Keeping your garden looking its best requires special care all year round. From jet washing the patio and sowing seeds in the spring to mulching borders in the autumn to winterising the garden in preparation for the year ahead, a gardener’s job is never done.
If you don’t have the time but still want a beautiful garden that can be enjoyed in every season, a low-maintenance garden is the answer.
Here are some maintenance-free garden ideas, including affordable and easy-to-maintain landscaping tips that will instantly transform your outdoor space.
1. Have a higher paving-to-lawn ratio
A healthy, nice-looking lawn needs regular mowing, watering, weeding, feeding and edging. It’s also helpful to relieve compacted grass to improve drainage, which can be done by aerating the lawn once or twice a year.
For people who don’t have time to tend to a lawn throughout the seasons, garden paving can be a suitable solution. A fully paved garden can be made to look inviting with the addition of raised beds or potted plants. Or simply reducing the amount of grass there is will make your space much easier to care for.
For the lowest maintenance paving, we recommend porcelain paving, which does not need to be resealed each year.
2. Use aggregates for easy-to-maintain landscaping
Another alternative to paving is decorative aggregates, which are a fast, affordable and flexible solution for landscaping.
Not only is this option easier to install than block paving, but it can drastically improve drainage, preventing plants from getting flooded in the autumn and winter months. Laid with a weed control membrane and to the right thickness, you’ll get optimal coverage and prevent weeds from growing through.
3. Opt for an artificial lawn instead
Artificial grass has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, with so many varieties available today – and many of these are realistic, soft to the touch, and both child and pet friendly. This makes it one of the best maintenance-free garden ideas for people wanting to maximise time spent relaxing, rather than time spent gardening.
An artificial lawn is highly durable too. So not only will it not require any upkeep, but it will last for years to come.
4. Choose maintenance-free plants
For a low-maintenance garden that is suitable for beginners, choose maintenance-free plants that grow with very little human intervention. Some of these include hardy perennials that return year after year, self-sufficient succulents, tough evergreens, and wildflowers that tend to take care of themselves.
Slow-growing shrubs are a good idea if you’re new to gardening, as these will require less pruning than other plants. Drought-tolerant plants are also worth investing in if you’re likely to forget about watering.
5. Make raised flower beds out of wood sleepers
Looking for ways to create low-maintenance flower beds? Switching from ground-level beds and borders to raised beds will instantly make planting, growing and watering easier as you won’t need to get down low to complete your gardening chores. You can also fill the flower beds with weed-free soil, making upkeep simple throughout the year.
New railway sleepers are a popular material for making raised beds, creating a unique look in your garden. Our timber sleepers can also be used for retainer walls, lawn or pathway edging, decking, raised ponds, or for building your own garden furniture.