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Tips for creating an easy low-maintenance landscape
- Kimberly
- Dec 19, 2024
- 7 min read
Having access to an outdoor space is one of the most beneficial assets to owning your own home. Research has found that spending time outdoors can help with depression and reduce anxiety, but when all you see are weeds the size of small children and shrubs that are so big no one can walk on the sidewalk, peace and serenity quickly fade to dread and resentment. Low maintenance landscapes are the most requested landscape design to date. Let's face it... our world is pinging away with distractions whether we like it or not. At the end of the day wouldn't it be nice to just sit on your patio and enjoy your garden without the gloom of your to-do list of yard work hovering overhead?
Casually browsing through a garden center is risky for us plant lovers. Garden centers thrive on our weaknesses, displaying colorful perennials like decorative cocktails at a beach bar. Let me be clear on this...more is often less. The more plants you have, the less time you'll have for yourself. It's easy to get carried away. I've done it. What's one more plant, right? Low-maintenance gardens are possible but maintenance-free gardens are unrealistic. Every plant you purchase will require varying levels of care at some point. Being clear up front about how much time you want to spend maintaining your landscape is a good boundary to set in order to maintain harmony between you and your outdoor space.
If you want a beautiful lawn, it will require weekly maintenance. There really isn't any way around it. Skipping a week of mowing especially in the spring is counterproductive as it will bog down your lawn mower, create clumps of grass clippings, and take twice as long to mow the next time.
Robotic lawn mowers are gaining popularity. While I have never tried one myself, I think they are worth looking into, especially if mowing your lawn is taking up too much time. There is something amusing about these weird little robots buzzing around a yard like a Roomba vacuum. "Fred" is the name of one of our customers'. The children named him. He wanders the yard daily, and is occasionally assaulted with Nerf darts by the children. Now I'm certain there are plenty of warnings posted by the manufacture about this type of behavior, but really who could resist? "Fred" does a good job at maintaining the lawn and he doesn't leave ruts or scrape marks like a traditional lawn mower. He doesn't seem to hold a grudge against the children either. If we can just get him to weed whack, now that would be incredible.
An interesting concept that has come a long way is artificial turf. Regular maintenance of a traditional lawn may not be possible especially in a small space near a pool or patio. Once installed, artificial grass requires minimal care and can give the visual appeal of a lush weed-free lawn.
Another option is to consider converting your lawn into a natural area. This not only reduces your landscape maintenance but also creates a livable space for wildlife to thrive. Choose native plants that are adapted to your local climate as they will require little care.
Weeds in the landscape are the big bad monster everyone homeowner tries to avoid. A beautiful landscape will require a plan to suppress weeds. Regular weeding is essential to avoid weeds from producing weed seeds that give rise to more weeds. Weed pressure can come from both perennial and annual weeds. An annual weed is one that will not return the following year but it will produce weed seeds that will. Annual weeds are typically easier to pull out.
Dandelion and thistle are a good examples of perennial weeds. They have long tap roots and if not pulled out entirely, which is difficult to do, they will return in a few weeks making weeding a maddening endeavor for the homeowner. Perennial weeds are often eradicated with a weed killer, or a less invasive approach, can be smothered with a piece of cardboard or landscape fabric stapled over the top for a season.
Good hygiene in garden beds is essential for controlling weeds. Landscaped beds, especially rock gardens should be blown out at least twice a season, once in the fall and again in the early spring to minimize the chances of seeds blowing into them. Grass clippings should never be blown into a garden bed as the chance of it seeding itself is high. Grass is a perennial, therefore making it difficult to eradicate as a weed.
A layer of fresh mulch in the spring helps to suppress weed growth. Different types of mulch will have varying results with finer mulches doing a better job than mulch made of large wood chips. Landscape fabric should only be installed under a mulched bed if there is a lot of weed pressure from perennial weeds. Mulch breaks down into soil, creating a perfect environment for weed seeds to germinate. Overtime, weeds will grow on top of the landscape fabric in a mulched bed.
