7 Simple tips for the perfect low-maintenance garden
Life can be frantic enough without having to slave away in the garden. Sometimes you just don’t have the time or energy to care for prima donna plants, especially if you’re not exactly a green thumb. Well, lazy gardeners, this one’s for you. Spring has well and truly sprung, so now’s the perfect time to spruce up that outdoor area… No excuses! Here are some of our top tips to help you create a stunning low-maintenance garden with minimal effort!
Planning is key
Some plants love the sun, while others prefer to live as far away from it as possible. Some might require heaps of water, while others may only need to be watered once a month. As obvious as it sounds, learning more about what different plants require will help you figure out the easiest way to maintain your new garden.
Once you’ve figured out which plants you might like in your garden, create a plan by grouping them together based on their needs. Take note of which areas of your outdoor space receive the most or least amount of sun, rain or wind and place the suitable plants in those spaces. It might require a little effort in the beginning, but after a tiny bit of planning, you will significantly reduce the amount of work you will have to do in the future.
Use Native Plants
When planted in their home environments, native plants and trees are equipped to thrive and handle local conditions – meaning they require the least amount of pampering! Australian natives require far less watering and feeding than exotic plants, so they’ll definitely save you some money in the long run. There’s so many wonderful native plants to choose from. Visit your nearest nursery or landscaping shop to find out which plants would work best in your area!
Mow wisely
Having a lawn is not a necessity – decking, paving gravel or sand are all viable alternatives that will save you from mowing. However, if you do want to keep the lawn, make sure when you mow that you cut the grass at the tallest possible setting. This will provide shade to your lawn while choking out weeds and making roots more resistant to drought. When it comes to those pesky grass clippings, leave them on your lawn instead of spending a copious amount of time bagging them. The organic matter can work as a compost and fertiliser for your freshly cut grass!
Mulch
When it comes to low-maintenance gardening, organic mulch should be one of your best friends. Mulch comes with many great advantages, including less weeding and less watering, as water won’t evaporate from the soil as quickly. If you’re feeling especially lazy, fill your garden bed with a stone, or non-organic mulch, as it’s not going to need to be replaced. The only care you’ll need to do is occasionally removing any debris.
Slow and steady wins the race
Try and avoid plants that grow quickly or produce a lot of leaf litter around autumn. Instead, opt for easy plants that grow at a slow pace, like everyone’s favourite – succulents! The key benefit of succulents is that they can cope in direct sunlight and challenging soil conditions. They’re pretty much indestructible… Plus, due to their unique appearances, succulents can look amazing in any environment, both inside or outside the house!
Irrigation
Every black thumb needs their own basic irrigation system. Watering is one of the most tedious chores when it comes to low-maintenance gardens. So, if you don’t have an irrigation system set up, now’s the time!
Hard landscaping
Plants don’t need to be integral when it comes to your outdoor colour scheme. Why not introduce some colour to your garden with hard landscaping? Some ideas may include painting a trellis or pavers, or even a brick wall. By doing so, you’ll still be able to add pops of colour to your garden without having to rely on plants and extra maintenance.
