Plant a Low Maintenance Garden

This year why not plant a low maintenance garden. It will not only satisfy your Spring fever urges but will also add beauty and value to your home.

1. Plan
You can save time and energy if you start with a basic plan. Look around your yard and determine a good spot for a garden. If you’re not an expert gardener start by picking a relatively small area. Take the time to draw the area on paper in the shape you want and determine the heights for the plants you will be choosing. This will give you a visual of how your idea will look. It’s much easier to change the plan on paper than it is after you’ve planted several plants.

2. Note the Conditions
Before your trip to the nursery, it’s wise to check out a few things first. Note whether your chosen area is in full sun, part sun, or shade. Also, check the condition of your soil so you can choose plants that will thrive in the type of soil you have. Check to see if the drainage is good and if your soil is sandy, etc. If you’re unsure take a sample with you to the nursery and have them check it for you. They can help you select the right plants.

3. Pick your Plants
There’s no hard and fast rule for this other than choosing plants suited for the conditions where they will be planted. For a low maintenance garden, it’s best to choose plants that are native to your area. But most importantly, choose what you like, and choose the colors and size you prefer.

4. Perennial Debate
When choosing your plants decide whether you want long lasting flowering plants, or plants that will come up each year. Both have their benefits and draw backs. If your tastes change yearly or if you’re planting a decorative bed you might choose annuals so you can plant something different each year. If you want to ‘plant it and forget it’ choose perennials which will come back each season. Or, choose a combination for the best of both worlds!

5. No Time for Weeding?
When preparing the bed for the garden turn the soil approximately 2 shovels deep, remove the sod and weeds, and add compost if needed to enrich the soil. Use a landscaping fabric to keep weeds from growing up around your plants and mulch heavily. This will keep you from spending long hours on your hands and knees weeding when you could be enjoying other things – like sipping a cold glass of iced tea and looking at your beautiful garden!

6. Water, Water, Water
Water at least every other day for the first two weeks then twice weekly for the remainder of the first season. The following year you can slack off a bit and let nature do the rest. Watch for dry spells, and supplement with deep watering when this occurs.

7. Enjoy!
By planting a low maintenance garden you not only satisfied your Spring fever urges, but you’ve beautified your home and potentially increased it’s value!

Karen Gifford is a fulltime professional writer and owner of Karen Gifford Freelance Writing Services, LLC. Among her many writing services, she writes and designs Newsletters and other marketing material for Real Estate Professionals and Mortgage Brokers.