Many busy homeowners want their landscaping to look beautiful but don’t have the time to devote to weeding, deadheading and pruning. That’s why it’s important to incorporate low-maintenance plants into your garden design.
Perennials are one of the best options for low maintenance because they will return year after year without having to be replaced. Also, perennials often have disease resistance and are hardy in the area they are planted in.
1. Use a Restrained Planting Palette
Using a restricted planting palette helps keep your design streamlined, which in turn helps cut down on maintenance. Planting swathes or drifts of the same plant variety throughout a border will provide a sense of unity to your landscape and help create a tranquil vibe.
Creating a cohesive plant palette also means that you’ll be able to group your maintenance into large batches, ensuring that crews don’t have to waste time constantly changing out plants and keeping track of what needs to be done.
To get a low-maintenance garden look, you’ll need to opt for plants that don’t require too much water and are native to your area. This will not only reduce the amount of time you spend tending to your garden but it will also save you money in the long run.
2. Go for Evergreens
Evergreens are a great choice for a low-maintenance garden design. They stay green all year, which means you don’t have to worry about your landscape looking drab or boring.
Moreover, they act as strong wind breaks, so they can help keep cold air away from your home and reduce heating bills. In addition, many of these trees also provide habitat for birds and other wildlife.
A classic option is the evergreen parterre, which is a neat, smart backdrop for flower beds and borders. Alternatively, you could use them to subtly delineate ‘rooms’ in your garden, explains Harriet Farlam.
3. Opt for Fully Hardy Plants
A great way to cut down on the amount of time you spend in your garden is to choose fully hardy plants. This will mean that you won’t have to worry about them being impacted by frosty winters, which can be a pain.
These plants are tough as nails and will thrive under all conditions, meaning they won’t need to be dug over every spring or summer – plus, they’ll provide a stunning display of flowers year after year.
The best way to find out whether a plant is fully hardy is to check the RHS hardiness rating table. These will indicate whether it is able to survive brief periods of low temperatures, or if it needs extra protection in colder climates.
4. Keep It Simple With Shrubs
When you have a busy schedule and don’t want to spend much time maintaining your garden, keep it simple with shrubs. These low maintenance plants are easy to care for and will provide interest throughout the year without needing a lot of work.
The key to designing a low-maintenance garden is to avoid planting too many different plants in each border. Planting too many different plants in a single area means you will have to take care of them all at different times, which is a lot of time and effort.
Instead of trying to control weeds with chemical pesticides and herbicides, go for plants that repel insects so you don’t have to spend a lot of time hand-picking them out. This will save you time and money, as well as keeping your garden looking beautiful.
5. Go for Large Pots
If you want to make a big impact with your container garden, opt for large pots. This will give you more room to house more plants, and will also mean that you won’t have to water them as often.
To make sure that your plant pots are properly watered, check them regularly and see if they’re dry to the touch. If they are, you may need to give them a quick watering session.
In addition to this, many plants will benefit from a regular deadheading. This will help them continue to look their best for longer.
