Britain is serious about gardening. So serious, in fact, that we spend around £30,000 per household on gardening over our lifetimes and spend an estimated 5,700 hours each in the garden throughout our lives. There's something about creating and tending our own patch of nature that appeals to our souls, but as any gardener will tell you, it takes more than soul to make a garden flourish.
Gardeners also need the right tools, plants, plant pots, solar lights, garden storage, and garden furniture to turn their yards into beautiful, manicured spaces that suit their own unique tastes. This hotukdeals buyer's guide delves into the world of garden products, and should help you find exactly what you need to turn boring old lawns into spectacular floral displays. From cheap garden furniture to cheap plants, we collect all garden deals here at our listings, so check it out!
There's a reason why the “English country garden” is known across the world, and why the Chelsea Flower Show is one of the pre-eminent global gardening events. Starting in the 18th century, the UK invented its own style of gardening, drawing on centuries of everyday practice to create natural-feeling, flower-packed spaces that were crisscrossed with pathways, fountains, and rock walls.
By the time the Victorians arrived on the scene, it was customary for wealthy Brits to cultivate a garden to impress their visitors. But the Victorians took things further. Gardening was an obsession for mi 19th century Brits, as they brought in plants from across the world, and the garden centre industry grew rapidly.
The middle class suddenly found that it had time, money, and space to explore gardening seriously. Flower beds, hot-houses, wooden fences, summer houses, and ponds all became status symbols (and matters of personal obsession). And this was reflected in novels like the “Secret Garden”, which drew on the importance of private green spaces for British children.
In the 20th century, working-class gardening became much more important, as parks became larger and more ambitious, allotments became available, and housing improved. By the mid-20th century, it was normal to find nurseries and garden centres in every town, with mail-order services for exotic seeds, and gardening manuals on every bookshelf.
Television helped, as well, with Gardener's World becoming a surprisingly popular show, while Gardener's Question Time still retains a cult following on Radio 4. And there are few signs of a gardening depression. As people become more eco-conscious in the UK, they are flocking to their gardens to grow herbs, fruit and veg, and to escape air pollution or urban noise. Balcony gardening in high-rises is even enjoying a renaissance, as any glance up in urban centres will prove.
If you are a passionate gardener, you'll know how expensive the hobby can be. So let's explore ways to save money and find the perfect products that will allow your plot to shine.
Firstly, where are the best places in the UK to find a garden furniture sale, or affordable plants to add to your beds?
Until recently, out of town garden centres have been the primary option, and they continue to be extremely popular. Quality varies a little between companies but Wyevale tends to be fairly reliable, and runs branches across the country. However, check for independents in your area, as they may offer services and connections to landscapers or arboriculturists.
Supermarkets now offer an alternative for people who aren't keen to drive to suburban garden retailers and carry boxes of plants back in their car boot. Almost all major supermarkets will have plant selections (especially from March to September). Most larger stores will have sections with seeds, weedkillers, tools, and books. Prices for plants should be reasonable, but choose your products carefully. Quality control isn't always as tight with supermarkets as it is at the best garden specialists.
The rise of the internet has presented gardeners with a third option: buying online. Obviously, you can purchase things like lawnmowers, hoes, forks, and spades from big retailers like B&Q or via Amazon. But you can also order plants, which is something fewer gardeners consider.
Retailers like Crocus specialise in arranging safe deliveries, which minimise the risk of damaging plants in transit, and the Royal Horticultural Society's own store (RHS Plants) is a good place to look as well. Before you buy anything online, though, be sure to check the hotukdeals Garden and plant listings for current discount codes.
Whether you want to relax on a high-rise balcony, or you're furnishing a massive verandah, finding the correct garden furniture is essential. When doing so, here are the major categories of products to think about adding to your design:
Garden Table and Chairs Sets – It's rare to find a garden without somewhere to sit with the newspaper or drink tea with friends, but the range of garden table and chair options are extensive. So which style should you choose? Whenever you buy tables and chairs, go for weather-resistant materials that aren't too heavy. Metals like aluminium can be fine, but rattan fibres are preferable due to their soft feel and durability. If you want extra comfort, models with cushions are great. Again, choose all-weather cushions that are easy to clean, or models with storage compartments for soft furnishings. And think about space. Don't buy products that will overwhelm your patio, or too many chairs for the space available. If you do want a large stash of chairs, make sure they are stackable. That way, storing them in between uses will be much easier.
Parasols and Tables – If you purchase a table and chair set, it also makes sense to add a parasol and base to the mix. These oversized umbrellas are made from lightweight canvas or other fibres, which protects the table against both sunlight and rain. The best aren't heavy, and are easy to slot into apertures in the centre of the table, before connecting to solid bases that anchor them in windy conditions. However, if you don't want a parasol sticking through the middle of the table (and not everyone does), cantilever parasols offer an alternative. They can be attacked to poles or walls, and extended across a table, and make a lot of sense for smaller spaces.
