By Guest Author Ashleigh Smith
Landscaping can be a source of joy or a constant fuss for homeowners. The key to creating a low-maintenance landscape is to plan for your local climate, select low-maintenance plants, and take precautionary measures against pests and weeds.
For areas that experience drought and extreme heat, choose native or climate-tolerant varieties. To avoid needing to fill the landscape with plants each year, it is recommended to select perennials that will return each season. When it comes to managing pest populations, it is important to remember that plants are natural regulators. Some will attract pests while others deter, or they will attract their predators. Native and wildflower species are the best options for achieving all of these goals.
What does low-maintenance landscaping mean?
Low-maintenance landscaping is a style of landscaping focused on plant selections that require little day-to-day and season-to-season maintenance tasks. Traditional landscapes include a mix of perennial frameworks with annual and seasonal color installations. Many homeowners find seasonal planting to be more work than desired. Instead, low-maintenance selections allow for some tidying here and there without any significant recurring tasks.
When it comes to selecting plants for low maintenance, your focus should be on the plant’s ability to grow in an attractive manner without constant care. While traditional styles focus on grandiose features like bloom size, color, and growth habit, a low-maintenance gardener selects plants that are ideal for the climate and other characteristics of their growing location. This does not mean a low-maintenance garden is without beauty. It is simply a matter of planning and coordination that puts the growth habit, climate tolerance, and upkeep first. Perennials are the most popular plant choices for low-maintenance gardens because they come back year after year.
Designing a low-maintenance garden
When designing a garden, start by framing it. This can include imagining plant heights and shapes and planning for how the space will be used or traveled through. It can be helpful to draw this out on paper roughly.
When considering lawn space, keep it under 70 percent of the landscape. Lawns are some of the most labor-intensive parts of a landscape design. Inter-sowing perennial clover can decrease the maintenance required. The clover will help feed the lawn, decreasing the demand for fertilizers. Clover is also drought-tolerant, reducing the amount of water a lawn area will require.
Next, select woody trees and bushes according to the framework outline. To avoid raking leaves in the fall, select some evergreen varieties. Establishing a framework is important, especially for regions that experience a dormant winter season. While the winter will cause plant matter to die back, the trunks and stems will still provide some visual appeal. The rest of the bedding area should then be filled with herbaceous perennials. Bulbs can be a great option for creating seasonal colors that do not need to be replaced. Examples of perennial blooms that perform well in the low-maintenance landscape include yarrow, penstemon, sedum, Black-eyed Susan, and catmint.
Choose native plants for the lowest maintenance
For the best results, consider growing native and wildflower species. Native plants are those that are naturally found in a region. They are well adapted to local climates and stressors such as drought, wind, heat, elevation, etc. While most native flowers are wildflowers, not all wildflowers are native. Gardeners should look for native wildflower mixes that are tailored to their regions. Wildflowers are those that will propagate in the wild. Wildlife, such as birds and deer, often play a role in spreading seeds from season to season.
While wildflowers can grow in the wild, a reliable patch in the landscape does require a little maintenance. In order for them to come back, it is advisable to cut or mow a wildflower patch in the fall season. The seed of re-seeding annuals can then be spread more reliably, and woody growth can be tamed. For more of a manicured look, consider planting individual flowers found in regional wildflower mixes. This will give you more control over their placement and color combinations while eliminating the need to cut or mow. However, if a patch of landscape is experiencing erosion due to water or wind, wildflowers can be a great tool in preventing the loss of soil. Their roots create a path for better drainage while the plant matter covers the surface.
Plan your low-maintenance garden around plants’ growth habits
Low-maintenance landscaping does not mean style, color, or variety is sacrificed. Instead, it focuses on planning around the desired growth habit. Native species will provide the best growing experience as they can handle the common stressors that face a given region. Additionally, many pollinators thrive on the nectar and habitat produced by native plants. Wildflowers can be a great option as well, although they are not maintenance-free, as many people believe.
When planning a low-maintenance landscape, start by forming a framework, selecting plants, and choosing combinations that can be mutually beneficial, such as grass and clover. Local agricultural extension offices can be a great source for identifying common native plants that will thrive in your home garden.
Author’s Bio: Ashleigh Smith is the Managing Editor at True Leaf Market with a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from Brigham Young University – Idaho. True Leaf Market is a nationally certified organic, non-GMO seed and horticultural company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The True Leaf Market staff specializes in supplying a large selection of conventional, heirloom, and organic seeds to home gardeners everywhere. Learn more about our seeds, supplies, and other growing ideas: www.trueleafmarket.com.