Easy Low Maintenance Garden Ideas

Are you looking for Easy Low Maintenance Garden Ideas? Let’s take a look at the options,  I have many tips, thoughts and design ideas to share that will appeal to anyone looking for an easier gardening life. I will show you that there are options that can be introduced in terms of planting schemes, storage, types of furniture, garden layout and outbuildings etc that are all low maintenance, yet still give us beauty outside with very little time or effort.

We all lead busy lives, juggling careers, children, family, entertainment and work commitments which means we don’t always have a lot of time to spend gardening or looking after our outdoor space.

Some may not even particularly enjoy gardening but wish for their space to look inviting, they still desire somewhere to spend their down time outdoors or to entertain friends and family. Somewhere to relax on a nice sunny day and simply just be.

Easy Low Maintenance Garden Ideas – Health And Wellbeing

Our health and physical abilities can also have a massive impact on how much work we are able to devote to caring for a garden. This does not in way mean we can’t enjoy a garden, we just have to be more sensitive to our needs and adapt our gardens accordingly.Gardening for Well-being, Why Gardening is Good for your Health.

Having a beautiful garden gives curb appeal to your property and is so important for those first impressions, if a garden is neglected due to time, interest or knowledge constraints then this affects the look of the whole house.

You may be pleased to know that help is at hand, having busy, none stop lives doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice having a nice garden. What’s more, that garden can be a wonderful, easy, restful place.

So how does one get around all these factors and still have a beautiful outdoor space?

 

 

Easy Low Maintenance Garden Ideas – Hard Landscaping

Paved areas and patios are an obvious choice for low maintenance gardens, they offer easy access to different areas of a garden, seating areas and somewhere to entertain or dine outdoors.

When deciding which paving to go for, find one of a good quality that needs little cleaning or repair, incorporate drainage systems if necessary and drain/gully covers so that the system doesn’t become blocked with leaves or debris.

If paths are to be graveled or chipped then ensure there is robust edging as this prevents spillage of gravel into other areas and helps to keep paths looking neat and tidy.

Fencing and decking again need to be as good a quality as you can possibly afford.

Composite decking is longer lasting than wooden decking and needs little or no maintenance except maybe a sweep up of any debris.

Fencing too is available in maintenance free materials, saving you valuable time and expense.

 

Furniture and Storage

Weather resistant furniture, seating and storage are by far the best options for low maintenance gardens, incorporate the two together and you are space saving as well.

Storage benches in weather proof materials are ideal for a small garden, needing no care other than cleaning maybe once a season. For more quality garden storage sheds take a look at my article 6 Best Wooden Garden Storage Sheds

Good quality outdoor products will last for many years. 

Who needs to be pressure washing, cleaning, repainting or wood treating outdoor furniture etc when there are endless other things to do. Far better to choose wisely and simply enjoy relaxing in nice, easy to maintain chairs! Preferably with a good book, a cuppa or in my case on a summer evening, a glass of wine!                                                          

Another great idea is to plant a green roof on sheds or storage, particularly if the roof is something that can be seen from vantage points within the house.

Succulents are ideal plants for this and very easy to care for.

Lawns

Linear lawns are easier and quicker to maintain than curved lawns, so thinks about straightening edges if necessary. Adjacent footpaths at the same level as the lawn save time and effort too, less strimming or trimming is required.

Think about investing in a lawn mower that mulches the clippings and leaves them on the lawn, this also is quicker and will feed your lawn too.

Better still of course is to turn the lawn into a wildlife haven by planting it as a wildflower meadow. This only requires strimming once a year! How easy is that!

Wildflowers are far more beneficial to our wildlife, pollinators, birds, insects etc and looks amazing too.

 

What are the Best Plants for Low Maintenance Gardens

Perennial plants are the easiest solution in my book. Choose some flowering plants for full sun  that are drought resistant then you don’t need to spend time watering

Group plants with similar requirements together, IE moisture, nutrients, soil type, situation. They can then be looked after as a whole rather than tending to plants individually

Any thirsty plants can be provided for by installing an irrigation system, great for when you are away or have little time spare for watering plants. Or have the beds and borders placed nearer to a water supply so that there isn’t so much time spent going to and fro with watering cans.

Mulch borders with a deep layer of organic material, this helps to keep weeds down and feeds the plants too.

Container displays can be grouped together and placed near to water supplies.

I have listed some of my favourite perennial plants, all of which flower year after year and will look splendid in borders, raised beds or containers.Perennial Plants. First Year Flowering

• Shasta daisies
• Rudbeckia
• Echinacea
• Hostas
• Ferns
• Peony
• Sedum
• Alpines
• Bergenia
• Hardy Geranium.

  

• Alchemelia

 

What are the Best Trees and Shrubs for Low Maintenance Gardens?

Easy Assembly Raised Beds

Raised bed gardening is a great option for anyone wishing to spend less time working in their garden. Generally made from either wood, brick or concrete, they are often used for growing vegetables but are also suitable for any number of ornamental plants. How to Grow Plants From Seeds. 5 Easy Steps

Electric Heated Propagator

They are often built with easy to maintain paved, graveled or bark chipped pathways running between them.

Easy Assembly Raised Beds Kits are straightforward way of adding more planting space to your garden, they are a lovely design feature which can be incorporated into many garden schemes. They can be used as additional seating and for housing water features too, so there are many valuable reasons to use raised beds in low maintenance gardens.

Plants are spaced nearer together resulting in better water retention and fewer weeds.

Raised beds are workable without standing on the soil, therefore the soil does not become compacted, resulting in less digging.

Ideal too for anyone who is physically impaired or elderly people to garden in.

What’s not to like about gardening made more simple and effort free.

Invest in some easy maintenance tools such as the  electric weed burner.

I hope that here you will find some inspiration for your new lifestyle friendly garden and take away some ideas to make your life easier but still enjoy a beautiful outdoor space.

If this article has proved useful to you please share it with friends, family and on social media. If you have any questions or simply wish to dd your views or photos, then please add them to the comments box below, I always reply as soon as I can.

 

Happy Gardening.