| The best way to prevent your garden from | | | | Landscape fabric and perennials don't mix well. |
| getting out-of-control is to plan for low | | | | The fabric is liable to become a haven for |
| maintenance in the initial design phase. Gardens of | | | | invasive weeds that could then become almost |
| low maintenance beauty and distinction are not | | | | impossible to control without ripping out the fabric. |
| thrown together haphazardly. Instead, they are | | | | Now you have made more work for yourself! |
| designed before they are built. Even if all you | | | | There is no way to avoid weeds in your garden. |
| have is a tiny plot behind your townhouse, or just | | | | Think about it. If the plants you have chosen to |
| a few containers on your deck, making a garden | | | | live in your garden are happy and healthy because |
| plan in advance will pay off. | | | | of your superior cultivation efforts, unplanned for |
| Designing for a Low Maintenance Garden | | | | plants (unwanted 'weeds') are going to want to |
| Master Plan - First of all, keep your garden Master | | | | move in too. If your garden is inhospitable for |
| Plan simple. Including fewer bells and whistles will | | | | weeds, chances are your chosen plants won't like |
| mean less work to keep it beautiful. For example, | | | | it either. A common mistake is over mulching to |
| if you are planning to include a lawn in your | | | | prevent weeds which can actually suffocate your |
| garden, try to keep the shape simple and the | | | | garden beds. So, you have to accept the fact |
| angles right (90 degrees) or larger to make | | | | that you will have to weed. But if done correctly, |
| cutting the grass quick and easy. Keep planting | | | | weeding chores will diminish as the garden |
| beds straightforward shapes and no more than 5 | | | | matures. Start to practice no-till gardening to |
| feet wide for easy access. Consider paving your | | | | avoid churning up dormant seeds in your soil. The |
| walkways and patio with something like stamped | | | | soil holds thousands of dormant seeds that come |
| and dyed concrete, or concrete with an | | | | out of dormancy and start to grow every time |
| aggregate surface instead of unit pavers. You | | | | the soil gets tilled up. Don't use Roto-tillers in an |
| could eliminate the need to weed the joints | | | | ornamental garden! Please! |
| between the unit pavers. | | | | Watering - I can't say enough about buying a |
| Planting Plan - When deciding how many plants | | | | good quality hose and watering nozzle. If your |
| you need for your garden, always think about the | | | | hose is lightweight and easy to unravel from the |
| mature size of the plants and don't crowd them. | | | | hose holder, and your nozzle is adjustable and |
| Although this full look right away may be | | | | maybe one of those types that you don't have |
| satisfying for a few years, in about five years | | | | to squeeze, which is very tiring on the hand and |
| you will have a maintenance nightmare on your | | | | wrist, then watering takes much less time and |
| hands. You'll be spending hours and hours just | | | | energy. |
| pruning, dividing, and transplanting to control the | | | | Irrigation systems can seem to be low |
| size of your crowded plants instead of relaxing | | | | maintenance when it comes to watering chores, |
| and enjoying your garden. | | | | but sometimes they are a real pain. However, if |
| Choosing the best plants for your unique garden | | | | you have a large garden that was recently |
| environment is also an extremely important part | | | | planted, you may need to install an irrigation |
| of keeping your garden from getting overgrown | | | | system to help the new plants establish. You may |
| and filled with weeds. Do your research and avoid | | | | think you will have time to run around and water |
| plants that are likely to become invasive, plants | | | | all the new plants by hand, but you don't! |
| that are going to be finicky about water | | | | Tools - I am a professional landscape gardener |
| requirements, plants that will need to be regularly | | | | and I have all the best hand tools that money can |
| staked and plants that will need to be continuously | | | | buy! I have to do this in order to provide the best |
| trimmed. For instance, caring for large perennial | | | | quality and most efficient landscape maintenance |
| beds, and long, tall formal hedges is very labor | | | | for my clients. Try to find the best tools that you |
| intensive. | | | | can afford, and keep then clean and sharp. Felco |
| Maintenance Methods for an Easy Garden Care | | | | pruners are what the pros use for pruning, and |
| Weeds - I am not a proponent of landscape | | | | they are still some of the best quality tools |
| fabric, meaning I hardly ever use it, but it does | | | | around, even though quality has slacked off just a |
| have its place in a super low maintenance garden. | | | | bit in these days of outsourcing. That is the only |
| Use it mainly when constructing hardscape | | | | brand I will endorse in the article. |
| elements and in shrub and tree beds where you | | | | So, plan to enjoy your garden. Don't let your |
| don't plan on planting any herbaceous plants. | | | | garden enslave you into become a garden drudge! |