There are a lot of issues impacting our finances these days – from tariffs, climate-induced fires and severe weather events, to our groceries, insurance, cost of housing and transportation steadily rising.
But what if there was a way to enjoy a little peace of mind, while also saving some money? If it sounds too good to be true, then maybe it’s time to focus on yourself by gardening your way to a happier and less expensive lifestyle via adopting any one of these nine thrifty yet fun suggestions.
GROW YOUR OWN HERBAL TEAS
I don’t know if you have ever experienced fresh herbal tea, but mint that has been just cut, steeped in hot water and served right away is a taste experience you will never forget, and there are so many to choose from! Your typical Spearmint and Peppermint are useful enough, but don’t forget Lemon, Moroccan (traditionally served with green tea), Ginger, Strawberry (also great in fruit salads) and Chocolate. Of course it doesn’t stop there, as Lemon Verbena (Aloysia), Chamomile, and Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) also make great teas!
(📸 Pixabay)
DISCOVER NATURAL MEDICINES
Indigenous peoples have been harvesting curative herbs, berries, roots, and bark for millennia now and with websites like Plants for a Future (PPFA) you can discover their traditional uses, as well as any potential side effects. So, whether you want to concoct your own tinctures, cough syrups or medicinal teas, you can spend a little money on starter plants and potentially save a lot on your pharmacy bills.
(📸 Pixabay)
BECOME A BACKYARD FARMER
My wife comes from a farming family and has decided to grow edibles in any open space or container in our smallish townhouse backyard. I thought she was overly optimistic at first, but then the fresh lettuce, Swiss chard, tomatoes, parsley, basil, strawberries, peppers and peas started making their way into our meals and I learned to accept the wisdom of that crazy farm girl!
(📸 Pixabay)
TRY SOME PRUNING THERAPY
These are stressful times and while many people turn to professional therapy to cope, it can be difficult to fit those appointments into our hectic schedules. One option might be some pruning therapy, where you just put on a pair of gloves and sunhat, and become a gardener for an hour or two. Quietly pruning is nurturing, brings you closer to nature and generally calms the soul. Of course, you will have to inform your husband or significant male other, that chainsaws are exempt from this particular practice.
(📸 Pixabay)
SHIFT TO SEASONAL CUT FLOWERS
Cut flowers are grown all over this planet, from Holland to Columbia and even Africa, which is why they can be expensive to purchase after they have been shipped here to Canada. Why not switch to harder-to-find seasonal blooms such as lilacs, peonies, roses, dahlias and sunflowers – all of which you can grow in your own garden at a fraction of the cost and still make those impressive bouquets.
(📸 Pixabay)
CHOOSE FRESH OVER DRIED HERBS
The next time you purchase a bag of dried herbs from the grocery store, open the package and take a deep breath. Then try cutting a fresh sprig of rosemary, thyme or cilantro, roll it lightly between your fingers and discover what herbs should really smell and taste like. Whether its sage (Salvia officinalis), parsley or chives, that cream cheese is always going to taste better with a little fresh-chopped herbs from your garden.
(📸 Pixabay)
CREATE HOMEMADE JAMS
While I was writing my last book, Extraordinary Ornamental Edibles, I made a point of making as many jams and jellies as possible out of the rare plants I was introducing to the public. What I learned was that store-bought preserves are all colour and no flavour, as the many jellies (rose petal, goji-ghost pepper, osoberry, quince) and jams (dogwood, medlar, Oregon grape) I made seemed paler in hue, but were an absolute delight for the taste buds.
(📸 Pixabay)
SPROUTING A HEALTHY MEAL
It can be hard to find sprouts at the local grocery store anymore due to multiple outbreaks of Salmonella in commercial crops, but that shouldn’t stop you from growing them at home as they are easy to cultivate and highly nutritious. Your other option is microgreens (pea shoots, beets, broccoli, mustards, cilantro, radish and sunflower) which are cut seedlings that bring taste and nutrition to salads, sandwiches, wraps and of course, those toasted onion bagels with fresh cream cheese.
(📸 Pixabay)
CULTIVATE GOURMET MUSHROOMS
If you have ever been to Granville Island and checked out the prices of wild mushrooms, you know that cooking with them can be a very expensive ordeal. A better option here are Mushroom kits, which can be grown in any home, at any time of the year and they are guaranteed to be organic. You can often reap 2 to 3 harvests, and all those expensive varieties (Shiitake, Pink Mushroom, Chestnut, Blue Mushroom and Lion’s Mane) are readily available and when freshly cut, you get every ounce of homegrown flavour.
(📸 MK Lascelle)
Copyright 2025 MK Lascelle