Garden Benches – A garden bench is the ideal way to relax and enjoy the flowers, wildlife, and general atmosphere of a well-tended garden. Be careful when picking one, though. Remember that garden benches are bulky and semi-permanent. They need to last for years of outdoor exposure and use, which means that durable materials are essential. Wood is popular, but will demand some form of treatment to seal it against the rain. Rattan is an option, as it is plastic, but these styles don't tend to last well beyond 2-3 years. Instead, metal or stone benches are the ideal variety. They may be slightly pricier, and bulkier to install, but they pay back the initial investment in their longevity, avoiding the need for replacement after a couple of years. And premium garden bench designs can often be found at massive reductions via garden furniture sale promotions, so snap up the right style at hotukdeals when they become available.
Hammocks and Recliners – Summer is the peak season for enjoying a garden, and it's also a great time to unfold or unroll fabric-based garden furniture. Most people will want a deckchair or two in their garden shed, or a hammock to string between trees in a shady corner. When you buy a hammock, think about softness, ease of use, and size (you don't want to tumble out in mid-snooze). If height is a worry, go for a recliner instead. These folding seats can be adjusted to the shape of a dozing body. Choose models with materials that won't chafe or start to feel clammy in hot weather. And go for recliners that can pack away conveniently when not needed.
So, what brands should you look to when buying garden furniture? There are plenty of dependable names out there, but popular labels include Montura, Ikea, John Lewis, and Hokku – whose Japanese-inspired designs have a unique look. Hadleigh make excellent garden chairs, VonHaus hammocks offer great value, while Habitat designs elegant metal benches, and Cleobury's wooden benches also sell very well.
When it comes to storage, go for as much as you can fit in or afford, without ruining the aesthetics of your garden. Let's start with the most important storage purchase of all: the classic garden shed.
Most gardeners will find it advisable to max out on shed space, giving them room to work on repairs, potting, and racks or hooks to keep their equipment safe and sound. But it's easy to overspend on sheds, especially when plenty of shed deals are available via hotukdeals.
When browsing the listings, try to keep in mind the kind of things you'll have to store. In smaller gardens, owners might just need to store a few trowels, pots, watering cans, and bottles of weed killer or fertiliser. In those cases, there may not be any need for shed floor space, and cupboard-style designs may work best. Larger sheds will also need some preparatory work, including concrete foundations (or even planning permission), which is all worth considering.
Whatever style or size you go for, make sure it has sufficient space, shelving, racks, and hooks to store your equipment. A workbench placed underneath a window will ensure natural light, which could be preferable to running a mains connection. The best idea for actually finding the right model is to step inside and have a look. Many garden centres feature demonstration areas for sheds, with everything installed for customers to browse. Check out the interiors, then head online to look for deals.
Sheds aren't the only garden storage option, though. If you're buying for a patio or balcony, storage cupboards or chests could make a lot of sense.
When buying cupboards, the usual rules apply. Make sure your mower, strimmer, and other essentials can fit inside. And think about security. There should be thick, well-secured doors, and a lock to keep equipment safe from intruders (or wildlife). Wood is popular here, but imitation plastic can work just as well, while offering lower prices and better waterproofing. That can make a big difference if you are storing parasols, hammocks, tents, or other fabric items.
Gardens are nothing without plants. Well, they might be useful places to park a car or play basketball, but that's not the kind of garden we're talking about here. Classic English gardens are full of colourful flowers, trees packed with fruits, berry bushes, beds crammed with herbs, and lilies resting upon the surfaces of ponds. However, these adornments won't appear automatically. So how should you buy the perfect plants for your garden?
As we mentioned earlier, there are three basic buying options: garden centres, supermarkets, or online. But there's another possibility: community seed swaps let you pick up fertile veggie varieties and even home-grown roses, and local markets tend to have flower stalls as well.
When choosing plants, think about dimensions. This is really important, and something that many people forget. Plants tend to grow outward and upward. This can pose big problems if you pack them too close together, or you're creating a garden for a small space. Dimensions are usually listed with plants when you buy them, so take a note and compare it to the spaces available.
Matching up colours is important as well. Don't just buy randomly. Take a bit of time to plan what colours will be in bloom at the same time (and remember that blooms come and go. Have plants that will flower in spring, early summer, and late summer, as well as hardier shrubs for other times of year).
If you can buy in person, do so. That way, you can check leaves for any signs of disease. Go for plants that are lush and green, and showing no signs of wilting. Also, opt for plants that are budding, not in flower. They will soon open their buds, providing more pleasure that plants that are already showing off their colours.