Consider creating garden beds of stone like river rock instead of mulch. Once installed, stone beds require little overall maintenance compared to mulched beds. High quality landscape fabric must be installed under the stones to prevent weeds. It is important to keep plant debris from settling into a stone bed as it will decompose creating a perfect home for weeds to grow.
Choosing the right plant for your landscape is required for a low maintenance garden. A healthy plant is less prone to disease and insect infestations. Every new plant will require regular watering until established. New plants often do better if planted in the spring or fall when rain is more prevalent. Once mature, many shrubs and perennials will require minimal watering during an average growing season but they may struggle in hot summers. Even the most mature landscapes may need to be watered occasionally. Drip irrigation and sprinkler systems can be used to aid in automated waterings. Choosing drought-tolerant plants may be more ideal if watering is not possible.
When choosing plants for your landscape, check the mature size listed on the tag provided by the garden center. Many low-maintenance landscapes turn into high maintenance landscapes when shrubs outgrow their space and routinely need to be pruned. Overgrown shrubs should be removed and replaced with a plant better suited for the desired location.
Perennial plants are the rockstars of flower beds because they come in a wide range of colors and textures. A well balanced perennial garden can give you a spray of consistent blooms for an entire season. Every perennial has different needs. Some, such as the butterfly bush produce better if deadheaded regularly. Others like the daylily look messy after they flower requiring the gardener to cut them back in midsummer to maintain order.
Choose wisely when selecting perennials for your garden. For example black-eyed Susan and purple coneflower will produce seeds and spread. Remember, the definition of weed is any unwanted plant in your landscape. This includes feral perennials.
Always use caution when adding a perennial to a stone bed. A perennial spreading seeds between your stones is a recipe for disaster. No one enjoys weeding stones.
In shady areas, ground cover is a great option for a low-maintenance garden bed. Once established, a bed of groundcover such as myrtle or pachysandra require minimal upkeep and does a great job at suppressing weeds and minimizing the amount of fresh mulch needed.
Here are some of my favorite low-maintenance landscape plants...
Panicle hydrangeas have the added bonus of being beautiful and easy to care for. Don't let the big showy blooms fool you, they are quite rugged and can survive living with even the most neglectful of homeowners. They do better if watered during dry hot summers as their big leaves consume a lot of moisture. For the most part, they can be left unattended. Deadheading the old blooms in the winter makes a more aesthetically pleasing plant in the spring but it is not required. They can be trimmed in the winter to maintain symmetry and size if desired. Some varieties get large such as limelight, while others stay small like fire light tidbit. Check the plant tag provided by the garden center for the mature size before purchasing.
Ornamental grasses come in several sizes and varieties. They are a great perennial to add texture to a landscape. I avoid the large ones with big plumes because they tend to flop over. During the growing season, most require no maintenance but they will need to be cut back in the winter or early spring to make room for new growth. Cutting them back can be a daunting task if you don't have the proper tools. An electric or gas power hedge trimmer makes cutting them back easy.
Evergreens such as spruce, pine, fir, and cedar not only add year round interest to a landscape but many require little maintenance. They come in all shapes and sizes from low growers that add subtle interest to a garden, weepers that can be the focal point in a front yard, and fun topiary that can resemble a giant lollipop. Some evergreens such as yews and boxwoods require regular pruning. Ask your garden center representative for advice before purchasing .
Hosta are great low maintenance perennial. Their big thick leaves do a good job at choking out weeds. Most will produce a long flower that should be deadheaded for a more orderly appearance. After the first frost, the leaves can easily be cleaned up. New leaves emerge in the spring. One hosta plant will produce more tubers making them ideal for propagating new plants. Simply dig up some tubers of an existing plant in the spring and transplant them to a desired location. You now have a new plant! Caution is advised in locations with deer problems as these are irresistible for most deer. I liken them to giant potato chips.
Dwarf Japanese maples are one of my favorite trees for a landscaped bed. They are slow growing and one of a few true dwarf trees available on the market. They require very little maintenance. If anything, a trim may be needed if the branches touch the ground. Both green and red leaf varieties are available.
Lots of good information here. It has bee thinking about Spring already.