I haven’t got the best past record with gardening.  Plants don’t seem to thrive under my care.  The only ones that seem to do okay are the ones growing wild that established themselves.  Like the daffodils and bluebells that come back each year without any input from me!  I have thought about doing more to transform my outdoor space into a low maintenance garden.  Below are some tips if you are tempted to try the same.

Cover your Garden Beds

When you have your plants sorted you can mulch your garden beds to stop weeds popping up and ruining your floral display!  It can make your garden look very tidy without spending so much time weeding.  Weeding always seems a thankless task, sadly they often grow quicker than you can keep on top of them!

Mulching has other benefits too like protecting your plants roots in winter or improving the soil quality.  Although some of this depends on your chosen mulch.  Biodegradable mulches are the most effective BUT they do require replacing.  It all depends on how much time you wanted to commit to your low maintenance garden.

Artificial Grass

I miss not having an expanse of green in my largely tarmacked garden.  But I know if I had a lawn it is a big commitment making sure it was regularly mowed.  If you buy superior quality artificial grass you can create the same beautiful look without all the upkeep.  Plus, it looks just like the real thing.  Understandably artificial grass might seem like a bigger financial commitment.  But it can last up to 25 years.  That many years without having to mow the lawn is a big attraction when you are pressed for time.

Think About What You Plant

You want to aim to buy plants that take care of themselves.  Some plants don’t require deadheading like Vinca or Ligularia (both pictured).  Aim to fill your flower beds with these, deadheading is such a time-consuming process.

Select plants that can look good without too much input from you.  Hardy varieties are a good choice too so you don’t have to do much to protect them in winter.

Use Containers

If you don’t want to keep cutting back your plants, choose to use containers instead.  Plants can only grow so much in a container.  You don’t have to worry about parts of the garden becoming overgrown.  Although it’s worth bearing in mind containers do need more regular watering than a flower bed.  We found LECHUZA planters were quite good, they had an inbuilt gauge so you can easily see when they need to be watered.

Garden Pests

My dad always suggested using eggshells for snails.  But the lure of a tasty plant snack is so compelling they will just make there way over to it regardless.  No pain no gain seems to apply in the snail world too!  You can choose plants with thicker leaves or blue leaves that cope better with these garden pests.  Certain plants are favoured by pests so do your research before planting those.  If your garden already has a plant that keeps encouraging a certain pest, decide whether you want to commit to the time caring for it or swap to a different more low maintenance plant.

Hopefully these tips will help you spend less time working in your garden and more time enjoying it!