It’s a fact of the gardener’s life – garden maintenance is an ever present chore. There is no such thing as a maintenance-free garden!
However, you can plan a garden that requires minimal care and maintenance. Tropical gardens can fall into this category, as can Australian native gardens. However, even with these there are still some chores needed – even if it is only collecting dead foliage.
Weeds grow everywhere – and in spots where nothing else will grow! Even if you cement over the front yard – weeds will find a crack or two to come up through and wave “hi” we’re here! So, no garden is still not maintenance free! LOL
What can you do to reduce the amount of chores or maintenance needed?
Choose a garden design that doesn’t include high maintenance plants such as roses, cottage annuals, fruit trees, vegetables, hedges, topiary, deciduous and so on.
Gardens based on trees and shrubs will work well towards reducing work. And, not leave you with a boring garden when you don’t use roses and annuals etc.
Azaleas, rhododendrons, gardenias, camellias and the like don’t require pruning, even though they often do benefit from a prune – though it doesn’t have to be annually.
Plants such as rosemary and lavender do need minor pruning.
Mind you even evergreen trees drop foliage periodically, so there is always some work around! If you use deciduous trees, (e.g. silver birches, Japanese maples) plant them in garden beds (with the azaleas) and then you just leave the fallen foliage to become mulch.
Weed control, which reduces maintenance chores, is a first step. Mulch well around plants will keep weeds down. Also, if you aren’t a total tree hugger, spot spraying with Round Up as soon as a weed appears works well – and it is easy work, and perhaps once a week or two checking the garden is all that is needed.
Putting plastic over the garden beds may keep weeds down, but it sours the soil, so forget it.
Always make sure your gardening tools are clean, sharp and kept from bad weather.
The thing about garden maintenance is that if you are an avid gardener, then the maintenance becomes a part of the growing and not a hated chore.