This type of garden is perfect for those people that do not have a lot of time to dedicate to gardening but still want to have a stunning garden without the hassle of mowing, constant watering, weeding and dead-heading. This type of garden also appeals to individuals that may suffer from a disability, infirmity or maybe just feeling the affects of old age.
The advantage of low-maintenance gardens is that they can go for long periods of time without being tended to, meaning that you could go on holiday for a week or two and come back to a garden that looks just as clean and maintained as when you left it.
Low-maintenance gardens are more often than not designed using only a select few plants that give a striking effect, but it is also possible to have a garden filled with plants. It will all depend on the amount of plants you choose that determines the time needed to keep maintain the garden.
Most low maintenance gardens are designed with gravel, stones, wood chippings and slate. The plants will then be spread out or gathered together in a way that compliments the garden design. As an example, gravel and stone gardens are low-maintenance, especially if you plant them with plants or shrubs that are drought-tolerant - such as lavenders. With this design, maintenance is limited to only trimming back the plants or shrubs that start to overgrow their space.
Weeds should not be too much of a problem if the ground has been properly laid with a plastic sheet or membrane and the covering with stones, gravel or wood chippings is nice and thick, you will rarely see one or two weeds appearing every few weeks.
The Garden Floor - Although it is often the borders and flower beds that provide you with the initial impact of a garden, the floor of the garden - paved and grassed areas for example - can take up the majority of the garden. This area will usually take up most of your time in terms of maintenance but will also have a huge impact in visual terms.
There are lots of ideas when it comes to designing the floor of a garden, such as paving, gravel and also decking. Make sure you take all ideas into consideration as this area of the garden will be the most expensive and for what you are going to spend you want as good as you can get it.
Gravel - Gravel is very useful for preventing weeds. Tip: A good weed killer, very carefully applied, should be used once before each season, this should control weeds for that upcoming season. Too much gravel does not always look very nice and is not to many individual's taste. Quite often a mixture of gravel and paved areas will compliment each other very nicely rather than having each on their own. Gravel is also a lovely 'flooring' for displaying shrubs or plants used in pots.
Decking - Decking is always an option when designing your garden, consider timber decking instead of paving. The advantages to decking can be very appealing - if suitable timber is used and treated correctly, it can be practical, attractive and long-lasting. Make sure to stain your timber decking with a colour that can compliment the style of your garden and also goes with the interior colours of your house, for example, a warm colour or dark colour of stain.
Paving - For a smaller area to be paved, think about using bricks or clay pavers instead of concrete slabs. This design can be complimented well using 'warm' effect plants. Before deciding on the bricks you want to use, be sure to check with the supplier that they are suitable to be used as a path - some can crumble after frequent wetting and freezing.
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