Natalie, it's totally natural and normal for you to want to find the best bargain you can. Humans have been trying to find ways to skirt retail prices for hundreds of years, lol! We do it when buying groceries, furniture, clothes, and just about everything else. I, for one, won't scold you at all.

The reason that your question ruffled some feathers is that, generally speaking, the mark-up in THIS particular business is pretty thin and the over head can be high. It is also labor intensive, and those who are actively involved in the production of these 'wares' value their hard work, rightfully so.

Today, the public's best chance at bargain basement prices exists in the big box stores. Quality, selection, professional assistance, and other factors might be missing, however.

You might want to seriously consider growing a few things from seed, too. I find it pretty easy to grow hundreds of annuals and perennials for my own use (and sharing with friends) with little mess and not a whole lot of space. In your climate, you could do quite a bit outside.