8 plants that deliver big impact at a small cost for an effortlessly stunning and productive garden

Nothing beats reaping the rewards of the plants you've spent time looking after, whether those are breath-taking flower displays or tasty harvests to share with friends. That's why growing the best value-for-money plants is so satisfying.

The best budget garden ideas are those that fill our gardens with treats for a small price, but what are the best low-cost plants for high impact?

We’ve asked the experts to help us determine exactly that, focusing on the annuals that deliver real bang for your buck and a few perennials for lasting value.

1. Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums are incredibly easy to grow, and they'll quickly fill pots and borders with colour blooms and thick foliage. The cascading leaves also make them one of the best plants for hanging baskets.

'You can sow nasturtiums directly in sunny sites with poor soil,' says Kate Turner, gardening guru for Miracle-Gro. 'They’re great for pollinators and also for attracting pests like aphids away from your more expensive plants like cabbages and dahlias.'

Plus, there are various ways you can enjoy the edible parts of nasturtiums to really get your money's worth. 'You can eat the petals and leaves to add colour and spice to your salads, or pickle the seed heads as a caper substitute,' adds Kate.

And if you're looking for companion planting ideas, nasturtiums make great sacrificial plants.

Where to buy nasturtium seeds:

• Thompson & Morgan: a wide selection of nasturtium seeds to match every colour scheme.
• Sarah Raven: sow nasturtium 'Black Velvet' seeds for striking deep-red flowers.

2. Courgettes

When you hear people talking about gluts, they'll often be referring to courgettes. They're one of the easiest vegetables to grow, and the plants are prolific croppers, so you'll usually find yourself harvesting more than you know what to do with during the summer and autumn months.

A packet of courgette seeds could cost you as little as 89p from Thompson & Morgan, so it's a really cheap way of growing your own vegetables and achieving high yields. The large yellow flowers will brighten up your growing space, too.

Learning how to grow courgettes is simple, even for beginners, and if your garden is on the smaller side, knowing how to grow courgettes in pots is a great workaround.

Where to buy courgette seeds:

• Crocus: choose from a variety of courgette and marrow seeds.
• Suttons: stock up on courgette seeds for next year.

3. Snapdragons

Snapdragons are perhaps the most striking on our list of the best value-for-money plants. Like nasturtiums, they flower prolifically, providing beautiful diplays from June all the way until October.

'These gorgeous flowers can be sown indoors approximately 6-8 weeks before the last frost,' says Andy Ellis, former professional gardener and founder of Posh.co.uk. 'They come in a wide range of colours to bring your garden to life, and when you cut the flowers, they last for a very long time in vases. Just remember to deadhead them to keep them blooming.'

Where to buy snapdragon seeds:

• Suttons: take your pick from a beautiful selection of snapdragon seeds.
• Crocus: we love these unusual Antirrhinum majus 'Night and Day' seeds.

Andy Ellis

Andy Ellis is a former professional gardener turned interior designer and the founder of Posh.co.uk, home to an array of garden supplies and bathroom fittings. In his spare time, he can be found tending to his plants and continuing to work to make his garden the envy of the neighbourhood (he succeeded). 

4. Lettuce

It's called cut-and-come-again for a reason: lettuce is a prolific cropper, and the leaves will usually grow back several times after cutting.

The brilliant thing about growing your own lettuce is that you get hundred of seeds per packet. If you're wondering how to grow lettuce, consider sowing successionally for a continuous supply throughout summer and autumn.

'The seeds for this tasty vegetable should be sown in partial shade every 2-3 weeks to keep your lettuce patch thriving,' says Andy. 'They are very quick to mature, which means you can harvest them regularly and provide yourself with some delicious salads throughout the planting season.'

Where to buy lettuce seeds:

• Dobies: a wide selection of lettuce and leaf seeds to keep you going.
• Sarah Raven: a huge range of lettuce and salad seeds to choose from.

5. Dahlias

Dahlias are some of the best perennial plants to grow if you're after beautiful garden displays. One tuber will go a long way, producing multiple flowers each season, year after year. Grow them as the main stars of your garden border ideas, or learn how to grow dahlias in pots.

