take it easy

As we’re now on week 2 of non-stop rain, I’m happy to be at my drafting table, designing gardens for clients. And while the sizes and styles of the gardens I’m working on are quite different, I’ve had one common request  from each and every client. That is, to make the garden “low maintenance”.

Every season seems to bring more and more requests for low maintenance gardens. This typically translates to a garden that looks great year-round, with little or no time and effort needed once installed.  And – oh yes – it should also be deer-proof.

I get it – all of us (myself included) lead busy and hectic lives, and our down time  has become more precious than ever. So when it comes to the garden, what we really want is  to stroll outside, drink in hand, and simply enjoy the view. Now, even the most carefree garden requires some degree of care and attention to thrive and look beautiful. But with some advance planning (and a reality check on your expectations) it is possible to have a lovely, “low maintenance” garden.

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

 * know your conditions – understanding how much light your garden gets, as well as what the soil conditions are, will point you toward plant varieties that will thrive in their new home. Yes, a sun-loving perennial can survive in partial shade. But it will never really thrive, and will take a lot of time and effort to do so.

* read the label – you can dramatically reduce time spent staking and pruning by reading plant labels and selecting varieties that are “dwarf” or “slow-growing”.  As these plants only reach a mature height of 2-3 feet (for perennials) or 3-5 feet (for shrubs), they will grow full and sturdy without obscuring windows or flopping over after a heavy rain.

* good soil = happy plants – amending the soil in spring and fall with organic matter (manure, compost, etc.)  provides an ideal home for your plants, allowing them to root deeply and easily access water and nutrients. A top dressing of mulch at that time will reduce weeds, regulate soil temperature and retain moisture  – this will also cut down on watering. Want a really low-maintenance garden? Install an irrigation system (read here for more).

* learn to love that “relaxed” look – heirloom rose beds and English knot gardens are lovely to look at – but low-maintenance they are not. By creating a more naturalized effect –  think sprawling plants, seed heads left up to offer winter interest (and food for the birds), an errant plant popping up in an unexpected spot – your garden will be warm and inviting yet require far less upkeep.

*eliminate trouble-makers – be ruthless in ridding your garden of plants that attract bugs, mildew, or other diseases – this will minimize maintenance and eliminate the need for nasty chemicals. At the same time,

*add native plantings –  they attract beneficial wildlife such as birds and butterflies, are highly disease- and pest-resistant and require little, if any, maintenance.

*get good bones –  we love, love flowers – but the real workhorses of the garden are shrubs – both evergreen and flowering. They provide the structure or “bones” of the garden, and other than occasional pruning to keep size and shape in check, are virtually maintenance-free. Try to include a mix of evergreen shrubs (such as boxwoods and skip laurels) for winter color, and flowering deciduous shrubs (such as spireas and hydrangeas) for large bursts of color that kick in before and after the summer perennials emerge.

So, is it happy hour yet?

Related posts:

putting your garden to bed your spring gardening “checklist” a year in my garden: september