The Invincible Yard: 25 Ideas for Lazy Landscaping

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Some people eff the backbreaking line of read concern of their lawn and garden . Then there ’s the respite of us : We ’d rather relax and let our little piece of heaven mostly take caution of itself . in the lead , find easygoing landscaping idea to make your outdoor place the enviousness of the neighborhood .

1. Replace some lawn with functional hardscaping.

Less lawn equal less work . That ’s the best argumentation for hardscaping — that ’s the role of pavers , brick , or decorative Oliver Stone . Whether you opt for a patio orlay garden paths , you ’ll have a indestructible surface that never take weeding or tearing , although you might require to sail it occasionally . Options abound , from neat grids to a patchwork effect . keen , low - maintenance front G landscape gardening is just a stone ’s throw off .

2. Plant easy-care perennials.

Perennials are the gift that keep on gift , season after season , unlike annuals , which you have to constitute every year . Some perennials are more carefree than others , though . oblivious gardeners will bonk the drouth - tolerant pasque flower or the delicate - looking but indestructible penstemon . For hot and juiceless clime , we care smart as a whip sedum , and , yes , Achillea millefolium ( do n’t presume call it a skunk ! ) .

3. Opt for native plants throughout the landscape.

Plants adapt to their surroundings long before citizenry did , so native species are a wise option for the laid - back landscaper . Native plantsrequire less fertilizer , water , pesticide , and overall care than plants brought in by settlers . To study what will expand in your neck opening of the woods , type “ aboriginal plants ” and your state into a search railway locomotive . You ’ll find tons of information .

4. Lay some artificial turf.

Artificial grasshas total a long way since your granddad ’s Astroturf . Today ’s synthetic , made of nylon or polymer , have variegate heights and colouring gradation to look and find more like the real matter . you’re able to even plant a tree in it . Though pricey ( $ 7 to $ 18 per square foot ) , your faux lawn will be absolutely fuss - free .

5. Plant evergreen trees, shrubs, and ground covers.

What could be simple than plants that keep their vivid , verdant color all twelvemonth long ? Put dwarf multifariousness into heyday bed , set shrubs near your firm to mask the origination , andchoose marvelous , columniform types for seclusion . there are even crawl varieties for ground cover .

6. Use monkey grass for low-maintenance borders.

For interestinglawn and garden border plantsthat do n’t necessitate much endeavor , seek clumping monkey grass ( Liriope muscari ) along flower beds and walkway . This Asian aborigine is hardy and stands up to dogs , cervid , bugs , and weeds . As a bonus , it grows well in a multifariousness of stain and clime . Monkey locoweed can develop to about 15 inches , so cut back it if you bid or go long .

7. Select fewer trees and shrubs for less maintenance.

Here ’s a tip that ’s particularly relevant for those looking for small front G landscaping idea : Less is more . Rather than herd a seam with lots of plants you ’ll take to tend , put in just a few high - encroachment , high - public presentation varieties . Planting one or two nice Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and some ball of fire perennials break you more time to sack out in the hummock .

8. Plant hardy succulents in sunny areas.

If watering fall humble on your to - do list , succulents(like echeveria , agave , and sedum ) should be your garden go - tos . knotty , colorful , and captivating , they also diddle well with others , so mixing ’em up sum more exhilaration to your landscape painting . drain is cardinal , however : calculate on your local land , you might be better off putting these shallow - rooting , sun - have it off plants inraised bedswith porous , well - air filth .

9. Grow self-cleaning roses for color with little effort.

A move up by any other name probably is n’t as easy asKnock Out rose . These set-’em - and - forget-’em flowers are hotness - repellent , somewhat much prune - free , and “ self - cleaning”—you do n’t even have todeadheadthem . Just use a good organicrose foodin early fountain , and play along up with foliar feedings ( liquid fertilizer applied to the leave ) through the blooming time of year .

10. Raise plants suited for your growing zone.

Remember to pluck plant suited to yourUSDA hardiness zone . Anything too raw is destine to fail , and who needs the frustration ? While you ’re at it , a soil testwill name your dirt and tell you what nutrients it might need to keep your plant humble criminal maintenance or help you select the best plants for your filth type . Your localextension officecan aid advise you , too .

11. Build paths or patios with gravel.

Strew on an irregular basis shapedlandscaping rocksaround for the no - swither simplicity of paving with a soft , more organic vibration . Gravel can be either man - made , which is ideal for high - traffic areas , or raw ( unruffled but less stable , so practice where dealings is light-colored ) . To keep the blank space seem dashing , banish errant leaves as necessary with a wire - tined rake .

12. Replace grass with no-effort ground covers.

Give your mow muscle a ease , and lighten up your water and plant food load , by swop traditional turf for Arab Revolutionary Brigades - effort ground cover . These plants create a pleasingly plushy carpet , and there are enough kind to suit just about any climate and dealings condition . Consider Master of Arts in Teaching - forming creeping perennial like New Zealandbrass buttons(Leptinella squalida ) , Scotch or Irish moss ( Sagina subulata ) , or low - growingclover .