'There are so many colour options to choose from with dahlias which makes them so interesting,' says Chi Chi Dunford, head kitchen gardener at Dorchester's Sculpture by the Lakes. 'They are best suited to moisture-retentive soil so add plenty of well-rotted manure or compost when you prepare the bed for them.'

'Deadheading is important to encourage a continuous supply of fresh and beautiful flowers.'

Where to buy dahlias:

• Suttons: a huge range of dahlia plants to choose from.
• Gardening Express: buy the beautiful Dahlia 'Cafe au Lait' as bare root plants. It's my favourite variety!

Chi Chi Dunford

Chi Chi Dunford is the head kitchen gardener at Dorchester’s Sculpture by the Lakes, an internationally accredited botanic garden. Chi Chi joined the team in 2022 and manages the park’s quarter-acre allotment, growing fresh, seasonal produce which is used in the on-site café – the Makers Yard Kitchen.

6. Climbing jasmine

Summer-flowering climbing jasmine is a solid investment: it lasts year after year as a beautiful, scented centrepiece.

'These gorgeous plants will make your garden a fragrant and tranquil place to relax, and all they need is some well-draining soil to grow strong,' says Andy Ellis from Posh.co.uk. 'If you have the climbing variety, remember that they'll need supports as well. You can even grow jasmine in small containers for a little indoor fragrance.'

Where to buy jasmine plants:

• Dobies: Jasminum officinale shrubs for fragrant, starry flowers.
• Amazon: Jasmine officinale plants in 9cm pots.

7. Zinnias

Related to dahlias as part of the Asteraceae family, zinnias will add a pop of colour to any outdoor space, and they're great options for flower bed ideas or growing in containers.

'These are prolific bloomers, producing numerous flowers throughout the growing season,' says Morris Hankinson, managing director at Hopes Grove Nurseries. 'They are easy to grow from seed and bloom continuously until the first frosts.

'Zinnias provide a high volume of flowers at a low cost, and they are also excellent for cutting.'

Where to buy zinnias:

• Gardening Express: we love these Zinnia 'Zahara Fire' plants.
• Amazon: Mr Fothergill's zinnia seeds for vibrant displays.

8. Herbs

We couldn't complete this list without giving herbs a mention. Almost every variety makes the list of the best value-for-money plants.

'Herbs offer great value for money as you can keep cutting the leaves and they will continue to grow,' says Chi Chi from Sculpture by the Lakes.

'To plant your herbs for a successful harvest, sow ten seeds in a 9cm-deep pot. Once the herbs are around 5cm tall, re-pot them into a larger space. There is no need to thin them or separate them as they don’t like to have their roots disturbed.'

Where to buy herb plants and seeds:

• Crocus: over 70 herb plants and seeds to choose from.
• Gardeners Dream: this ready-grown herb collection includes three plants.

FAQs

What plants produce the most flowers?

In addition to the flowering plants on our list of the best value-for-money plants, several perennials stand out to Morris from Hopes Groves Nurseries as prolific bloomers.

'Echinacea (coneflower), Coreopsis, and black-eyed Susans are perennials renowned for producing the most flowers,' says Morris. 'They are highly adaptable and resilient, thriving in various soil conditions and requiring minimal maintenance once established. Their hardy nature allows them to focus energy on producing numerous blooms, making them perfect for high-impact garden aesthetics.'

What plants have the highest yield?

Courgettes, lettuce and herbs all top our list of vegetable plants that deliver the highest yields, but there are two other popular plants from which gardeners enjoy bountiful harvests.

'Tomatoes often yield many pounds of fruit per plant over the growing season,' says Morris. 'They are great as they can be grown in various climates and conditions, making them a reliable choice for high yields.

'Plus, beans, particularly bush and pole varieties, are easy to grow and can be harvested multiple times, offering a high yield from each plant.'

So, now you know which low-cost plants deliver the biggest impact, you can start planning your most productive garden yet.