Gardening on the cheap From exchanges to scouting construction sites, plant pros share their secrets.(Homes Plus)

Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), July, 2007 by Donovan, Deborah

Byline: Deborah Donovan Daily Herald Homes Writer ddonovan@@dailyherald.com You want your garden to be a lovely retreat, something worthy of a garden walk. But you don't want to invest a lot of money in flowers or plants. Pat and Mike Dennehey have a solution. Get those plants cheap. Or even free.

It may be hard to believe, but the Denneheys have been so successful at this that their garden will be one of six open July 15 for a tour sponsored by the Arlington Heights Garden Club. Their favorite method is to join a garden club and trade plants in an exchange like the Arlington Heights club has twice a year. Their list of bounty is long and includes buttercups, lamb's ears, ajuga, persicaria, malva, dwarf astilbe and highbush cranberry because...