Many of us dream of having a beautiful garden – a space full of colourful flowers, climbing tendrils of lush green foliage and thick, robust shrubs that burst into bloom, one after the other as the calendar pages pass. However, the time and physical effort of creating such a paradise often places it out of reach for us mere mortal gardeners. If that sounds familiar, these four key ways to create a low-maintenance garden that’s both beautiful and easy to look after may provide the inspiration you’re looking for.
- Practical planting
Giving careful consideration to the plants you choose can certainly cut down on maintenance time in your garden. For example, if you’re looking to screen off an area, swap climbers (and their constant demand for pruning) for a tough bamboo, and go for conifers rather than deciduous trees. Be sure to find out exactly how big the larger plants are predicted to grow to save yourself the task of keeping them in check and, if you’re someone who likes bedding that’s alive with colour, use perennials to achieve the look without the effort.
- A lawn to love
One way to help a lawn thrive is to simply take a relaxed approach. If you’ve a large expanse of lawn, you could even select a section of it to turn to meadowland. Leaving a patch to do its own thing will allow the wildflowers to take seed, attracting a host of insects, and with them, birds. If that doesn’t appeal and you’ve got a fine turf, try replacing it with a hardwearing seed that requires less maintenance when it comes to aerating, feeding and mowing.
- Edging your bets
Hand edging is an extremely time-consuming task. Instead of busily maintaining the edges that divide your garden’s various sections, invest in some quality permanent edging solutions. As well as saving you serious time, a pretty, rustically styled garden edging or an old-fashioned Victorian-styled ceramic edge can lend your garden a certain extra style. Alternatively, go for hewstone edging, or a soft round-topped edging, depending on the overall look you’re hoping to achieve.
- Paving the way
Investing in beautiful garden paving can be very effective when making your garden as low-maintenance as possible. Rather than those awkward muddy pathways that need regular weeding and attention, choose a pleasing pattern and lead the eye with ease to the best parts of your garden. A high-quality vitrified paving product would be perfect if you’re after something that’s both tough and resistant to moss and algae. Or, you could complement your garden’s overall style via the paving you choose – riven sandstone paving for an English country garden, textured granite paving for a more uniform finish or tumbled setts for a heritage look.
If you’re time poor, or not as active as you once were, a low-maintenance garden can help you take the utmost pleasure from your outside space with minimal effort. Try these tips and enjoy your garden without breaking your back!
