We get to talk to lots of homeowners in Chester County who are looking to renovate their backyard or front yard landscaping. Almost every client in Glenmoore, Malvern and Downingtown and surrounding towns tell us that having a low maintenance yard is a high priority. We get it! We all have busy lives and want time enjoying the landscape, not fussing over it.
Low maintenance landscapes can happen through well-planned design. The key is having a combination of having outdoor living spaces and well-chosen plants, particularly native plants that are well-suited for the area. Below are 5 tips to keep your Chester County home looking great and requiring less labor.
TIP #1 – PLANT SLOW-GROWING BUSHES AND PLANTS
Large scale Pachysandra groundcover planting in Schwenksville, PA
If you plant the right size plant in the right place, it will help you avoid constant pruning. Want more beauty and less effort? Consider dwarf shrubs. They are low maintenance and quite versatile. They come in all kinds of shapes and colors and promise more beauty with less effort on your part because they maintain their height without pruning. You can create small hedges and borders with dwarf bushes or they are excellent for mass plantings in large beds. A single plant can often be used as an accent piece in a small bed. There are both evergreen, giving you year- round color or deciduous plants, which lose their leaves in winter.
Native plants are also tailor-made for your particular region and climate. They reduce maintenance by requiring less water, fertilization, no pesticides and less frequent pruning. They are tailor-made for your particular region and climate so naturally resist disease and pests.
TIP #2 – MULCHING
Gilbertsville installation with mulch and plantings that minimize weeding.
Mulch can be the optimum weed prevention tool. It’s one of the simplest and least expensive time savers. A good layer of mulch prevents light from hitting the soil surface, so weeds don’t have the opportunity to germinate. It holds the moisture in the soil, while allowing rainfall to pass through which reduces the need for watering. It also reduces soil compaction and keeps the soil warm during the winter. Whitehouse Landscaping can provide you with all your maintenance needs.
TIP #3 – USE LARGE SCALE GROUNDCOVER OR PERENNIAL PLANTING
River rock dry creek in Pottstown, PA
Garden beds usually provide spacing between plants which invite weeds to pop up and become an endless weeding chore. Anytime there’s bare soil, especially without mulch, you’ll have weeds. Planting swaths of densely planted groundcovers will fill in nicely and prevent weeds from growing. There are also plenty of reliable perennials that if planted closely, will flourish without attention. Daylilies, ground cover geraniums (Roxanne), and flower carpet roses are just a few that will reward you with minimal weeding.
TIP #4 – HARDSCAPING
Hardscaping with river rock and Flagstone reduce maintenance tasks.
Installing outdoor living spaces is a great way to reduce the amount of maintenance your Chester County landscape requires. Paved surfaces require no more maintenance than an occasional cleaning, will last indefinitely and at the same time create functional space that you and your family can enjoy together. Lawn and greenspace are ruled by time-consuming plants but replacing green spaces with long lasting products are a good choice for the serious low-maintenance homeowner.
There are stunning-looking and incredibly durable manufactured products such as patio pavers, block retaining walls, river rock, and crushed stone. Fire pits, fireplaces, retaining walls are some of the many hardscape elements that can truly make your yard a destination.
Read more about hardscaping:
7 Ways Hardscaping Can Transform and Upgrade Your Backyard
How to Create a Great Hardscape Design for Your Backyard Getaway
TIP #5 – CONSIDER LETTING A PORTION OF YOUR YARD GO WILD
Yikes…we said it! Why not let just a designated area of your yard go wild. There’s more and more emphasis now in landscape design to create a more ecologically, sustainable yard. A perfectly manicured grass might be the expectation in your minds’ eye, but it does nothing to create habitats for pollinators, birds, frogs and plenty of beneficial creatures.
Focus your attention on the areas around your front door, perhaps a clean edge around your landscape beds, and set down a good layer of mulch. And consider experimenting with a portion of your yard that is more sustainable, more natural and more cohesive with mother nature.
Whitehouse Landscaping can help with your low maintenance landscape. We have the experience of designing and installing outdoor living spaces and we have the horticultural experience of designing and installing plant material. With more free time, you’ll have time left over for you and your family’s enjoyment.
Contact Us today and schedule a free consultation. We’ll discuss your goals and develop a plan that is tailored to your lifestyle.