Free Maintenance!

Monday, June 30th, 2014

LandscapingMaintenance

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I cannot count how many times I have met with a client for the first time and their number one goal was maintenance free landscaping. Of course, I am a witty and charming person so my stock answer is “Well even if you use plastic plants they still need to be dusted.” I am here to say it. There is no such thing as a no maintenance landscape.

There are, however, ways to reduce maintenance time and costs. Not surprisingly, it begins with a well thought out design. By placing plants in appropriate places we can limit the amount of trimming and pruning required. Have you ever seen a Burning Bush placed right up next to a fence or home? It is aching for yearly maintenance, but place that burning bush out in the open where it can grow and Viola! no maintenance for a couple years and it looks fantastic too.

Dwarf evergreens have year-round appeal and very little maintenance. They are like toupees waiting for a haircut. It might never be necessary to trim them. Dwarf butterfly bushes and Hydrangeas offer abundant color and low maintenance.

Groundcovers can reduce maintenance in the long run. When they fill in and become turf-like weeds have a hard time growing through them. This can take a couple years, but the wait is certainly worth it. They even eliminate the need for mulching saving not only time, but money in mulching costs. Like carpet in a home, groundcovers are available in limitless colors and textures that can be mixed and matched to make the most of your landscape design.

In our language, if you only need to deal with plants once or twice a year that certainly falls into the category of low maintenance. Not to mention, real plants look better than plastic ones and don’t require dusting, just watering. Speaking of irrigation, a solid irrigation system installation is one of the best ways to save time in the garden.

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