Finally, don't be too cavalier about choosing exotic plants. The UK isn't a tropical country, although some exotic species grow well here. Be careful about the ones you choose, and plant them in places that receive plenty of sunshine.
Aside from that, let your imagination roam. Plants tend to come in multi-packs (as bedding plants), and 2-for-1 plant offers are common, offering a good way to cover wider areas of soil rapidly. You can also buy larger single pot plants at a price premium, while the cheapest option of all is growing plants from seeds. This takes time and skill, but is almost certainly the most rewarding method.
Whether you choose to grow your carnations from seed, or as bedding plants from a local garden centre, some accessories will always come in handy:
Trowels – More than undersized spades, trowels allow gardeners to plant out their purchases quickly and ergonomically. Go for designs with soft, padded handles (to avoid blisters during long planting sessions). And ensure that the bowl of the trowel is fairly large, allowing you to create the right-sized holes with just one scoop. Key brands include: Wilko, Spear & Jackson, and Burgon & Ball.
Spades – No gardener can do without a dependable spade. For larger digging purposes, shovel style designs make sense, with their sharpened blade and foot-steps to apply downward pressure. But for more precise gardening, you'll want a T-handled spade. Remember that spades come in various sizes (so don't be stuck with one that makes you stretch). Weights vary too. Generally, fibreglass models will be lighter, but a touch flimsier. Key brands include: Wilkinson Sword, Spear & Jackson, Kent and Stowe.
Forks – Aerating your soil can make all the difference, and nothing breaks up clods of earth like a good garden fork. For most people, lighter versions will be preferable, especially if you are dealing with a medium-sized garden (allotment holders may appreciate heavy-duty wood and steel models). If you intend to grow potatoes, a special potato fork could be useful, as it allows you to raise potatoes quickly and easily without the risk of damage. Key brands include: Fiskars, Rolson Ash, Kent & Stowe.
Garden Lights – Gardens aren't just there to be enjoyed during the daytime. They are also places to socialise in the evening, when natural light isn't available. In those situations, garden solar lights really come into their own. These clever accessories come with spears at one end, solar collectors at the other, and powerful lamps which are powered by the sun. Options range from tiny tea lights that can be hung in trees, to security lights which clamp onto walls. Key brands include: Mpow, Atlas, and Bawoo.
Plant Pots and Beds – Some gardens are left wild, and plants can spread freely. But most of the time, this isn't feasible, and we need plant pots or other containers to separate plants and keep the garden manageable. Cheap containers can often be picked up via multi-buy plant pot sale promotions. However, be a little careful here. Choose ceramic containers with proper ventilation, and make sure your containers are large enough to accommodate spreading plants. Hanging baskets and pots are often a great addition to smaller gardens, while raised beds can be ideal purchases for vegetable growers. Eco-friendly gardeners also like to convert large sacks into plant containers, and these work very well for deeper rooted plants or root vegetables like potatoes. Dependable brands include: Scheurich, Crocus, Waitrose, Wyevale.
Allow your garden to show its true colours, by picking up the accessories, plants, and furniture you need. Gathering together everything may seem like a costly undertaking, and it can be expensive to add mowers, spades, plant pots, bedding plants, forks, trowels, and add-ons like sheds, recliners and cupboards. But remember: saving money is always a possibility. If you shop smart, you can smarten up your garden for much less.
Plan out your purchases first, pruning away any unnecessary additions, and drawing up a list of must-have items. Then, dive into the hotukdeals garden listings. Out listings include specific pages for key gardening purchases, such as furniture, plants, and tools. So checking out those pages could be the first port of call.
Alternatively, you can browse the general garden listings, where you'll find the latest offers from merchants like Wyevale, John Lewis, Amazon, Ikea, Tesco, Waitrose, and Aldi. If it's used outdoors, and it's reduced in price, our listings will provide the information about how to save.
Garden sales tend to be seasonal, with off-season bargains for unsold tools and accessories, and planting season promotions for specific blooms or seed varieties. Cheap garden furniture like benches or big-ticket appliances can be picked up at Black Friday, while the New Year sales are a good bet for gardening gloves, spades, or pots.
Whenever you shop, you'll find ways to save on garden essentials at hotukdeals. So start imagining your next steps, visualise a plan, and turn your back garden into something to be proud of, without spending a fortune.
Gardening is one of the most popular hobbies in the UK. In fact, it's not inaccurate to call tending plants a national craze, and something that Brits have been obsessed with for well over 200 years. Nowadays, there are plenty of essentials and extras for gardeners to buy, from exotic plants to spacious sheds. If you want to spruce up your yard and don't want to pay over the odds, head to the hotukdeals garden listings for the latest outdoor discounts.
