Search
Close this search box.

10 Low Maintenance Garden Ideas

Autumn Artificial Lawn

Are you looking for low-maintenance garden ideas? Maybe you have a garden but hate gardening. Or you’re simply too busy and don’t have time to maintain your garden. We know that looking after your garden can be very time-consuming and take a lot of effort. But you still want an outside space that looks great. So how do you achieve a garden that looks wonderful all year round, but requires minimal effort?

Well, low-maintenance doesn’t have to mean bland and boring. You don’t need to sacrifice a beautiful garden for low maintenance, you can achieve both through careful planning and clever choices. That’s where we come in. From artificial grass to choosing the right plants, this article will highlight 10 of the best low-maintenance garden ideas so you can achieve a garden that looks great all year round without the effort. So you can spend less time maintaining your garden and more time enjoying it.

1. Artificial Grass

Your lawn is most likely one of the most high-maintenance areas in your garden that demands a lot of attention. Real grass is very high maintenance. It requires regular mowing, seeding, feeding, fertilising, weeding, watering, and re-turfing. One solution is to get rid of the grass altogether. But why should you have to choose between a stunning lawn and a low-maintenance alternative?

Well, now you don’t, and that’s where artificial grass comes in. It offers you the best of both worlds – a beautiful, natural-looking lawn that is also low-maintenance. Our artificial turf looks just like real grass and stays green all year round but without the maintenance – it’s a win-win. That means no more mowing, watering, feeding, fertilising, or seeding. And more time spent enjoying your garden.

Autumn Artificial Lawn

2. Paved Areas

Paving is a very low-maintenance option for surfaces. You can replace beds and planted areas with paving to completely remove any hassle. Choose from a variety of paving stones, cobblestones, and patio slabs, which are all available in a range of colours, styles, shapes, and textures to help you create an attractive area.

Hard landscaping offers easier maintenance than soft landscaping as you only have to sweep and hose the surface down, so you can spend more time in your garden relaxing rather than working.

Magnifique 30mm artificial grass

3. Decking

Another low-maintenance option for surfaces is decking. Decking is an elegant solution that can work really well to create an extension of your living space. It is easy to keep clean and does not suffer from weeds.

One of the best decking surfaces is Millboard. Millboard looks and feels like real wood, but is free from the flaws of real wood as it won’t rot or warp and you won’t need to replace it. It is also algae-resistant, stain-resistant, and slip-resistant, making it perfect for year-round use. Decking is a fantastic low-maintenance, attractive option for your garden.

4. Avoid Fussy Plants

For a low-maintenance garden, there are certain high-maintenance, fussy plants that you should avoid. Avoid bedding plants, vegetables, seeds that need sowing, annual flowers, tender plants, delphiniums that need staking, climbers and creepers that quickly run out of control, and plants that require extensive pruning such as wisteria.

You should also limit the number of plants you have so there are fewer to maintain. Stick to around 5-10 varieties and those that are well suited to your garden’s soil type so that they grow without needing much attention.

5. Perennials

Perennials are some of the most fuss-free plants. You can buy them once and they come back year after year so you do not need to plant new flowers every year. With its beautiful purple colour and powerful aroma, lavender is a must for low-maintenance gardens.

More perennial favourites to include are sedum, geranium, periwinkle, daffodils, peonies, armeria, astilbe, and hostas. Each requires little maintenance and will really brighten up your garden with minimal effort.

Daffodils next to LazyLawn artificial grass in a garden

6. Grasses

Grasses are a great option for a low-maintenance garden as they require cutting just once a year and are really great at adding interest and texture to your space. Choose ornamental grasses that grow best in the soils found in your area, such as Stipa, Festuca, Pennisetum, Rubrum, Variegata, and Helictotrichon.

7. Shrubs

Shrubs are one of the best low-maintenance plants to choose for your garden. Try replacing high-maintenance flower beds with shrubs and hedges. They are easy to plant and are a great way to add texture and interest without needing much attention.

Shrubs such as lavender, fern, forsythia, and juniper are favourites and will add structure and height. Hardy evergreen shrubs like daphne, holly, heather, and euonymus will look good throughout the year and do not require a lot of ongoing care.

8. Containers

Containers and potted plants are a simple and easy low-maintenance option for your garden and a great way to keep plants tidy. Your plants are contained to boxed-in areas so you do not need to keep them in check or worry about pruning or trimming them.

You’ll find a variety of ready-planted pots in your local garden centre that you can simply bring home and put in your garden to add pops of colour and interest. What’s more, containers are highly versatile and easy to move around so you can mix your plants up and swap them around to achieve different designs to suit your needs.

Large image of artificial grass project

9. Mulch

Spreading mulch on beds will inhibit weed growth whilst nourishing the soil and fertilising your plants. Mulch made from bark chippings is one of the most popular types, but you can also top-dress your beds with a layer of gravel, slate, or crushed stone. Applying mulch will reduce time spent weeding plants and help keep your flower beds neat and tidy all year round.

10. Artificial Plants

If you don’t want to spend time and effort tending to plants, but want to add some greenery and foliage to your garden, there is an alternative; LazyWall.

Transform plain walls or turn unsightly areas into an oasis of green. Replica vertical green walls are a lot easier to maintain than real plants. They offer similar visual and feel-good benefits, but require no upkeep.

Our LazyWalls are popular for use in domestic gardens, hotels and office spaces and look especially effective when framed or combined with branding mounted on top. Our panels offer flexibility and can be cut to shapes, so you can be as creative as you want, the only limit is your imagination.

Vistagreen Panel Header Image

Your Low-Maintenance Garden

Try these low-maintenance garden ideas in your outside space. From artificial grass and decking to shrubs and perennial plants, by combining these low-maintenance options, you can create a truly stunning garden that requires minimal time or effort and you can spend more time enjoying your space rather than maintaining it.

Contact us today for more design tips on how to improve your garden and check out our gallery for more inspiration for how you can use artificial grass to enhance your outdoor space.

Share This Post

Request a Free Sample

Our artificial grass samples, including our award winning Wonder Yarn® are all free to order.

Free Delivery

Order over £750 of artificial grass on our web store and we’ll deliver it for free!
Your Basket