Skip to main content

Our ultimate guide to planting a low-maintenance garden

Low-maintenance gardens aren’t just the stuff of fairytales. Weeding, pruning, watering, and fertilizing are inevitable parts of maintaining any home landscape. But the more time you spend on these things and other chores, the less time you have to enjoy your garden. Whether you’re a beginner gardener or someone who just doesn’t have the time or energy to constantly manicure your outdoor space, there are ways to make gardening fun and simple. Read ahead for easy tips on how to sustain a low-maintenance garden that you’ll cherish.   

Watering can in garden
Randy Fath/Unsplash

Plan your garden

A low-maintenance garden plan may sound paradoxical — you want to keep your landscape easy and fuss-free, not put a lot of time into developing it. However, a blueprint will save you wasted effort down the line. Place plants with similar requirements together based on their lighting and watering needs. You wouldn’t want to place a drought-tolerant cactus next to a humidity-loving begonia.

Recommended Videos

Putting plants with different needs together means that you may accidentally neglect or over-care for some plants. When designing your garden, keep plants that require more maintenance closer to your supplies so that you won’t have to move around as much to fetch your tools.  

Planning your garden also means taking the time to seek out healthy plants. When you’re considering the long term, invest in plants with healthy foliage and roots to worry less about things like removing pests and pruning. Bigger plants are usually more foolproof than small plants, which may not have the root structure to survive in a new environment. 

Hosta plant
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Invest in perennials

Annuals notoriously require a lot of effort. Not only do you have to plant them, but you also have to deadhead and dig them up repeatedly — only for them to eventually die. Instead of annuals, grab yourself hardy perennial flowers such as lilies and hostas. They grow back year after year, allowing you to enjoy a colorful garden without the fuss. What’s considered a perennial, of course, depends on where you live. Check the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to see which plants can survive year after year in your particular region.  

Narrow down your plant varieties

Consider keeping only five to 10 plant varieties in your low-maintenance garden. Obviously, you won’t have to look over as many plants, which already takes a load off your chores list. Having fewer plants also means that you can invest more individual attention to each species. As a result, your foliage has a better shot at staying alive so you won’t have to keep buying new plants to replenish your collection. 

Consider adding rocks

Maintaining a green and well-manicured lawn requires consistent fertilizing, watering, weeding, and mowing. Hardscaping may initially require time and money, but it could save you from future hassle. Consider laying down pavers, bricks, and stones to frame your garden beds. While rock landscapes often require some weed control at first, you can keep weeds in check by placing down landscaping fabric and using an effective herbicide to manage growth.

Plant in mulch
Maddy Baker/Unsplash

Mulch your garden

Relatively inexpensive, mulch retains soil moisture and prevents weeds. It typically consists of organic material such as tree bark, wood chippings, grass clippings, or leaves. As it breaks down, it can also fertilize your soil. On top of all that, you only need to lay down mulch once a year, so mulching isn’t a chore that requires constant maintenance. Mulch your bedding in the middle of spring once your soil warms up. Be sure not to over mulch, or else your plants may not get enough nutrients or moisture. 

Containers and raised beds

Raised beds and containers can have pros and cons in the context of maintenance. Raised beds require extra digging and planting at the beginning. Over time, you’ll also have to occasionally water and weed raised beds. However, they offer more space and allow for beneficial microbes and earthworms, meaning you’ll have to worry less about fertilizing.

Containers may be better if you have less space and don’t want to deal with weeds. That said, they’re smaller than beds, so they dry out quickly, requiring consistent watering and fertilizing. Save your effort by using bigger pots and containers from the beginning. 

Designing a low-maintenance garden will require initial thought, care, and yes, even a little labor. Once you figure out the logistics, however, you’ll be able to enjoy your garden without spending too much time worrying about upkeep. So get your perennials and garden soil ready for a beautiful, easy-care paradise.

Stacey Nguyen
Stacey's work has appeared on sites such as POPSUGAR, HelloGiggles, Buzzfeed, The Balance, TripSavvy, and more. When she's…
Indoor gardening: Hydroponics growing tips for any plant
Start your hydroponic garden with these tips
Cilantro grown hydroponically

Hydroponic gardening is a unique and interesting process. Hydroponic gardening is a great way to extend your growing season by growing fruits and vegetables indoors. It flips the script on so much of what's considered traditional or standard about gardening, and having a hydroponic garden is an immediate conversation starter. It looks impressive, but that also means it can be intimidating to start. That's why we're here to help. This guide on how to start a hydroponic garden will help you get started with setting your system up and caring for your plants.
Planning

The first step is to choose your plants and the type of system you want to use. Certain plants have an easier time growing hydroponically than others, so take your time deciding. Some simple ones to start with are spider plants, pothos, mint, and lettuce, but those are by no means the only good ones to start with! Don't forget to measure out how much space you have, as that will impact the size and potentially the type of system you get.

Read more
What to know about climate zones before planting your garden
How to use the USDA hardiness zones when gardening
Peach tree

One of the most important aspects of gardening is learning what plants will grow successfully in your region. Climate zones - also referred to as plant hardiness zones or growing zones - provide general guidelines to let gardeners know what plants are hardy in their area. Wondering how these climate zones are divided, why they matter, and how to use that info in your own garden? Then this is the guide for you! We'll walk you through everything you need to know about climate zones for plants, so that you can go into the next gardening season as confident as possible.
What you need to know about climate zones

So, what is a climate zone? In the 1960s, the United States Department of Agriculture divided the country into different regions with the Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The gist is relatively straightforward: Scientists used temperature data to split the country into multiple zones based on average annual minimum temperatures. Each area is separated by a difference of 10 degrees Fahrenheit. And in case you were wondering, yes, an individual state can consist of several zones!

Read more
Add whimsy and magic to your yard with these lovely fairy garden ideas
Tips and tricks to help you plan a fairy garden
A small pot with a tiny house plant and succulents

If you’re a fan of fantasy, whimsy, and fun, then you’ll love fairy gardens. These little gardens are perfect spring projects that can add a little extra color and life to your home and garden. Making fairy gardens is a fun activity for the whole family, and you can easily tailor them to fit your personal tastes and aesthetics. There are garden kits you can use to build one, but it’s also easy to make your own.

Whether you want something simple and elegant or a little bit goofy, fairy gardens are a great way to express yourself creatively in the garden. Here's what you need to know to get started, plus a few tips to help inspire you!
What is a fairy garden?

Read more