A lot of people I talk to are interested in having a low-maintenance landscape, but what does that really mean? Well, it could be as simple as spending 30 minutes weeding after work, an hour on a Saturday morning, a couple of hours every week, or even leaving your garden beds alone after planting. However, I have to admit that almost every garden bed will need some attention from time to time. But don’t worry, if you’re looking for a landscape that requires less maintenance, I’ve got some tips to help you plan your beds.
Check them out below:
- Embrace the Space:
- Instead of creating new garden beds, focus on redesigning your current ones. Having too many garden beds means more work for you.
- Rock vs Mulch:
- This topic could be an entire blog post in itself. But in short, rock requires less maintenance than mulch. Although rock is more expensive than mulch initially, it doesn’t need to be refreshed over the years and it doesn’t fade in the sun like mulch.
- Consider Hardscaping:
- Hardscaping refers to the hard surface or non-plant elements used in a planned outdoor space. This includes paver walkways, driveways, segmental retaining walls, stonework, and low-voltage lighting. You could replace the lawn you hate to mow with a lovely paver patio.
- Add Planters into Landscape Beds:
- Instead of having a large shrub that requires pruning, use a large planter as an alternative. A planter can replace anything growing out of control and act as a focal point. Consider swapping out the annuals in the spots as the season changes.
- Use Fewer Plants:
- The less plants you use, the less time you need to take care of them. You don’t have to worry about the space looking empty; there are a lot of design techniques to make the space look effortless and clean.
- Install an Irrigation System:
- After the landscape has been installed, you can install a drip irrigation system, which even has timers to turn the system on and off. This way, you don’t have to worry about watering.
- Hire a Landscape Maintenance Company:
- Knoxville has several landscape companies that will keep your garden beds clean. This allows you to have more flowers and blooms without worrying about the upkeep.