EZ Gardening For Beginners

Lush blooming gardens are the dreams of many people. A garden that complements and beautifies your house is what you are looking for; you might be either in for a lot of money or a lot of work. Luscious fragrant gardens need to be designed, prepared, planted and then taken care of properly. If you just do not have the time to take care of a high maintenance garden or not the money for a gardener, then why not try a low maintenance garden? There are many low maintenance gardens that are beautiful and that will complement your house in a wonderful ways.

If you are looking for a low maintenance garden, than there are six easy steps that you can follow to achieve your goal. First of all, think about what takes the most care and time for regular maintenance in most gardens. Yes, of course, the lawn. Lawns get fertilized once or twice a year, aerated, patched and most of all moved. During summer, lawns might be moved once a week and depending on the size of your lawn, this task might take half an hour or even longer. So when designing your low maintenance garden; keep the lawn off the list. Instead of the lawn there are many other materials that you can use to create open areas and sitting areas in your garden.

Steps number two and three include the following materials. Low Maintenance gardens use lots of gravel, rocks and mulch in the design. Rocks can enhance the garden in several ways. You can introduce walls, beds, stairs, rock benches and sculptures to your garden. There are many sources in books and online that can give you inspirations for your garden design or you can hire a landscape designer to give you your dream low maintenance garden. Any bigger open areas can be made into play, walk or sitting areas by simply adding gravel or mulch. Gravel and mulch come in different sizes and colors and can make a great statement or contrast to the plants chosen for your design.

Low maintenance gardens also should include low maintenance plants. Therefore as step four include slow growing plants that do not have to be pruned and cut regularly, plants that grow in shaded areas as well as plants that are drought resistant. Drought resistant plants do not need to be watered daily or every other day. Generally in a normal climate you might not have to water these plants at all. These plants will be able to grow with the water provided through rain.

Low maintenance gardens can be luscious and green or flowery and fragrant if you choose the proper plants, but they need only minimal care. A low maintenance garden does not need to be designed by a landscape designer; you can design your own garden. Low maintenance gardens are often times easy layered garden due to the choice of materials. Therefore when creating your garden make sure that as step five you include material and plant layering.

Lastly, when creating a low maintenance garden, get advice from your local garden center and garden experts. They will be able to guide in your choice of materials and plants. A good garden expert will be able to find the colors you are looking for while he or she will also be able to tell you about the ease of care of these plants.

Therefore if you are considering a low maintenance garden, go ahead and dig in. Creating a beautiful low maintenance garden is actually easy, even for persons who do not exactly have a green thumb.

Gardening can add a new dimension of immeasurable beauty to your yard and life. But perhaps you don’t think you have enough time to dedicate to your garden. Even if you think you are too busy to dedicate spare time to gardening, you would be surprised how much you can do with just a couple of hours on the weekend a few minutes throughout the working week. If you crave a garden, but don’t think you have enough time for one, here are some simple tips and instructions on how to plant a low maintenance garden.

Designate a Space for Your Gardening

Gardening does not need to take up hours of your time. The easiest way to brighten up your yard or outdoor living space without exerting a lot of time, money and effort is to designate a specific space for your garden. A lot of gardens are time-consuming because the plants are scattered throughout a large outdoor area. If you limit your gardening space to one raised bed, for instance, you will not have to worry about watering several garden beds or maintaining a large garden. Start by focusing one area in your yard that needs space and work from there.

Container Gardening Adds Easy Color and Texture to Any Space

Do you want to brighten your yard with color and texture, but don’t have the time or money for a whole garden bed? Consider container gardening, an easy way to add flowers or plants to any part of your home. Moreover, if you are working with malnourished soil, or simply don’t have the space for a full planting, container gardening can fill this void with minimal effort. You can opt for one large planter, a variety of container sizes, or a small-scale container garden. Container gardening is a cost-effective and easy way to satisfy your craving for a garden without having to do the full-scale plant bed preparation, seeding and transplanting.

