Creating A Low Maintenance Garden

Dreaming of a green oasis in your yard but lacking the time, energy or resources? Creating a low maintenance garden could be the answer you’ve been looking for. 

It’s no secret that the worldwide events that we’ve all witnessed unfold over the last eighteen months have seen Australians spend more time in their homes than ever before. An area dedicated to fresh air and green space suddenly shot to the top of the residential wish list for many of us, and were arguably things that we previously took for granted. 

As such, the role of our garden, backyard or outdoor space suddenly took centre stage. Whether you were one of the many that tried their hands at growing a veggie patch, or perhaps renovated your pergola or verandah, the focus has well and truly shifted to the outdoor areas of our homes. 

However, as we start to return to the office and get back to doing the things that we used to, your garden can sometimes feel neglected. If you’re yet to jump on the bandwagon but anticipate a shortage of free time to take care of your green spaces, designing your very own low maintenance garden can offer the best of both worlds. 

How To Design A Low Maintenance Garden 

Do you love the idea of a welcoming green area in your yard, but loathe the prospect of the upkeep that it may potentially require? If you take a few special precautions, home owners can have all of the benefits of a thriving garden without having to sacrifice too much of their own time as a means to keep it in tip top shape. To achieve such a feat, what factors contribute towards achieving a low maintenance garden?

Embrace Native Plants – In a nod of respect to our unique landscape, planting native and indigenous shrubs, trees and flowers has seen a surge in popularity. This trend is somewhat of a double act –  it creates a thriving, attractive and robust garden, while also conserving biodiversity by encouraging native wildlife such as insects, possums, birds and bees. As they’re already well accustomed to your local climate, they’re quite happy to do their own thing and need little fuss. 

Aim To Mow Strategically – While it may seem counterintuitive, when it comes time to mow your lawn, aim to cut the grass at the tallest possible setting. This will provide shade to your lawn while choking out the weeds, and keeping the grass taller also encourages the blades to grow deeper roots and makes them more resistant to drought. Thus, the general idea is to spend less time on weeding, fertilising and watering. 

Keep Debris In Check – It can be tempting to leave dead or dying plants where they are for the moment and put it in the ‘deal with later’ pile, but by doing so you’ll essentially be lending a helping hand to many pests who will happily feast on this smorgasbord – and in turn, your plants. Needless to say, keeping on top of debris is one of the most effective proactive means to achieving a low maintenance garden.

Try Wild Gardening – Although the concept shocked many attendees at the Chelsea Flower Show, the concept of a ‘wild’ garden originally comes from the untamed look of the English meadows. The idea is to plant a selection of wildflowers, and more or less let them grow untamed. As such, it’s a great option for those who seek a low maintenance garden, as the entire idea is to embrace letting the plants do their own thing. 

Encourage Outdoor Entertaining – If the real goal is to spend more time enjoying your garden, don’t forget to make it an inviting place to be. Set up a hammock, pull a pair of chairs under a shade tree, or spread a cheerful outdoor rug down on the patio. Not only will this give you an area to relax and enjoy your new low maintenance garden, but it also takes up a big chunk of space that you would otherwise have to keep clean and organised. 

In order to keep a low maintenance garden healthy and at it’s best, try to embrace forward thinking and proactive measures instead of reactive ones, especially for things like watering, weeding, fertilising and tackling pests. As such, one of the most effective means to do so is to ensure that the soil in your garden is at its best. 

Optimise Your Garden Soil The Natural Way 

Do your plants – and yourself – a favour, and give them a head start by optimising your soil prior to planting. By adding a natural plant food like Biotic Booster, this will help your garden to: 

• Provide essential nutrients and microbes 
• Act as a liquid fertiliser to unlock your soil’s potential 
• Drought proof your plants and lower water consumption
• Increase and speed up the germination process
• Assist in protecting your plants from pests and diseases 
• Provide a natural solution that’s safe to use around your herbs, fruit and veggies

If you’re ready to take the leap into improving the health of your plants while minimising the use of chemical based fertilisers, then it may be time to try plant food and plant probiotics. Our Ultimate Garden Health Pack includes our Biotic Booster, FP-60 Probiotic Spray, RE-250 Soil Energiser, plant food and plant probiotics. In each concentrated bottle, millions of natural bacterias are waiting to find a new home in your garden.

Here at Bioweed, we specialise in environmentally friendly gardening products, including herbicides, plant food and plant probiotics, and natural alternatives to traditional gardening solutions. Should you have any questions about how to improve the sustainability of your garden, get in touch with us today.