Hardscapes

One of the most prevalent ideas for a low maintenance yard and garden and one that has been around the longest is to include hardscapes. Hardscapes can include all the areas of your garden that are solid materials rather than planted like patios, walkways, stairs, retaining walls and the stonework in water features. Hardscapes require very little maintenance to retain their beauty when planned and installed correctly. All you have to do is spray it down or sweep occasionally. A rock garden, for example, needs no maintenance at all other than picking up anything the wind might have blown in, though it can be changed as often as the homeowner would like.

Low Maintenance Plants

You can't say enough for low maintenance plants. Plants that require very little or no maintenance are those that need infrequent watering, very little to no trimming, and that have tidy growth habits. When planning your low maintenance summer garden, look for succulents, shade trees, and slow growing ground cover to help balance the beautiful spots of color that my need a little more upkeep.

You can get low maintenance plants for all parts of your garden and in all sizes and colors. For example, low growing Shasta Daisies and Daylilies will bloom all summer long, even during the hottest part of the year with very little water and almost no trimming involved. The only work they really require is for you (or your gardener) to cut out the last year's dead growth in the spring. Oriental Lilies and Foxgloves grow to around three feet to six feet high and can give your garden bright happy colors. They will grow in tidy spots so you don't have to worry about them overcoming smaller plant-life next to them. Butterfly bushes, Hollyhocks, and Hydrangeas are all large flowering bushes that grow well in almost any climate you would plant a garden in. They require very little maintenance and are large enough to cover eyesores, fill in the large holes in your garden and give your garden some varying heights and color in its plant-life.

Work with a landscaper whose expertise is in your climate and area to find out which low maintenance plants grow the best in your area. Working with a landscape architect will give you the best bang for your buck, especially if you specify you want your summer garden to be low maintenance and in bloom all year long.

Automatic Watering Systems

One of the best ways to make your summer garden low maintenance is to install an automatic watering system before you plant. If your garden is already planted and well-established, you can still install an automatic watering system, though it is a little trickier. Take the work out of gardening and give yourself a low maintenance, lush oasis for a back yard by making it automatic. When all the thought goes in upfront, you can enjoy it worry-free on the backside.