Garden Landscaping IDEAS Low Maintenance

Question:We need a more low maintenance garden! Currently we maintain and care for our yard. However, it continues to present a maintenance challenge… we seem to waste a lot of time mowing the yard or operating the weed eater.

Do you have any suggestions or ideas, to make the landscaping more low maintenance, easier and less time consuming? Kelly, Douglasville, Georgia

Answer: Kelly, homeowners face many challenges maintaining a lawn and landscape. But, much of the yard work can be reduced or avoided by simply taking the time to put the proper design in place.

When looking at garden design ideas, low maintenance of the landscape is important to take into account, since there is “work” involved in maintaining the landscape after everything is installed.

There is no such thing as maintenance free or no maintenance landscaping.

The Devil is in The Details

We all have heard the phrase the “devil is in the details”… a landscaping design is no different. Little details can slip by during the design phase and later on create maintenance problems.

I wish more designers and landscape architects would take the time to work on a landscape maintenance crew for a few weeks to understand the challenges landscape personnel face on a daily basis.

Drainage and Slopes – Difficulties Headaches and Erosion Problems

Many people look at their yard as a canvas waiting to be painted with plants, trees, different types of landscaping rocks, flowers, a patio or deck and maybe a pool.

It’s important to look beyond the flat canvas and look down. Find out if the landscape drains. Drainage problems in parts of the landscape can cause lots of maintenance issues.

For example, poor plant health can be one-result, runoff and erosion issues another. Drainage can prevent the possibility of even a birdbath being installed.

Paved areas can push the flow of water into areas which will experience excessive moisture. This can cause mowing issues or make mowing impossible, creating more work. This can also affect plant health as plant roots sit in unnatural moisture conditions. Don’t we all want a low maintenance lawn and plants?

Grading and drainage need to be addressed and a part of any low maintenance garden design plan from the beginning to eliminate future problems.