Buying perennials for your garden can be expensive. I have grand visions of what I want my gardens to look like but I also have a limited pocketbook. There are two ways to get around this, when your friends are dividing their perennials ask for the plants they no longer have room for. My original garden was created this way. My good friend Maggie, was dividing her perennials and supplied me with hostas, day lilies and iris. I have divided and divided these perennials over the years and am now in the position to give my extras away. Garden clubs also hold plant sales in the spring; this is another way to find perennials for your garden at a reasonable price. The plants you purchase at garden club sales have the added benefit of being grown locally. They will do well in your garden.

You can also divide store bought perennials. If you purchase a large hosta in a half-gallon pot you can divide it into a number of smaller plants. Just let it dry out a little before you attempt this. Dry soil and roots are easier to work with. Knock the plant from its pot, then with a sharp knife cut it into equal size rooted segments. If you already have hostas growing in the ground, you can increase your stock for no cost at all. Simply dig the clumps out and divide them. You’ll be amazed at how many plants you can acquire this way. Hostas recover from plant division very well. Just make sure you give them a little water after transplanting.

I am in the process of creating a new garden bed on the east side of our house, which is quite shady.

Removing sod from new garden bed.

First the sod is carefully removed, this is saved and moved to another area of the lawn.

Sod awaiting replanting.

There are some hostas growing on the side of the house already, which need to be divided. I can increase the garden bed (less grass to mow) and transplant my divided hostas at the same time. It’s a win-win situation. The clump is dug up.

Hosta clump

Using the shovel the large clump is divided into four smaller sections.

Divided hosta

Each of the smaller sections are replanted into my new garden bed.

Transplanted hostas.

In expanding any garden in Vermont you are bound to find rocks, this one will be used in a garden wall!

Large garden rock!

You too can have beautiful