How To Create A Beautiful Low Maintenance Garden

When the time comes to start thinking about redoing your garden design, or finally landscaping, you can be stuck for ideas. On one hand, you want your garden to be super pretty and natural – it is a garden after all.   However, you may not have the time needed to maintain the stunning esthetics. At least not through traditional gardening approaches. Thankfully, a few simple tricks can modernize the garden to ensure you gain all the enjoyment with fewer hassles.

 

 

 

 

 

Sound good? Here are five simple steps that can help you master the challenge.

 

 

Consider The Lawn

 

Lawns can be one of the most challenging aspects in  maintenance. Sadly, sometimes homeowners do not choose the right  product for their area.  Lowe’s has an interesting article, Choose The Right Grass For Your Lawn.  Learn what works in your growing zone and buy a quality product.  Zoysia grass sod gives you a far better shot at keeping the lawn in pristine condition throughout the seasons. With the right blade widths and regular watering, the healthy green grass can deliver an immediate boost that is felt across the garden each day. It will set the perfect foundation to turn your dream garden into a reality.

If you live in an area where grass lawns are hard to grow and require massive work, such as arid, desert areas or even here in Florida, consider grass alternatives.  Remember, no matter what plant you buy, it should be suited to your growing environment. Check out Low Maintenance Yards  for ideas on ways to replace grass such as ground cover plants or stones.

 

 

 

Low Maintenance Yards

 

 

Plant Shrubs & Trees

 

Trees and shrubs tend to be the lower maintenance choices in most gardens. What do I share in my garden posts the majority of the time?  Tropical hibiscus bushes, gardenia bush, tropical crotons, tropical frangipani (plumeria) trees, and seasonal flowers like amaryllis are the majority of my garden photos. Pick ones suited to your soil and climate, as they’re more likely to thrive without any special care. Keep plant variety down to a minimum.  Remember the fewer types of plants you have in your garden, the more free time you will have to enjoy it. Common low-maintenance garden shrubs include Daphne, euonymus, berberis, magnolia,  mahonia, and hardy herbs such as lavender.  It’s great to use the vibrant colors of a beautiful flower against the green like my amaryllis flowers, for example. It’s easy with a background of green plants.  In reality, though, there are dozens of options. Choose some evergreen bushes and a few with flowers. While you don’t have to create a garden that exclusively uses shrubs, their presence is vital. It makes the seasonal changes far more manageable year after year.  Again choose shrubs that thrive in your growing zone.  When my sister moved to Michigan, she planted azaleas that she has loved since our childhood in Tennessee.  Most azaleas are hardy in planting zones 6-9, with a few varieties tolerating colder temperatures up to zone 4.  Her bushes did not last through  Michigan winters.  She then replaced them with more appropriate bushes. Forsythia and lilacs both do well in her area.  Add a few spring bulbs and you’ve added seasonal color.

 

 

 

Beginning of March in Jenna’s Garden

 

 

 

Build A Deck Or Patio

 

Decks and patio areas are naturally a lot easier to maintain than the living plants. Therefore, building a simple deck could be one of the smartest moves you make. Better still, it adds a whole new sense of function and purpose. All you’ll need is some practical garden furniture as well as some lighting and heating to unlock hours of enjoyment. As long as any wood is suitably protected with the right sprays and chairs are stored away when it snows, you can enjoy it for years.  Occasionally you will need to spray wash the deck or patio to keep it looking new.

 

 

Photo by Decks by Kiefer LLC

 

Use potted plants on your deck and patio to add bursts of color.  Your local garden center can suggest a mix appropriate for your area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Choose The Right Luxuries

 

Adding luxury items to the garden can give you the motivation to use it more frequently. However, the love of the outdoor spaces will soon fade if you spend more time taking care of the features rather than enjoying them. For this reason, swimming pools and hot tubs may be best left for the spa weekend away. BBQ grills, trampolines, and a designated space for outside yoga and exercise are probably far smarter. In addition to the reduced maintenance, it can save you a significant sum of money in the long run.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use Storage Facilities

 

 

Photo Denali Deck Box

 

Good organizational skills are a key step towards building a better garden. A shed or summerhouse with designated storage facilities is ideal. However, those with limited spaces may prefer a garden storage box instead. There is no single right or wrong answer, but you do not want tools and accessories to cause a distraction. When combined with the other steps mentioned above, your backyard will be destined to remain in perfect health day after day, year after year. Perfect.

 

 

 

 

 

Remember to make a plan, choose the right plants for your growing zone, add evergreen and seasonal shrubs and trees, make a patio or deck, don’t add high maintenance luxury like a pool or hot tub, and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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