Do you enjoy landscaping and working in the yard? Some people do, and others do not. But even those who like landscaping will typically admit that they don't want to spend more than a few hours per week caring for their yard. So, how do you create a landscape that will only require a little work and upkeep? Here are some key tips to follow when you're in the design stage.
Minimize the Slopes
Try to minimize the number of slopes in your landscape design, and also minimize the angle of those slopes. In other words, you don't want any hills or mounds to be too steep. Water runs down slopes and can cause the soil on and around them to erode, which creates work for you in repairing that soil. If you keep your landscape on the flatter side, erosion won't be nearly as big of a concern.
Choose Native Plants
That exotic fern you saw in a magazine or the bright, tropical flower on the end cap at the garden center might look nice, but if they are not native to your area, they will be difficult to keep alive. If you choose all native plants for your landscape design, they will be naturally adapted to the soil conditions, rainfall, and temperatures in the area. They won't need as much watering, fertilization, or even trimming to keep them in good shape.
Make Your Garden Beds Narrow
When designing garden beds, try to make them all narrow enough that you can reach across them when kneeling next to them on the ground. This will save you time when you're working in the gardens. You won't have to step in the bed to reach parts of it. You'll also have to get up and reposition yourself a lot less often.
Use Stone as Mulch
Finally, consider putting stone down as mulch on your garden beds. It won't break down, erode, and require replacement like wood mulch does. There are multiple types of stone you can choose from, including lava rock, beach stone, and granite. Choose an option with an appearance you enjoy so you don't have to redo the garden beds again for many years.
The tips above will help you create a landscape that requires less ongoing upkeep over the years. Contact a landscaping service in your area to learn more about these tips, and to gather more advice.