How to plan a perfect low maintenance garden.

Low maintenance gardens needn’t be a compromise. Many of us have very little time to spend tending to our space But want it to look neat and tidy. I think many people dream of pottering in the greenhouse or growing prize winning veg. Sadly, for many of us, time is not on our side. However we still wish for a show stopping space that looks after itself. A low maintenance garden should try and do just that, with a few clever tricks you can minimise output and reap the relaxation perks.

Knockout Dining

When time is not on your side keep it simple. Create one large area for relaxing. Make it big so you can include a nice size area for paving. It will create high impact the more lavish you make it. The more cushions, candles and tableware you include the better your Lo fi space will be. High gloss items will add depth while natural material add warmth. Mix them up to add a fuss free pow to any space.

Fake it

Seems obvious but with the Quality of artificial lawn now exceptional, it’s really worth considering. The highest maintenance thing you can put in the garden it’s gross. It will need cutting at least every two weeks, feeding, watering, weeding and D Mossing. Artificial grass is super low maintenance, and if you have children it would also take the work in table family life. In my opinion, it’s a serious contender for the perfect low maintenance garden.

Take it to the edge

Finishing off the edges of your garden, will help keep it neat and tidy. If you do have a real good grass make sure you enjoy it. If you give yourself a ‘ mum line” it will take that tedious training tossed away. This garden, we used railway sleepers to edge the lawn, it allowed the planting in the bed to flip over without affecting the look of the grass.

Keep planting simple

Many many times people ask me to design low maintenance garden with lots of flowers. This is very difficult. Forget pots. From watering, to weeding, planting up to feeding. They are a lot of work. In order to keep your horticultural hours to a minimum, shrubs, ideally evergreen ones are the way forward. Mix up your leaf shape and colour to add interest, and stick to one or two colours for maximum impact. Low maintenance plants to consider include

• Cordayline Australis,
• Viburnum tinus
• Ferns
• Holly
• Euonymus
• Sarcococca confusa
• Lonicera x purpusii
• Choisya ‘Aztec Pearl’
• Ceanothus

A good local nursery should be able to advise you which plants require what care. Remember the white plug in the right place otherwise you will be forever removing tired and ratty plants from your garden.

Look up

One of the biggest surface areas in your garden, will be your boundaries. Don’t forget them. You can keep it simple, but make sure they are neat and tidy. Remember they provide the backdrop for the rest of the space. Make them count.

Consider your furniture

Some furniture will require maintenance. If you have time to boil your teak table if you scream, great. Otherwise make sure you select send it to the minimum care order to insure No time is wasted on the right treatment.

For more garden design tips please visit our garden design portfolio. If you live in London, or the south-east you can possibly attend of our garden design workshops. Please visit our sister company, From Bud to Bloom.