|
|
There's No Maintenance Like Low
Maintenance
by Carrie Paulk
In every landscape design consultation I do, there is one request that
is universal them -- everybody wants this feature. What would you guess
this feature is? Was it a garden pond or a stream? Maybe a cutting
garden? A patio or sitting area then. No? Roses or cherry trees? Afraid
not. Though these are popular desires, the feature that is always asked
of me is, ". . . oh, and I would like it to be low maintenance."
Who wouldn't want low maintenance? Our lives are busy enough as it is
without having to go outside and trim the topiaries once a week. We all
would like our landscapes to be self-maintaining as possible. Instead of
whacking away at our garden, we'd like to relax in it. But how can one
possibly achieve this gardening utopia? With the right design and some
forethought, achieving this low maintenance wonder is much more possible
than you would ever think.
The first place to start when gearing your landscape to be low
maintenance is in the design. A well thought out design not only
enhances the beauty of your landscape, it can also help to remove
maintenance issues at the same time. An example of this is in the use of
bedlines. A smooth, curved bedline is much easier to mow around than one
with a lot of sharp angles and corners. Another way to reduce
maintenance is to limit the use of 'stuff' in your landscape. If you
have in the middle of your lawn several trees, a gazing ball, some small
flower beds, and a utility pole all scattered about, you will waste a
lot of your time and effort just mowing around all these individual
obstacles. Instead, incorporate all of these things into one or two
larger beds. This reduces surface area to mow around and will cut a
significant amount of time out of your yard work. Beginning your quest
for low maintenance in the design stage will make all the difference
once your landscape is complete.
Another place to design your landscape for low maintenance is in the
selection of plant material. After all, what is the use of having
manageable bedlines if you have a shrub that insists it must grow above
and beyond your window, no matter how many times a month you whack it
back with your pruners? Low maintenance in plant selection can be
narrowed down to one simple rule: know your plants. Do not pick out a
plant based on just your opinion that "it looked good at the garden
center." Sure, it's a gorgeous, small, flowering shrub now, but two
years later it could be fifteen feet tall and dropping messy seeds all
over your sidewalk.
If you hash out your planting plan before you shop, you will save many
hours of maintenance and frustration down the road. Now that we are
entering the fall and winter seasons, now is the perfect time to work on
this list, before spring comes around and you're bitten by the 'gotta-buy-plants-now'
bug. Here are some plant qualities to pay attention to during your
search:
The ultimate size of the plant -- find out how big the plant will get.
If it is going to be too big for where you want it, see if some smaller
varieties of the plant are available. These dwarf varieties exist for
many plants. The planting zones for the plant -- make sure the plant
will be able to survive in your climate. You can try some plants that
are marginal for your area, but you will be more likely to have to
replace them later. Plants that are used in the right zone will be
healthier, which translates into less care and maintenance needed from
you.
The plant's track record -- try to find out how long a certain plant has
been in use in the landscape. Plants with a proven track record in your
area are much more likely to survive in your landscape than a new,
experimental plant. Of course, a plant could have too many survival
skills - look at kudzu here in the South, for example.
The plant's cultural requirements -- if a plant is listed as requiring
full sun, then most likely it is not going to survive in full shade. Try
to locate plants in an area of your landscape that will naturally
provide the plant's requirements without you having to do it yourself
manually.
By learning what each plant's needs and habits are before putting them
in your landscape, you will save yourself a lot of time and heartache
later on.
A last rule of thumb to follow when designing for low maintenance is to
remember to design for the future. Too many of us get caught up in the
need for instant gratification that we forget about tomorrow. Sure, that
Bradford pear will grow into a large shade tree in no time, but it won't
be long before you find half of the branch structure on top of the
garage. You are better off planting a long-lived tree, such as an oak or
redwood, that your children's children will play on someday. Yes, it
will not be a mature shade tree soon after you plant it, but you will
not have to replace it during your lifetime and it most likely will
become the most cherished part of your landscape.
Creating a low maintenance landscape on your property will take a lot of
preparation and planning, but it will all pay off in the end. Many
people turn to landscape designers and architects to help plan their
gardens for the future, which can end up having a big payoff. Investing
in the right design and the right plants that is a quality landscape has
been proven to be one of those few investments in your property that
actually returns a profit. Designing your landscape for low maintenance
will help you save your dollars, your time, and your back. So when
you're thinking of a design for your landscape, think low maintenance.
People ask for it by name.
About the author
Carrie Paulk is a professional landscape designer with Turf Tamer, Inc.
She has written many informative landscaping articles for Turf Tamer's
Tip of the Week program. Want to learn more landscaping tips and tricks?
Go to
http://www.turftamerinc.com/tip.shtm to sign up for the 'Tip of the
Week' and learn more tips!
|
|
