Few things are more frustrating than a messy front yard. In addition to disrupting your curb appeal, overgrown, messy landscaping can also harbor pests and make it look like you don't care about your property. Fortunately, tidying up your yard doesn't have to be difficult. I have spent years learning more about landscaping, and this blog is all about how to become a landscaping enthusiast. Check out these articles about fun topics like planting flowers, perfecting pruned trees, and decorating your yard with whimsical additions. After you know more about landscaping, your yard might become the talk of the town.
Does the idea of spending a weekend mowing, weeding, and trimming the flowers sound more stressful than relaxing? Not everyone enjoys working in the yard or garden. If you fall into this category, don't despair. There are ways you can have a beautiful landscape without sacrificing your weekends.
Ditch the Grass Lawn
Grass can require a lot of upkeep. Mowing, edging, fertilizing, and weeding all take time. If you get rid of the grass lawn you will eliminate many landscape maintenance tasks. One option is to install a clover lawn. Clover is low growing so it rarely needs mowed. It also attracts beneficial pollinators to your yard. If clover isn't your thing, another option is to simply minimize the grass in your lawn. Keep a few small islands of grass and use shrubs and low maintenance flower beds to landscape the rest of the yard.
Plant Groundcovers
Don't leave bare soil exposed, or you will end up with weedy areas that require a lot of time to clean up. Some groundcover plants require little maintenance but grow very densely, which means they suppress any weeds. Ground ivies and plants like creeping thyme are two examples. If you don't want to deal with groundcovers, then use weed blocking fabrics covered in a few inches of mulch to cover any bare soil in the yard.
Install Irrigation
Watering can be time-consuming if you do it manually. You need to remember to turn on the hose and move the sprinkler head around. Further, there is more room for error when watering manually, which can lead to dry spots or missed waterings that then require time and effort so you can help the lawn recover. If you have plants or grass that requires regular irrigation, then install an automatic system. Sprinklers can be used for lawns, whereas drip irrigation is a better option for flower beds.
Install a Rock Garden
Rock gardens are a great way to lower the amount of work in your yard. Pretty rock mulch with a few well-placed boulders and larger rocks looks nice, but then you can add low maintenance, low water usage plants like sage or lavender to the garden for pops of color. Another option is to install dry stream beds, made of rock, in the landscape. Xeriscaping takes rock gardening a step further by turning your whole lawn into a rock garden with a few interspersed low maintenance plants.
For more help, contact a landscape design contractor in your area.
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