| Low maintenance gardens need not look like the bare | | | | different textures. That's where the use of pavers, |
| type, not many plants, lots of rocks, paving, gravel | | | | gravels, pebbles and timber come into play. The use |
| etc. You can have a beautiful garden following a few | | | | of large pots, raised garden beds, water features, a |
| principles. Choice of plants, type of plants, garden | | | | wall or trellis for a vine to climb on and if the garden |
| layout, mulching and a well thought out garden design. | | | | is small, why not a mirror on a fence to reflect the |
| Planning a low maintenance garden is how you should | | | | plantings. |
| start, with the planning. Visit your local nurseries, find | | | | Take the eye through from one area to another |
| out from your local council what plants are native to | | | | with the use of plantings to create interest and |
| your area. These are usually the ones that will thrive | | | | extend the garden. Cleverly designing your low |
| for you for little effort on your part. | | | | maintenance garden will not have it look like a 'low |
| Choice of plants. | | | | maintenance garden' but a wonderful place to enjoy. |
| Today there is a wonderful variety of plants to | | | | Incorporate in your low maintenance garden design, |
| choose from, to help with your low maintenance | | | | things that are low maintenance, like pavers, gravel, |
| gardening. Drought tolerant and native plants should | | | | pebbles, rocks etc but make sure you either have |
| be your first consideration. These plants will require | | | | them professionally put down for you or learn how |
| less attention from you, less attention means less | | | | to do the jobs like the professionals. Everything is in |
| garden maintenance. | | | | the preparation, learn to do the tedious first and the |
| Start a reference file, write down all the plants that | | | | end result will definitely be low maintenance. |
| will be suitable for your area, then reference them | | | | The same applies to your garden beds. There are |
| either on the Internet or through garden plant books. | | | | some very good weed mattings available today and |
| Find a good garden book that will give you the | | | | the garden mulches or pebbles are a must. Combine |
| expected growth height and width. This is very | | | | these two for low maintenance gardening, no weeds |
| important to allow the growing room and deciding | | | | or very little in the way of weeds. Mass plantings will |
| how densely you want the planting to be. The more | | | | help stop weeds growing too, give plants some room |
| densely a garden is planted the less moisture loss | | | | to grow but keep them tighter than recommended. |
| from the ground and so the less garden maintenance. | | | | Be careful with ground covers as some of these can |
| Types of plants | | | | get out of hand too and become almost like a weed. |
| Any plants that need pruning regularly, don't go there. | | | | Often times people water their gardens too much, |
| If it says quick growing, always check the estimated | | | | that is, more than the plants require. I live in Australia |
| height and width, these can get out of control | | | | and we have some long drought times. Our native |
| quickly. Annuals, vegetables and herbs are not what | | | | plants thrive during summer when there is a drought. |
| you call low maintenance gardening. Although in | | | | The ones that flower are just so beautiful during |
| containers these can work well and the maintaining | | | | these drought times, many of them have massive |
| need not be great because of a small number. After | | | | amounts of flowers, unlike when there is adequate |
| all a low maintenance garden doesn't mean no | | | | rainfall. |
| maintenance. | | | | Many of the cultivated plants and shrubs during our |
| Go for leaf structure, variegated, assortment of leaf | | | | current drought are doing the same, very tough |
| sizes and colors. There are some wonderful plants in | | | | water restrictions, no hosing at all and they are |
| the drought tolerant range and these will be your low | | | | flowering so much better than other years when the |
| maintenance plants.Choose plants of various heights | | | | home owner has been able to hose the gardens. So |
| and go for mass plantings of the various types you | | | | it is obvious, we water our gardens more than many |
| choose. | | | | of our plants require. |
| Garden layout | | | | Color in the garden to add interest |
| How you set out your garden is so very important | | | | When you start looking at the plants that are |
| when planning a low maintenance garden. It is all in | | | | available in the low maintenance area, you will find the |
| the garden design. | | | | colors and variations in the leaves. There are some |
| The walkways, areas for seating, maybe outdoor | | | | wonderful plants, plants like crotons, cordylines, with |
| dining under shady trees in summer and trees that | | | | the number of varieties available, they can add that |
| lose their leaves in winter. | | | | splash of color against the green tonings of other |
| Raking up leaves doesn't sound like low maintenance | | | | plants. |
| but a leaf vacuum will take care of that for you and | | | | If you want to add more color, then the pot-o-color |
| it is only once a year. | | | | available today can do the trick. Even though they |
| Lawn areas should be kept to a minimum. Lawns do | | | | are annuals, the maintenance is virtually low as all the |
| take much upkeep especially in summer. The use of | | | | hard work in establishing the plants has been done |
| pavers, gravels, even timber can add interest. Curves | | | | for you. |
| look better than straight lines for a more relaxed | | | | So you can see, low maintenance gardening need not |
| garden. Straight lines can make a garden look more | | | | be boring gardening. You can have a garden to enjoy |
| formal. | | | | without the labor, it is all in the how planning a low |
| You can add contrast to your garden with the use of | | | | maintenance garden is done. |