the spring such as tulips. Above the tulips, plant bulbs that bloom early in the spring such as daffodils. Even though the two layers of bulbs are separated by soil, try to stagger the bulbs some so they are not directly on top of or underneath one another.

In the center of your container, nestle a pipe that has holes drilled in it. The pipe is similar to a strawberry pot. If you place colorful annuals in the pipe they will spill out of the holes and over the top, adding height to your container.

Finally, plant some evergreen perennials such as ivy on the surface around the pipe. Don't worry, the bulbs will have no trouble poking their ways through the perennials.

Hanging baskets - Watering hanging baskets is time consuming and often winds up being ineffective. Dimmock suggests adding gel that's widely available in garden stores to the soil of these plants. The gel will attract and hold water, releasing it when the plant is thirsty.

Also, instead of dumping water on top of the plant, place ice cubes in the basket. They will slowly melt, allowing the water to be fully absorbed by the soil - and will only take you about ten seconds.

Mulch - Most gardeners know that mulching a bed or container helps plants hold onto moisture. This saves you time because you have to water less. But did you know that you don't have to spend money on gravel or bark from the garden center? Almost anything can be an effective mulch. Topping off a pot of flowers with an unusual mulch adds character to your garden. Specifically, try broken CDs, seashells, pine cones, recycled glass, pebbles or even old washers, nuts and bolts.

Pantyhose - Don't throw away ripped tights or pantyhose because they can be used in the garden. Cut them into strips and use them as plant ties on climbing plants such as clematis and roses, or on your tomatoes. Pantyhose are the ideal plant ties because they are very strong AND soft so they won't cut into the plant. Also - assuming you buy natural-colored pantyhose, they are virtually invisible. The best part? They are free.

Seedlings and Containers - This is a good time to take cuttings from your plants so you can grow new ones over the winter. This will definitely save you money at the nursery next spring. And, you can nurture the seedlings in, well, your trash. Next time you buy strawberries or other produce, hold onto the plastic packaging. These containers are the perfect mini greenhouse. The lid will capture moisture while the air holes allow for some circulation. Dump a couple of inches of soil inside, plant your cuttings, put the whole thing on a windowsill and watch Mother Nature at work.

Once the seedlings have grown some, transfer them into a paper coffee cup from Starbucks or other coffee vendor. When you are ready to put the plants in the ground, simply cut off the bottom of the cup and plant the rest. The paper will decompose, and you just saved yourself from making a big mess.

Plastic soda bottles - One more piece of trash that comes in handy in the garden is 20 oz. plastic soda bottles. Believe it or not, you can turn these into slug traps. The idea is that you place beer in the bottle, the slug crawls into the mouth of the bottle, and drowns. A final note: don't waste the good stuff on these garden pests. Slugs are more attracted to non-alcoholic beer because it contains more sugar.