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Your front yard is what people see first. We all want our yards to be beautiful. What if you don’t want to spend hours watering, weeding and pruning your yard? Landscape designers love low-maintenance landscaping for front yards.
How can I create a low-maintenance yard?
Many homeowners feel overwhelmed by the idea of landscaping. We get it. It doesn’t matter if you know what flowers you like or don’t. But if you don’t have any prior knowledge of plants, creating layers, companion planting, and understanding how to create seasonality for your front yard, and foundation plantings, would take hours of research.
Low maintenance landscaping is a great option if you’re looking to improve your front yard. Low maintenance landscaping will save you time and make your yard look more attractive.
These are some yard landscaping ideas you might like to try.
- Plan Your Landscape Before It’s Too Late
Low maintenance landscaping should be considered when designing it. Who will use the yard? How do they want to use it? Before you start any landscaping project, this is an important consideration. Are you able to spend hours in your backyard with your family? Are you looking to host large groups of people on Sundays for Football Sundays, or do you just want to be a party host? Do you want to use it as a place to unwind and enjoy the peace? To help you prioritize your priorities and determine the layout of your landscape design, we recommend creating a ranked checklist.
After determining your priorities, you can begin to think about low-maintenance landscaping ideas that you can incorporate into your yard.
Replace Lawn
For decades, American homeowners have had to accept large green lawns as the norm. But we are here to tell them that there are better options. Common lawn grass needs lots of water, fertilizing and mowing. It will still turn yellow. You should not fertilize or spray your lawn with pesticides and fertilizers. This can cause run-off which can be harmful to wild animals and plants. Not only does grass not benefit pollinators, but it can also cause damage to wildlife by being cut too short. In the best conditions, grass is very high-maintenance. It’s even more difficult in drought-prone areas such as the American Southwest.
Other options for lawn care
It’s been proven that you can have beautiful yards without having to maintain it. You can do so much more with that space than just putting it to use. For example, add some hardscape elements. Hardscape is anything that is not a living part of your yard. A deck, patio, or large porch is a great way to increase your outdoor space and eliminate some grass. You can create a beautiful zen garden using rocks, succulents, or native plants.
Add a walkway
Also, take a look at your lawn and see if there are any bare spots due to heavy foot traffic. You can easily replace that path with a beautiful walkway. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to make these. A gravel or mulch pathway is a great addition to your landscaping.
Add Fun Features
You can reduce lawn space beyond hardscape by adding a variety of fun and functional features such as flower beds, vegetable gardens or cornholes.
2. Select low-maintenance plants
One of the most cost-effective and low-maintenance landscaping improvements you can make to your front yard is to swap out or select the right plants.
It can be tempting to just add the most colorful, boldest flowers from the nursery to your shopping cart without thinking. You’ll end up outside, wrapped in blankets, if you don’t do your research before you go to the checkout. It’s possible to make lawn care easier by choosing plants that are well-suited for your area.
Native Plants: The focus
This can be solved by choosing plants that are native to your area. Native plants have evolved to survive in the soil and climate of your area and resist pests. This is all without using pesticides or fertilizers. Native plants are not perfect and will require some maintenance. However, their ability to survive on the resources provided by nature means that they do not need as much maintenance as other plants. Native plants are also beneficial to local wildlife and pollinators.
You don’t have to be concerned about the appearance and variety of plants that are available. There are many native plants that can be grown in both full sun or shade, and they will all look great in your front yard.
3. Take out high maintenance trees and plants
Trees are important to us. A front yard without a tree can be empty. Trees add beauty and charm to your property. There are times when high-maintenance trees should be removed. We recommend that you remove any tree that is considered to be an invasive plant. Some towns will even pay for the removal.
Trees may also need to be removed if they are clogging gutters or too close to a home. Sometimes a tree may grow too fast and outgrow its space. In these cases, it would be a good idea to move the tree. Sometimes a tree can create too much shade in your garden. In these cases, you will need to decide whether the tree should be removed or moved.
We recommend that you remove invasive plants from your garden. Invasives are invasive plants that spread quickly and take over everything in their path. This is not only harmful to native plants but also to wildlife that depend on them.
4. Install an Underground Sprinkler system
An irrigation system can help protect your landscaping investment. It also saves you time and effort in setting up the garden hose. Even low-maintenance plants, even those that are drought-resistant, need water to grow roots. While you shouldn’t water your lawn and plants all the time, smart watering techniques can help your landscape thrive in today’s changing weather conditions.
