Gardens can add to the beauty of your home and create a welcoming environment in your backyard. There’s something very pleasant about walking through or sitting in a well-planned and thriving slice of greenery. These spaces can relax and rejuvenate you, which why many people consider the effort and expense involved in maintaining the garden to be worth it.While gardens are beautiful to look at, they can be very difficult to maintain, especially if you don’t have much time on your hands.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. While traditional gardens require some time and effort, low maintenance ones are beautiful to look at but easy to handle. These gardens don’t require careful monitoring or constant attention so they’re ideal for busy professionals.
Raised Bed Planting Ideas
A raised bed is similar to a large planter. Instead of planting your vegetables and flowers directly in your backyard ground, you can create the raised bed, fill it with a good soil mix, and then add your plants. The raised platform will contain the roots, keep the plants out of the reach of pests, help conserve water, and provide excellent drainage. Normal gardens don’t offer these advantages.
The raised bed is very easy to construct. If you like to indulge in DIY projects once in a while, you will have the right skills and tools to create this bed. Here’s a brief description of the process:
- Material – For best results, you should choose cedar or redwood. Both of them are natural hardwoods and will withstand the outdoor conditions well. Cedar oil is an insect repellent so it will offer added protection to your plants and produce. Unfortunately, cedar and redwood are expensive so if you’re on a limited budget, you might want to look for alternatives. Hemlock, pine, and fir are less durable and more prone to damage, but they’re also more affordable. We recommend cedar and redwood because your garden will be more durable and you won’t have to replace the frame anytime soon.
- Tools – You will need a compound miter or circular saw with blades, a drill, a screwdriver and the required bits, tape measure, staple gun and staples, and other such tools. You need to cut the lumber, join the pieces until it forms a solid frame, and ensure it can withstand pressure from the moist soil. Collect all the tools you would need to create such a structure before you start building.
- Choose the Installation Spot – Before you start building the frame, determine where you want to place your raised garden. This depends on the type of flowers and plants you need to grow. For example, roses require ample sunlight for at least six hours a day. If you want a rose garden, you should install the frame in a sunny and warm spot. Consider the requirements of your plants carefully before you choose the location of your planter.
- Preparing the Ground – Once you’ve built the frame and determined the location, you need to install it in your backyard. Place the frame at your chosen location and mark the outside boundaries of it in the ground. You can use the shovel for this. Once the entire outline of the frame is on the ground, you should set the structure aside and use your shovel to remove the grass. Make sure you extract the grass roots as well because they can be competition for your new plants.
- Installation – Once you’ve removed the grass, you should line the base of the frame with a wire mesh sheet and place it on the cleared ground. Make sure the structure is stable before you add nutrient-rich soil to the frame. You need a combination of fertile soil, compost, and mulch to ensure your plants thrive.
- Planting – Once the soil and bed is ready, you can dig small holes in the bed and add your favorite plants in them. Make sure the soil around the plants and roots is loose and moist. This will help anchor the plants and encourage growth. You should also water the plants every morning when the sunlight isn’t too bright. This will minimize evaporation and ensure the water sinks down into the mud to reach the roots.
A raised planter will prevent soil erosion, keep the roots contained, and make your garden more manageable so it’s worth the time and effort to build one. However, it isn’t the only option available to you. You can let your natural garden grow wild and untamed and just prune or trim if it starts to encroach on your lawn or other areas. You can also install small planters instead on a large raised bed as they’re easier to install and manage. All you need to do is purchase a few planters.
Low Maintenance Garden Beds Tips
- Choose a design that fits into your backyard and home architecture smoothly. You don’t want a garden that looks ugly and disorganized.
- Install the garden in a convenient location so you have easy access to your tools and source of water.
- When in doubt, create a smaller garden. Even low maintenance gardens do require maintenance. If you’re not certain you can handle a large raised bed or a big collection of plants, just limit yourself to a few plants. You can always increase the size of your garden when you’re more confident.
- Choose your plants carefully. Some plants require more care and a specific environment to thrive. Perennials, succulents, disease resistant and drought resistant plants, and self-seeding herbs are the best choices for a low maintenance garden.
As you can see, a low maintenance garden is easy to build and maintain. If you’re still uncertain about following the tips and suggestions mentioned above, you can hire a professional to build a garden for you. They can create the beds, plant the plants, install an efficient irrigation and drainage system, and teach you how to maintain such spaces. Your only responsibility will be to take care of the garden on the day-to-day basis.