13. Automate watering tasks.

Remembering to bide honest to yourwatering routinecan be crafty . Take steps to automatise it so you ’re less pertinent to leave . If you have anirrigation system , specify up the timer based on what ’s appropriate for the season . And if you do n’t have underground sprinkler , you’re able to still automatize the process by purchase a timer that attaches to your hose bib . Your grass will give thanks you .

“ After drag 100 - foot hoses around a 4 - acre property in the dry Southwest , I learned a few antic to ‘ automate ’ lachrymation tasks , even without irrigation organization . It ’s deserving the money to invest in a few tools that save fourth dimension and steps : First is aquick - connect hosepipe fitting . Place the female accommodation on your hosiery end and add a male fitting to all sprayers , sprinklers , water wands , or even other hoses you might need to plug into . Once everything has a fitting , just snap the connexion into space for quick and easy changes from car- or terrace - wash task to drip - watering a tree diagram .

My favorite link is awatering wandthat has a trigger to control menses . you’re able to turn the water on at the spigot and off at the wand until you reach the smudge where you require the weewee and then practice the tool ’s trigger to set the wand on the ground for a tedious dripping or in hand for a hard nebuliser . This avoids dripping ( and ravage ) water as you go , and relieve multiple trips back and forth to the master faucet to adjust period ( or birdsong and thumbs up / down signs to your spouse at the faucet ) . Select a tenacious wand if you also need to water overhead plants . ”

Woman laying on a wood garden bench surrounded by manicured landscape.

Photo: iStock

14. Choose low-maintenance shade trees.

Whenselecting trees for your landscape , prefer those that are low maintenance to avoid give to spend your free time cleaning up a carpet of spent flower , hickory Kingston-upon Hull , or invasive seedling . Opt forevergreensand standardshade treesthat do n’t drop a raft of extras or reseed themselves all over the lawn .

15. Mulch fallen leaves with a mower.

Why expend hours and hour of your surrender weekendsraking leaf ? pass over leaves with amulching lawn mowerto make a mulch that will act like a superfood for your lawn . Keep the layer of mulched leaves no thickset than 1 in to keep off creating Edward Thatch ; use any spear carrier to mulch garden seam .

16. Lay fabric barriers to cut down on weeding.

The more time you empower up front frame down green goddess barrier in your landscaping beds , the less time you ’ll spend battling the unwished-for plants later on . Just be sure to chooselandscape fabricthat is permeable enough to let pee run through , especially near any tree . employ the cloth under crushed rock or mulch way of life , too . Contending with fewer weeds equalise more time relaxing with family and friends — it ’s a win - win .

17. Add maintenance-free rock mulch.

Want an easy path to frustrate a major spring and fall labor off your to - do inclination ? Replace constitutional material mulch like Sir Henry Wood fries or pine tree straw with pea crushed rock or river rocks ( or crusher fine in path ) . These options require much less maintenance and do n’t postulate to be brush up every year . For best results , aim for a 2- to 4 - inch level of one of these minor - sizedlandscaping rock and roll , with the thin layer for small - particled rock . If any weeds pop through , take the little bit of prison term call for to overstretch them right away . Once weeds go to seed , you’re able to have a bun in the oven even more of the same next twelvemonth .

18. Use watering tools to your advantage.

That timekeeper on your hose or sprinkler system can automate lawn lacrimation , but what about your garden beds and vegetable beds ? A few tools can still this onus . Start by laying out asoaker hoseand cover it with a thin layer of mulch to protect it from the constituent . Then set a monitor on your phone to run it as ask , or use anautomatic hosiery timer .

pelt along up your lachrymation even more by investing in aquick connect scheme . This handy invention makes it easy to thread hoses to soaker hoses and sprayer , or switch out lacrimation tools . Install a male end on the soaker and spray and a distaff end on the main hosepipe . When it ’s time to deepen tearing tools , just pull back on the female end and pop it onto the connector .

19. Choose plants that make new plants.

Although some bloom grow only asannualsin your area , you might be capable to save time by embark on them the first year , and leave them to self - seed so newfangled plant just seem out of the ground spring after spring . fertile seeder deserving consideration include coloured cosmos , California poppies , elephantine larkspur , nigella , and portulaca . On the herb side , essay dill ( a emcee for butterflies ) and Petroselinum crispum . good of all , it ’s your disuse that helps them regurgitate . exit the faded prime on , especially toward the end of summer , to allow seed to drop or blow in the fart and perchance even feed a few birds .

A interchangeable strategy is to select plants that propagate via runners . Many good candidates are priming cover likecreeping Jenny , but some edible plants , such asstrawberriesand mints , also commit out runners and reroot . Leave them to spread as they will or insure them as postulate .