5. Choose Low-Maintenance Materials & Plants
Landscape elements can be difficult to maintain. Certain materials will require less maintenance than others.
We Love Ground Cover Plants
Ground covers can be beautiful and natural looking. They require little water and fertilizer and provide a great environment for wildlife and pollinators. Ground covers that are great for your area include creeping Jenny, honeysuckle and creeping thyme. Groundcovers are a great option for areas with steep slopes and shady spots where grass isn’t growing, or where you see bare spots.
Choose perennial plants
Perennials are a great way to reduce the time and effort spent on weed control and planting. For continued enjoyment, consider a group of daisies, black eyed susans and stonecrop, as well as iris, stonecrop, catmint and stonecrop. You should also check the care requirements of each perennial as they all have different needs.
Evergreens are a staple
Once established, evergreens can provide bright shades of green year-round with little care. There are many options, from large deciduous trees to subtle hedges and shrubs. These can be used to create privacy or add texture and greenery to your landscape.
Ornamental Grasses are Easy
Low-maintenance landscaping options are available with ornamental grasses. There are many grasses that are native to your area. You don’t need to be a landscaper to use them in your yard. Ornamental grasses can be used to create a border, add texture, provide seasonal interest, fill in space in a garden, or provide seasonal interest. They can also be used in a wide range of styles, from classic to modern.
You must have drought-tolerant plants
Drought-tolerant plants are able to adapt to dry climates and require less water and maintenance than other plants. Drought-tolerant plants are essential to any low-maintenance landscape plan if you live in an area that has experienced drought recently.
6. Take a look at your hardscape options
It’s worthwhile to research which hardscape elements are best for you and your family. Concrete patios may be easier to design and more practical. Perhaps your walkways are made of brick, and brick patios blend well. Perhaps you’re okay spending more for composite decking on your front stoop, knowing its long-term value and the fact that it requires less maintenance.
Use Gravel & River Rocks
Gravel or river rock gardens don’t require fertilizer, water, or sun. Gravel is a great option for lawns and garden beds if you live in the Southwest. A gravel area may not be the best choice for curb appeal, but it can make a great driveway, walkway, or path from your front yard to your backyard. Gravel is not cheap to maintain. It will need some maintenance, such as keeping dirt and other debris out.
Artificial Turf
Artificial turf bridges between the convenience of inorganic ground covering and the lush appearance natural grass. Artificial grass has advanced significantly over the past 60 years. You can find beautiful options that require little effort.
Mulch
Mulch can be a great addition to your garden. It gives your landscaping a finished look. Mulch acts as a barrier between your plants and the sun, keeping them from burning or drying out in the heat. Mulch helps water from the garden hose reach roots and not evaporate quickly in extreme heat.
General Tips for Low-Maintenance Landscaping
There are some things that you can do to ensure your success when it comes to low-maintenance landscaping ideas.
Before you plant, prepare your soil
It is recommended to loosen your soil about 12 inches below your new plants and add compost. It will allow roots to thrive and improve drainage.
How to Plant
To keep your work easy, densely planted flowers can reduce weed growth and choke out weeds. You can also have a minimalist look by using sparsely placed plants, surrounded with mulch.
Which garden is the easiest to maintain?
Every outdoor space needs to be maintained. It is important to create a space that suits your lifestyle and your time constraints.
Have fun with your planning! We are eager to see your beautiful new yard. It should be low-maintenance so that you can relax and enjoy the outdoors.
About Tilly
Homeowners across Canada and the United States have embraced Tilly’s simple online landscape design process. We have a team that can help you in Texas, Florida, Colorado, and Illinois. Tilly can design your front yard, backyard, or entire property. We can match you with a landscape designer who is knowledgeable about your area.
We will need to gather information about your property in order to begin our process. This helps us understand your needs, goals, and landscape. Your design package can include 3d renderings, lighting plans and side yards. The next step is to connect with your designer via video chat.
Once you have received your design, you can purchase your plants at a reduced rate from our team of experts and have them delivered to your home. Tilly can provide you with recommendations for local installers that can help you complete the landscape project.
Tilly offers DIY projects for individuals. DIY Spaces matches you with a landscape architect who will create a unique project for your yard. The package will include a scaled drawing and lists of materials that you can order through Tilly to complete your project. It also includes detailed instructions for how to install the project.
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