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Having a garden doesn’t necessarily mean hours of labour to maintain the upkeep of it. When we all lead such busy lives to spend the time and effort caring for a garden, it's good to know some shortcuts. With careful planning, you can easily create a low maintenance outdoor space, without it turning into concrete jungle! Planting: choosing drought-tolerant plants and shrubs can drastically reduce the amount of time you spend caring for them. Select plants that don’t need regular watering, pruning and which are easy to grow. Alternatively, plant perennials – flowers that come back every year – and this will save you buying plants every spring. Use the Space: try not to have any empty areas in your garden as this will encourage weeds grow and limit the time spent giving attention to other plants. Use mulch, gravel, or paving to cover any smaller bare patches. If you prefer, and have the space, plant trees in those areas and mulch around the base. Weeds: depending on how perfect you want your garden looking, some weeds actually can add to the colour of your garden so not every weed will need uprooting can quite happily grow alongside your other plants. Containers: planting flowers and plants in containers will ensure less weeding and will help retain water for longer. They’re also handy for when you have a balcony or small yard and still want some outdoor colour, but remember to put saucers under them! Plus, you can also plant herbs or veggies in containers which won’t need much attention. Watering: use empty plastic bottles or buy self watering pots to limit the amount of time you have to spend watering your garden. This will help to slow release water into the ground, and save you time in the process! If you do have plants that need a lot of watering, place them closest to your tap for easy access. Lawns: Weigh up the time you spending tending to your lawn and how much time you spend hanging out on it. You could replace it with decking or paving, and create a new garden space at the same time. If your lawn is too large for you to handle, maybe think about just down-sizing part of it. Choose a Rockery: building a rockery can both reduce your time and bring an added feature into a garden. If the planning of it proves complicated, a local landscaping company, like http://gardenersstainesuponthames.co.uk, can offer expert help with the design and structure, and advise you on what plants will flourish there. Soil: Having good soil is a great way to limit the amount of watering you have to do. This can be achieved by digging in compost or manure which will enrich the soil whilst retaining moisture for all you plants. If you have a small corner empty, start a composting area which can be used after some time.
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