I moved into this apartment last July and planted a little garden outside my courtyard. I figured I'd extend it down the wall as time went by and I got more plants. So now it's 20 feet long, 5 feet wide, and almost everything in it was free. Most were grown from seed, which I got in trades or collected from plants at apartment complexes or store parking lots. Some were "rescued" from vacant lots in my old neighborhood or dug up off the side of the road (wildflowers). Some were starts given to me by friends or traded for. Some were divisions of plants I've had for many years. The only plants I paid for were ones that I got from Lowe's for 90% off on the clearance rack -- all of them totalled less than $3. I thought one of them was dead, but it was just dormant and is coming back out now. That's just one bed. There are two more, smaller ones, all planted with the same kinds of plants. The only money I have in any of them is the soil for the pots I grew them out in and the fertilizer I've fed them with. That totals about $10. These are some of the flowers that are blooming now.

Crinum lily - rescue from a lot where it kept being mowed down

Coleus from cuttings "rescued" from an office building where they were

being left to die. Vinca 90% off at Lowe's. I think I got three in a pack for some absurd price like 13 cents.

Oxalis wood sorrel dug up from the woods. The large leaves are amaryllis

(color unknown) I got from a friend.

Sallyfun "Bue" Salvia 90% off at Lowe's. Think it was 40 cents. White datura plant

in front has a bud now. Grown from traded seeds. Lemon Grass behind it

grew from one sprig I got from a plant at my community garden. "Little Ruby" alternanthera behind from a neighbor who moved and said I could have anything left in her yard. Canna on the right back was also a freebie from a friend at the community garden. Can't see well in this pic, but it has gorgeous burgundy leaves.

Red Tropical sage grown from seed gotten off a plant at the community garden.

Hibiscus radiatus grown from seed gotten in a trade. This will get about 6 to 8 feet tall and be covered with flowers soon. On the right is one of a bunch of gladiolus I rescued from a yard trash pile.

That's all for now. Notice that my mulch is leaves and Spanish moss, both to be had in abundance around here, so why not?