Everyone wants the outside of their home to look beautiful and inviting, but not everyone has the time or patience to deal with landscapes that demand a lot of attention. Let’s face it, we all have a long list of responsibilities that make it difficult to keep up with what’s going on in the yard. Low-maintenance landscapes are a great alternative to demanding ones, but the truth is that low maintenance does not mean no maintenance. Anyone who tells you differently is lying.
Low maintenance landscapes are attainable through well-planned design. By incorporating outdoor living spaces, plants that are well-suited for the local climate, and materials that help maximize hydration, you can achieve a low maintenance landscape.
Thomas Rainer nailed it when he said, “Instead of low maintenance landscapes, we need high investment landscapes. High investment landscapes have engaged owners who make smart decisions about the kinds of treatments that will last over time.” (link to the full article by clicking here )
Create Outdoor Living Spaces
One very effective way to reduce the amount of maintenance your landscape requires is to incorporate more hardscape elements. Patios, shade structures, fire pits, and decks are all great ways to reduce areas that require maintenance, while also creating functional space that you and your family can enjoy together.
Play Up Perennials and Native Plants
Properly-cared-for perennials will come back year after year, so integrating them into your landscape may reduce the amount of time spent replanting things. Some perennials can be fairly high maintenance, but there are several that are not. Some of our favorite low maintenance perennials include day lilies, coneflowers, black-eyed susan, and autumn joy sedum.
Native plants are already adapted to the local environment, so they naturally require less maintenance and water once they are established. They also have the added benefit of providing shelter to native species in the area. We really enjoy native ornamental grasses like switchgrass, maiden grass, and feather reed grass.
Utilize Different Kinds of Mulch
Adding mulch to your landscape beds is a great low maintenance approach because it helps with moisture retention and minimization of weeds. If you use an organic mulch (mulch made of materials like bark, wood chips, etc.), it will naturally decompose over time. This decomposition will improve the fertility of the soil and you’ll only need to topdress it once a year. If you use an inorganic mulch, like gravel or stone, you will rarely have to topdress because it doesn’t decompose; however, you will likely need to water a little bit more due to those materials retaining heat and lacking the ability to retain moisture.
Lawrence Landscape Can Help with Your Low-Maintenance Landscape
Our team of landscape specialists is here to help you achieve your goals of a low maintenance landscape. We are here to help with:
- Construction of outdoor living spaces
- Design and installation of plant material
- Irrigation and seasonal adjustments
- Year-long lawn and landscape treatments
Contact us today and schedule a time with one of our landscape designers. We’ll review your goals together and develop a plan that is tailored to your unique style!