Choose Hardy Perennials for Easy Year-Round Color

Do you wish you had a garden that boasts year-round color? You don’t have to be a gardening whiz to ensure that your garden is rich in color and texture on a year-round basis. There are many hardy perennials that, once planted and become well established, will present you with blooms throughout the growing season. Perennials are plants that continue to bloom season after season. For this reason, perennials will usually cost you more, but the investment in a long-lasting garden is well worth it. Make sure that you understand which perennials thrive in your climate. You will want to choose the hardiest perennials available in your area for the best low-maintenance garden. Visit your local nursery and ask which plants do best in your area despite minimal care and attention.

Install a Drip Irrigation System for Easy Plant Care

Do you wish you had a healthy, thriving garden, but don’t have the time it takes to water your plants on a regular schedule? A drip irrigation schedule can take care of this for you. Drip irrigation systems are becoming increasingly popular because, once properly installed, they water your garden with maximum efficiency. This system works by dripping water on a continuous basis, thus avoiding over-watering and loss of evaporation. A drip irrigation system can help keep your plants properly watered without you having to lift the hose ever again. Moreover, these systems can help save you water and time, making them an environmentally friendly option for the modern gardener. Visit your local nursery or home improvement store to take a look at the latest drip irrigation systems. They can be tricky to install, so you may want to enlist the help of a professional.

If you would like to establish a garden that provides you with color and texture year after year, it is easier than you might think. What is the key to a low maintenance garden that can provide you with color year after year? The key is choosing the right plants. Perennials are plants that are generally less showy, but provide you with stable long-term growth. Gardening with hardy perennials is the easiest way to ensure that you cultivate a garden that is rich with blooms year after year. Here are some of the best perennials that are easy to grow and maintain.

Time for a Hardy Perennial; the Four-o’clock Blooms Year After Year

One of the hardiest perennials around is the four o’clock, also known as Mirabilis jalapa. This perennial should be planted in full sun March to June, and loves the heat. It provides you with a pink and white bloom, and some varieties are pink and yellow. These are bushy plants that can grow up to three feet tall. The blooms release a strong fragrance in the late afternoon. The tops of the flowers will die back in cold weather, but these lovely plants will reseed in the garden on their own.

Beautiful Cosmos Provide Bright Blooms in Summer and Fall

Cosmos, a native flower of Mexico, provides bright beautiful blooms. You can acquire both annual and perennials. These beautiful flowers are drought-tolerant once established. They come in a wide variety of colors, ranging from pale pin to bright magenta. These plants are popular because they make excellent cut flowers. They are also non-stop bloomers that persevere throughout the summer and well into the fall. They will also readily reseed in the garden, so they can make a glorious comeback every year in your garden.

The Black-Eyed Susan Makes its Triumphant Return Each Year

Another popular perennial is the black-eyed susan, flower that makes its triumphant return to the garden year after year. These plant seeds should be planted from October to January. They are popular because they can thrive in the sun and require low water usage. The black-eyed susan is also known to attract beneficial pollinators. This plant also spreads easily by seed in the garden. Beware if you want to restrict this plant to one area of your garden, because it has been known to be invasive.

Begonias Provide Color and Warmth to Your Garden Year After Year

Begonias are popular perennials that can also be grown as annuals. These can be planted from September to May, and are often available as nursery stock. These will tend to do best if given filtered, rather than full, sun. Plant begonias in rich, composted soil material and then water and fertilize well with fish emulsion every two weeks.

Artemisia Provides Fragrance and Color Your Yard

This fragrant and aromatic shrub grows as a perennial. It is best to plant in full sun. They will provide your yard with lovely gray, silvery foliage, and are known to attract beneficial insects to gardens. The strong fragrance is also known to discourage insect pests, including moths, ants, caterpillars and aphids.

Gallardia Offers Year Round Wonders and a Long Growing Season

Gallardia, sometimes know as blanket flower, is a perennial that is easy to grow from seed. Plant it in full sun from mid-September to April. This plant is available as seeds or nursery stock and has been known to attract beneficial pollinators and other helpful insects. They are also know to be very hardy, and will continue to flower right up to the first frost if the blooms are removed.