I’ve not bought a plant in about two years. My garden’s full of stuff I got for free or grew from cuttings. If you know where to look, you can get loads of plants without spending anything.
Here’s exactly where to find free plants in the UK.
Facebook Groups (The Best Source)
Join your local gardening group on Facebook. Seriously, this is where the magic happens.
People are constantly giving away:
- Plants they’re dividing
- Cuttings and seeds
- Spare seedlings
- Plants they’re clearing out
I’ve got roses, lavender, hostas, ferns, herbs, and loads of perennials completely free from Facebook groups. Post an “ISO” (in search of) message and people will offer you stuff.
Join these types of groups:
- “[Your town] gardening group”
- “UK plant swap and cutting exchange”
- “Free plants [your area]”
- Local “buy nothing” groups
Freecycle and Freegle
People give away entire gardens’ worth of plants on Freecycle and Freegle. Set up alerts for “plants” or “garden” and check regularly.
I’ve collected:
- Two massive rose bushes
- About twenty pots of perennials
- Bags of bulbs
- Entire rockery plants
You normally have to collect same-day, so be quick.
Ask Your Neighbours
This feels weird but it works. If you see someone gardening and they’re clearly dividing plants or having a clear-out, just ask if they’ve got any spare.
Most gardeners are ridiculously generous and love giving plants to people who’ll appreciate them. I’ve never been told no.
Roadside Freebies
Keep your eyes peeled when you’re driving or walking. People put plants outside their houses all the time with “free” signs.
I’ve picked up:
- Huge pots of herbs
- Flowering shrubs
- Bulbs in pots
- Garden ornaments
Check they’re actually free (sign or in the bin area), then take them.
Grow From Cuttings
Once you’ve got a few plants, you can multiply them forever for free.
Easy plants to propagate:
- Lavender: Take a cutting in summer, stick it in compost, wait
- Rosemary: Same as lavender, basically indestructible
- Geraniums: Cut a stem, let it callous, plant it, done
- Fuchsias: Ridiculously easy to grow from cuttings
- Roses: Harder but doable – take cuttings in autumn
YouTube has about a million videos on taking cuttings. It’s easier than you think.
Divide Plants You Already Have
Loads of plants can be divided into multiple plants:
- Hostas (dig them up, chop in half, replant)
- Ornamental grasses (same)
- Daylilies (same)
- Most clumping perennials
One plant becomes five plants. Free.
Grow From Seeds
Collect seeds from:
- Your own garden (let some flowers go to seed)
- Friends’ gardens (ask first)
- Public parks (technically you shouldn’t but nobody cares)
- Wild areas (not from nature reserves though)
Loads of plants self-seed anyway. Foxgloves, poppies, aquilegia, forget-me-nots – let them do their thing and you’ll have free plants forever.
Save seeds from:
- Supermarket peppers and tomatoes
- Squash and pumpkins
- Beans and peas
- Shop-bought herbs (let them flower and seed)
Community Gardens and Allotments
Some community gardens have plant swaps or give away surplus plants. Ring around and ask.
Allotment sites often have communal areas where people dump spare plants. Check noticeboards for plant swaps.
Car Boot Sales (End of Day)
At the end of car boot sales, people with plants often give them away rather than taking them home. Turn up at 1pm and make offers or ask what they’re doing with leftovers.
I’ve had trays of bedding plants and perennials for free this way.
Supermarket Reduced Section
Not technically free, but Tesco and Morrisons reduce dying plants to 10p or 20p. Most of them perk up with water and plant food.
I got six roses for £1.20 total from Tesco reduced. They’re all thriving.
When NOT to Take Free Plants
Don’t take:
- Plants from private gardens without asking (obviously)
- Anything that looks diseased (black spots, mildew, weird growths)
- Japanese knotweed (seriously, Google it, don’t bring it home)
- Plants from nature reserves or protected areas
My Free Plant Haul This Year
Just to prove this works, here’s what I got free in 2025:
- 6 rose bushes (Facebook)
- 12 lavender plants (neighbour dividing hers)
- 20+ hostas (Freecycle)
- Loads of herb cuttings (Facebook group)
- 5 massive ferns (neighbour’s clear-out)
- Strawberry plants (friend’s allotment)
- Bulbs – about 100 (Facebook group)
Shop price if I’d bought all that? Easily £200+. I paid nothing.
The Bottom Line
You genuinely don’t need to spend money on plants. Join Facebook groups, ask around, and keep your eyes open. Gardeners love giving plants away, and there’s always someone clearing out their garden.
Got any tips for finding free plants? Drop them in the comments.