In The Garden: Are you a Fruglaista?

Do you consider yourself a Frugalista?

Yes, I certainly do.  A Frugalista is defined as "a person who lives a frugal lifestyle but stays fashionable and healthy''. I have always liked the thrill of uncovering a good find and have scouted my fair share of garage sales and flea markets, hosted a handful of clothes swaps and now am learning that not only is it trendy but environmentally friendly. 

Have you seen the Frugalista movement growing recently?

In the garden it has really taken off, as people are choosing to grow their own food. Some examples are gourmet salad greens, heirloom tomatoes, Italian basil and some of the more delicate melons that are so pricey in the market. A packet of seeds goes a long way to eating healthy and saving money. 

What can people do in their gardens that are both frugal and life-enhancing?

Chose a sunny spot (preferably lawn) and turn it into a cut flower garden. Some flowers that are easy to grow with a long season are Peruvian lilies, Dahlias  - and to take you all the way through fall - Zinnias  It is so refreshing to have fresh cut flowers around the house and growing your own can be very rewarding. 

What should people be on the lookout for that would work well in the garden?

I tend to be drawn to rusty pieces of metal that I can grow things up. I once used the inside grate of an old wood stove to hold plants in containers. We just built our greenhouse from 90% recycled material starting with two large 7'x7' single paned windows our friends had remodeled out of their home. Your really have to let your imagination get the better of you in this case, but as you can see from the above picture, the results are well worth it.