As much as we all love having outdoor spaces to relax in, there’s no denying that keeping your garden in great condition can be a little time consuming or even difficult at times. This is especially true for larger outdoor environments and only becomes more demanding when you consider planting flowers or plants that need tending as well.
At Artificial Lawn Company, we have worked with thousands of individuals, couples and families over the years, helping to make their gardens look great all year round without all of the efforts required that come with fully natural outdoor spaces. Whilst our artificial grass installation service certainly helps with this, there is also a range of other techniques that people use to save themselves both time and effort when it comes to garden maintenance. In this guide, we’ll share these details and techniques so that you can spend more time admiring your garden and less time working on it!
Who Should Prioritise Creating a Low Maintenance Garden?
Anyone who believes that their outdoor environment demands more time in maintenance than they are willing to invest should consider alternative, easy to maintain garden solutions. Saying this, there are some who may gain more benefit than others, in particular:
- Young families
- The elderly
- Those with inconsistent or late-night work schedules
- Those with disabilities that hinder their ability to garden easily
- Those who lack the knowledge required or simply dislike gardening
- Landlords renting or leasing their property
How to Create a Low Maintenance Garden
Now that we have looked at those who will gain the most benefit from a less demanding outdoor space, we can move onto the tips and tricks themselves! Please note, every garden is different, just as is every gardener is, too. Your personal preferences and budget may not suit all the solutions that we have presented below, but there is sure to be one or two strategies you can make use of.
Consider Artificial Grass Installation
As nice as a well-kept natural lawn can look, unfortunately, there are many properties where maintaining grass simply is not an easy feat. This is usually the case in properties where the grass area is regularly in shade and receives little sunlight, resulting in ugly patches which can be difficult to fix - even if you have all the time in the world to dedicate to it! Add to this the time taken to feed and mow the lawn regularly and you’re left with a fairly resource-intensive garden feature.
Artificial grass can be a great solution to this problem. Made using highly durable plastic fibres, modern artificial lawns are easy to maintain, look natural, and feels soft underfoot. In addition, artificial lawns are resistant to extreme weather conditions which can often leave natural grass all but destroyed. Together, these traits make synthetic turf a great way of incorporating large areas of green space for children and pets to play on safely without the need for constant edging, weeding or mowing.
Additionally, artificial grass is one of the only low maintenance garden ideas that work on a budget, with a range of different pricing options available, depending on the finish you’d like to achieve. Artificial grass typically works out installed from about £45 per m2 depending on access to the area and its current state. Why not see for yourself? Order one of our free artificial grass sample packs to get an idea of just how much synthetic grass quality has improved in recent years.
Opt for Paved Areas and Outdoor Furniture
Another great way to reduce the upkeep required to keep your garden looking good is to opt for long-term, manmade garden styles. Paving slabs, paths, decking and outdoor furniture can look incredibly luxurious and attractive whilst requiring only the occasional sweep, wash or weeding to keep in top condition.
If you do choose this approach then consider investing in dedicated raised plant beds to add a little dose of greenery or keep a patch of grass for playing on. This is a great low maintenance gardening tip for city living though, and if you have a young family, it will leave little room for children to run around safely.
Invest in Storage Space
Gardens are naturally messy places. This is particularly true if you have a lot of wildlife in the local ecosystem or children who want to explore all of what nature has to offer. Whether it’s a shed, a storage bin or a log store, having somewhere to put your garden equipment, tools or toys can really make a difference when it comes to keeping things clean and tidy.
An easy to maintain garden is as much about making upkeep quick and easy as it is about avoiding upkeep altogether. A tidy garden leads to a tidy mind, so invest in some easy-to-use storage solutions and keep all of your essentials easy to reach but out of the way.
Intelligent Crop and Plant Selection
One of the most important considerations when creating an easy to maintain outdoor space is the flowers or fauna that you would like to plant. Aside from simply picking your favourites, every plant you choose has a different set of horticultural needs which should be considered if you want to create a space that requires minimal upkeep.
Firstly, select crops and plants that are suited to your garden’s conditions. If you have a usually shaded outdoor space, don’t pick plant life that is heavily reliant on sunlight. This will help your flowers grow naturally and avoid forcing you to feed your flowers to keep them alive. Additionally, if you would like a hedge, pick a slow-growing hedge rather than a fast-growing one and select smaller trees that will require pruning less often. These details will help cut down hours’ worth of work over the year and leave you extra time to do the things you love most.
Intelligent Crop and Plant Placement
Alongside selecting the right fauna to plant, it’s also important to keep in mind where you are placing each flower, crop, tree or shrub. Whilst it’s impossible to create a completely maintenance-free outdoor space, the key is to create an environment which makes the jobs you have to complete as easy as possible.
With this in mind, place your fauna strategically so that the neediest plants are best placed to get the attention they require. Plant crops that require regular watering near your water supply so that you can pop out, water them and pop back inside quickly. Similarly, plants that take a long time or a lot of effort to harvest or prune should be placed nearby the tools or equipment used to complete these activities. While placement decisions like these may appear to only save you a few minutes here and there, these minutes certainly add up over the years, and you will find your garden is much more manageable as a result.
Swap Pots for Beds
One of the simplest and most budget-friendly low maintenance garden ideas is the removal of plant pots from your outdoor environments. As useful and portable as plant pots are, they require extra work – and energy - throughout the year that could be better placed elsewhere. Tasks like plant watering and feeding become longer and more difficult with a large potted plant collection, whilst many of your flowers or shrubs will need repotting each year, too.
Instead of utilising pots, invest in flower beds where you can host multiple different plants and give them what they need simultaneously. Note that not all plant life requires the same attention so do some research before deciding on which fauna to group together. Similarly, from a maintenance perspective, opt for permanent flower beds filled with hardier perennial plants rather than seasonal ones. This will save a lot of time replanting each year.
Utilising these suggestions, you should be able to create a much hardier and more adaptable outdoor environment that can look after itself a little better, making your own life easier in the process. If you've discovered that your passion for gardening can turn into a source of income, why not explore gardener vacancies?
At Artificial Lawn Company, we have spent nearly two decades making people’s lives as easy as possible by installing long-lasting, attractive and natural artificial lawns. Our installation service is fast and adaptable based on your specific project’s needs and goals. To learn more about how we can create a low maintenance garden for you, explore our range of synthetic turf products or contact our team today.