Don’t fancy yourself as much of a gardener but still want a pretty outdoor space to chill out in?
Whilst searching for low maintenance garden ideas, you might be close to just paving over your entire garden so it becomes one big block of concrete. Yes, this is very low maintenance, but it is also very ugly.
Despite what you might think,it is completely possible to have a low maintenance garden that is gorgeous. Here’s our list of low maintenance garden ideas, pick and choose the features you love and go create that dream garden of yours!
One of your biggest obstacles to a low maintenance garden is the grass.
Having a bright green, healthy and attractive lawn is not exactly low maintenance. You need to feed, water it and mow it on a semi-regular basis. We can already hear you groaning at the mere thought of hauling the lawnmower out of the shed every Tuesday after work.
One option is to just remove the lawn entirely and gravel it instead, adding some plant life in other ways to bring some colour to the garden.
If you do want to keep a bit of the greenery, just make sure that your lawn is small and simple, with no awkward shapes that will make mowing more difficult and time-consuming.
A patio is an effortless way to structure a garden and is a great alternative to having metres of grass to tend to.
If you are laying a patio, make sure that there are around six to eight inches of compacted gravel underneath to keep the drainage lines clear. This will stop water building up and messing up your path, giving you extra work.
Having a properly laid patio will stop weeds creeping up through the cracks, contributing to a lovely low maintenance garden!
Extend your living space with a garden deck!
Having a large seating area with swing seats or sofas will reduce your garden maintenance workload. The garden deck needs little maintenance, compared to grassy spaces and plants that will need daily, weekly, and monthly tending.
Once a decking framework has been constructed and adorned with comfortable furniture and cheerful decor, it’s smooth sailing from there.
You can construct the decking yourself or get an expert in.
Obviously having fewer plants means you’ll have less work, but that doesn’t mean that your low maintenance garden needs to be devoid of any flowers.
Stick to a small select number of low maintenance plants. Pick too many varieties and you’ll have to work to different watering schedules as well having the worries of repotting and pruning. It can be a lot to keep on top of.
Evergreen plants are a good option. Any plants that are prone to being eaten by garden animals or are classed as ‘climbers’, like ivy, are a no-go if you want to use your green thumb minimally.
Steer clear of having multiple containers of plants. They will need consistently watered and pruned, whereas plants growing in the earth are more self-sufficient.
Flowerbeds will liven up your garden space and don’t require much attention if set up properly.
Low maintenance shrubs like lavender, holly, and daphne are well suited for these beds. They pretty much take care of themselves!
Dress the beds with mulch. Mulch is good because it degrades and fertilises your plants whilst preventing weeds from poking through to the surface. It’s inexpensive and the water that soaks into it hydrates your plants, reducing the amount of time you’ll have to water them.
Simple ornaments, arches, and pergolas are cost-effective and attractive features to integrate into your garden.
They have minimal upkeep so should definitely be included in your low maintenance garden.
Whilst water features and ponds are pretty additions to a garden, they are not the easiest to look after. Don’t bother with them, or you’ll forever be sieving out yucky bits of pond scum!
To keep your garden clean and tidy with little effort, make sure you construct a nice insulated garden shed to store all your tools, wellies and garden machinery.
Position the shed close to where you’ll be using the equipment stored inside – if you have a large garden, don’t keep the shed on the opposite side of the garden from your grassy area. You’ll not be pleased when you need to get the lawnmower out!
You can decorate the outside of the shed too to add another splash of colour into the garden without adding much to your garden upkeep!
Having a hedge surrounding your garden might give it that Alice in Wonderland feel, but it’s not the lowest maintenance feature.
Instead of a hedge, think about having a simple wooden fence. There are many different kinds of fencing to choose from which will all add another aesthetically pleasing dimension to your garden.
You can choose to paint your fence, but if you want to reduce your garden maintenance tasks even further, skip this step, and you’ll not have to do top up coats in the future. As long as you make sure that you are either buying pre-treated wood or treating the wooden planks yourself before you start digging them into the ground.
Decking, sheds, fencing, and garden furniture – at Stewart Timber we have a massive range of materials to help you kit out your garden.
Our experts have the knowledge to work with you to develop your vision for your garden, ensuring you have all the materials necessary to bring it alive.
If you don’t fancy building it all yourself, we can recommend you a a timber installation specialist.
For all your queries, contact us today and we’ll be happy to help!
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