If you are a bit short on time, but still want to be able to enjoy a natural looking garden, you will find this article helpful. Planting low maintenance plants is a great way of avoiding having to pave over your garden. Below, are a few pointers to help you to create a natural looking space that everyone can enjoy without your needing to do too much ongoing work.
Easy to Care For Hedging
Having to trim a hedge every few weeks is not ideal, especially if you are short on time. Fortunately, there are many great hedging plants that require zero maintenance. A great example is the Emerald Green Arborvitae from The Tree Center. This beautiful cone-shaped tree never requires trimming. It is dense and copes with virtually all soil and climate conditions. Snow and ice do not damage it, so it is particularly good for homeowners who live in very cold places.
If you do not fancy that particular tree or cannot easily source them in your area the next best alternative is other conifers, for example Leylandi. These grow fast, but, usually, you can get away with trimming them only once every couple of years. Just bear in mind that they can get extremely tall. This means that you need to cut the tops off once they have reached the height you need. If you leave them to carry on growing you can create all sorts of problems with your neighbours.
Low Maintenance Grass
A lot of people still like to have a lawn. But, many of us do not have enough time to look after them properly. Watering and cutting them every week is not for everyone.
If you are in this situation and want a lawn you could go down the route of installing artificial grass. However, it is expensive. Plus, you will still have to sweep or vacuum it a few times a year. If you prefer natural grass it is really worth looking at varieties like Zoysia, Bermuda, St. Augustine, Buffalo, Fescues, and Bahia are all possibilities.
They are all relatively slow-growing which means less cutting. However, you do need to do a bit of research before creating your lawn. Some of these varieties do not cope well with heavy traffic. So, if your kids like to have a kick around in the garden they will not be for you. A good local garden centre will be able to offer you sound advice that ensures you choose a low maintenance grass that is suitable for your family and climate.
Flowering Shrubs
Shrubs are a nice addition to any garden. They provide colour and can be sculpted into a variety of shapes. Most are low-maintenance. Many are evergreen, so you will never have to clear up dropped leaves. Usually, all you will need to do is to trim them once a year, which should only take about half an hour per shrub.
You can find out more about low-maintenance shrubs here.
Easy to Care For Hedging
Having to trim a hedge every few weeks is not ideal, especially if you are short on time. Fortunately, there are many great hedging plants that require zero maintenance. A great example is the Emerald Green Arborvitae from The Tree Center. This beautiful cone-shaped tree never requires trimming. It is dense and copes with virtually all soil and climate conditions. Snow and ice do not damage it, so it is particularly good for homeowners who live in very cold places.
If you do not fancy that particular tree or cannot easily source them in your area the next best alternative is other conifers, for example Leylandi. These grow fast, but, usually, you can get away with trimming them only once every couple of years. Just bear in mind that they can get extremely tall. This means that you need to cut the tops off once they have reached the height you need. If you leave them to carry on growing you can create all sorts of problems with your neighbours.
Low Maintenance Grass
A lot of people still like to have a lawn. But, many of us do not have enough time to look after them properly. Watering and cutting them every week is not for everyone.
If you are in this situation and want a lawn you could go down the route of installing artificial grass. However, it is expensive. Plus, you will still have to sweep or vacuum it a few times a year. If you prefer natural grass it is really worth looking at varieties like Zoysia, Bermuda, St. Augustine, Buffalo, Fescues, and Bahia are all possibilities.
They are all relatively slow-growing which means less cutting. However, you do need to do a bit of research before creating your lawn. Some of these varieties do not cope well with heavy traffic. So, if your kids like to have a kick around in the garden they will not be for you. A good local garden centre will be able to offer you sound advice that ensures you choose a low maintenance grass that is suitable for your family and climate.
Flowering Shrubs
Shrubs are a nice addition to any garden. They provide colour and can be sculpted into a variety of shapes. Most are low-maintenance. Many are evergreen, so you will never have to clear up dropped leaves. Usually, all you will need to do is to trim them once a year, which should only take about half an hour per shrub.
You can find out more about low-maintenance shrubs here.
Guest post