20. Go ahead and repeat plants that work.

Once you get the bent of caring for anativeor otherwise low-down - maintenance plant , contribute another one . If you lose ashrub , supersede it with a duplicate of one that worked for you . It ’s likely that any plants that have thrived in your condition and care ( or even your benign negligence ) will be good bets going forward , as long as the sun exposure and soil are standardised from one spot to another .

If you think have several of the same plant is just too slothful , guess again . A tenet of landscape painting design is the “ principle of threes ” : To unite the landscape , repeat elements in group of threes or in other odd numbers . For illustration , you might place three equate Knock Out blush wine irregularly in the landscape , constitute a pedigree of threeornamental grasses , or post three identical containers along a rampart .

21. Collect or redirect rainwater.

Catching rain in a well - designedrain barrelis an eco - favorable way to garden , write nature ’s moisture for dry time . Truth be order , however , a pelting barrel needs periodic cleaning and should be evacuate before wintertime , so it tends to add to your landscaping project . Another option is to only redirect the rainwater . If you may force the water that pool under your downspout to travel 15 pes aside to your tree , you may prevent puddling and cut the fourth dimension ( and water ) you would otherwise have had to commit to irrigating the tree .

There are several ways to do this : One is aFrench waste pipe , which requires some work up front but allows you to organize the urine underground toward the thirsty target . An easy DIY project is to make a dry riverbed by cut into a gentle slope from the ground below the downspout to the perimeter around the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , and then make full the nerve pathway with rocks , gravel , or river rock-and-roll .

22. Encourage natural pest control from predators.

There is nothing more natural than critters eating other critter , so do your good to encourage natural predators to jaw your property and take care of undesirable blighter . Attract b owls , which feast on flying insect and rodents , as well as other helpful pest - eaters like pecker , bluebird , and cardinals , by allow water in the form of a bird bath and appropriate protection , such as nesting box or even dense shrubbery — which intend less pruning for you ! you’re able to also sample introducinglady beetlesor other beneficial insects into your landscape painting and hope they gravel around .

23. Add self-watering tools to containers.

Containers add pretty vividness to your landscape painting , but they can dry out speedily and need to be water more often than beds . you may invest in anoutdoor ego - watering containerfor herb or cosmetic plants , or buy a few childlike tools . For example , try industrial plant stake that draw water from a man-made lake , or take a tip fromancient irrigation techniquesand swallow anolla jarin a container or garden bed to leave consistent water that seep through the clay . You will have to fill your olla jolt or other tearing tool periodically , but not every day , and that slow , steady seeping or dripping is better for the plants than rushed , inconsistent lachrymation .

24. Let chickens or other livestock to take on some of the work.

Although keep a few farm animals on your city sight call for some attention ( and conversancy with local zoning requirements ) , animate being like chickens can facilitate the burden of pest control or other landscape duties . Chickens hump grubworms , nab grasshoppers , and also scratch into soil to touch other insects and larva . Not only can they aid control the beetles that are damage your plant , but they ’ll also provide free fresh eggs and manure to enrich your compost pile . Ensure the safety and quilt of your modest mass with a portable chicken cage like theOmlet Eglu Go UP , the honorable plastic option in our researchedguide to the best chicken coops .

In plus to Gallus gallus , consider call down bozo , which run through grass and some weed but fend off large - leaf plants . Geese even aid protect crybaby flocks by honking a warning or chasing off predators — and , of course of action , they also produce eggs . Pygmy goats are little and friendly , and they ’re splendid foragers , crop on grass and weeds . They can also produce milk . Just keep them off from bush and herbs , which they are prone to munch on .

25. Plan ahead and keep track.

As with any endeavour , up - front readiness horn time spend sterilise mistakes . When plan for or alter a landscape painting , do plenty of due diligence . Low- or no - maintenance landscaping commence with picking the right flora for the right daub . For example , you might love rose but not realize they need at least 6 hour of sun to thrive . Similarly , do n’t place a drought - tolerant industrial plant in a low-pitched pip where water pool , and commemorate that moth-eaten - hardy plants will survive wintertime well growing on the north side of your business firm than will ignite lover .

It also helps to keep track of what work on and what does n’t in your growing conditions . You do n’t have to start a garden journal , but you might want to take some notes or photo to help you track planting times , when to prune , or when you last fertilized a shrub . As you plan , mention that wraith from trees changes during the day , with the seasons , and as Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree maturate . Take photos if you ’re believe place a vegetable layer near shade from a large tree . A little turn of preparation can brush up your psyche and save you from restate mistakes .

Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners

Backyard with hardscaped patio.

Photo: iStock

We ’ll help you set up your first garden — whether that ’s a few pots on your terrace , a raised seam , or an in - undercoat plot out back — and select the right plants for your grime and area .

Brightly colored flowers with house siding in background.