5 Tips for Low Maintenance Landscaping

11/01/2022

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Now that Summer has arrived, we’re likely to be spending extra time in our own yards. However, we can all agree it’s better to spend that time relaxing rather than maintaining the lawn weeding! With that in mind, here are five ways to approach low-maintenance landscaping at Alira.

1/ Plants that are found naturally in your local area are more likely to survive your garden’s own weather and soil conditions, and indigenous plants are also better for the long term health of your soil (as well as the helpful creepy crawlies within it). Choosing natives means you’ll have to coddle the plants less to see them thrive and you’ll probably need to water them less often too. Here’s a handy guide to the trees, shrubs, grasses and flowers that will be right at home in your Alira garden.

2/ Mow your lawn regularly. This may seem counterintuitive for low-maintenance gardeners but bear with us. You need to mow regularly to allow a bit of sunlight to reach the roots and also so that you don’t damage the grass while trying to cut it all down in one go from shin-height. The trick is actually to keep the lawn a little longer than you might expect. Set your mower to its highest position: this helps to combat weeds and the grass browning.

3/ Alternatively, look into installing low-mow grasses in your yard, particularly in lower-trafficked areas like your front yard. There are professional turfgrass breeders whose job it is to create innovative lawn products. Research Buffalo and Bermuda grasses, or try Zoysia varieties which are meant to be virtually “no mow”. Artificial grasses are looking more and more realistic these days too.

4/ We all dread attending to tricky garden areas like places that don’t get enough sun, dead corners, or spots that are a tight squeeze for mowing or weeding. So consider a rock garden here. This Japanese-inspired style of gardening needs virtually zero-maintenance – gravel, stone, sand and rocks need no watering and block weeds – while looking interesting. You might like to rake neat lines into the garden occasionally; but that’s meant to be soothing.

5/ Extend your living space. A spacious deck, al fresco room, BBQ pit, patio, gazebo or veranda will cut down on the lawn and garden areas you’ll have to care for while adding value to your lifestyle. If possible, include these items in your original home design so that you don’t have to go through the hassle of sourcing contractors or budgeting for them later. A large outdoor space should be cheaper and easier to build before you move in and install proper fences too.

Get in touch with us today to see if we have the perfect piece of land that can be transformed into the laid-back garden of your dreams.