The 7 rules of a "lazy" garden: How to organize your garden so it requires minimal effort

A garden should be a source of pleasure, not a constant demand for labor. Thankfully, it's entirely possible to create such a garden. Low-maintenance gardens, a popular trend in landscape design, require minimal attention from the owner. While some involvement is necessary, the goal is to keep labor to a minimum.

My husband, a landscape designer specializing in public and neighboring territory improvement, excels at creating these types of gardens. Below are the basic principles he adheres to.

Guidelines for the Low-Maintenance Gardener

1. Mulch all plantings
2. Opt for low-maintenance plants
3. Limit lawn areas
4. Establish raised garden beds
5. Use easy-to-maintain materials for garden paths
6. Design a "new wave" garden
7. Install an automatic irrigation system

Principle 1: Mulch all plantings

Mulch is a material used to cover the soil between plants. It's typically made from shredded tree bark, leaves, stone chips, or hay for garden beds.

Mulch helps prevent the soil from drying out, hinders weed germination, safeguards plant roots from temperature changes, enriches the soil with nutrients, and keeps the garden looking neat.

 

 

In a low-maintenance garden, all areas are filled; there's no room for bare ground. The photos show examples of lawns combined with pebbles and bark mulch.

How to organize. Often, wood chips or shredded tree bark are used. These decompose over three to five years and look attractive. Coniferous mulch also has antiseptic properties.

Different areas of the garden should use different sizes of mulch: coarse (10-20 mm) for spaces under trees and shrubs, and fine (1-5 mm) for flower beds. If you want to simplify the process, you can cover the entire area with medium mulch (5-10 mm). However, if the site is windy, small or medium sizes will not work as the mulch can be blown away. In such cases, use only the largest mulch.

If you're starting a garden from scratch, layer different materials under the mulch. The "pie" should be: existing soil, crushed stone mixed with sand, geotextile, a leveling layer of very fine crushed stone, a layer of fertile soil, and then mulch.

When paving over an old garden, make sure to weed the areas, make holes in the geotextile for existing plants, and lay it down. Then pour shredded bark directly on top of the geotextile.

The simplest way is to fill open areas with mulch. In this case, create a layer of at least 5 cm, ideally 7-10 cm. A thin layer will mix faster with the soil, allowing weeds to sprout actively.

How much it costs. To cover 1 m² with a 6 cm layer of bark, you need one 60-liter bag, which costs a minimum of $45. If the site is windy, you'll need to buy more expensive coarse pebbled bark.

Usually, the largest fraction of bark is always galvanized. This is because large pieces can have noticeable chips and torn edges, which may look untidy. Furthermore, its round shape makes it harder for the wind to pick it up. This type of medium fraction bark costs 790 ₽ per 60-liter bag.

If you use geotextiles, add their cost to the price of mulch. The most budget-friendly option costs $0.2 per square meter. With mulch, this totals a minimum of $4.5 per 1 m².

When arranging a garden from scratch, the geotextile laid inside the "pie" should have a density of at least 350 g/m², as it's stronger and more durable. Such a geotextile square costs around $1. With the use of attractive galvanized mulch, the approximate cost is $9 per square.

RULE #2

Choose unpretentious plants

What's the point. The better a plant fits your plot, the easier it is to maintain. For example, prefer perennials over annuals to avoid growing from seed and replanning your flower bed every year.

How to organize. Look for plants that suit your climate and don't require digging or covering for the winter. Before purchasing, research the plant's needs: soil, lighting, watering, and feeding. Understand how fast it grows and the frequency of shearing and pinching.

For instance, thujas don't suit Primorye due to the sunny winters, which can cause the plants to burn. To keep them looking tidy, they need shading in December, using a cloth or spunbond.

In March, start watering the roots with warm water and then carefully remove the cover.

You can replace thuja with Chinese stricta juniper, which looks similar but doesn't require special care aside from occasional trimming. In a different climate, such a replacement may not be suitable, so consider the plant's needs carefully before buying.

 

 

Selecting plants that will thrive in your region is crucial.

Consulting with seedling vendors can be helpful. A well-established nursery can provide advice and explain the characteristics of each seedling, rather than pushing exotic, expensive plants that may not survive, particularly for beginners.

When choosing plants, consider their growth rate. Plants like spirea, birchbark, and bubblegum are often used for hedges due to their rapid growth. However, you may need to trim them two or three times a season.

Maiden grapes, which also grow quickly, can be used to cover unattractive fences and buildings. The fast growth of these plants is a benefit. After a few years, once the hedge has formed, less frequent trimming will be required.

 

If you have a good relationship with your neighbors, asking them for seedlings can help you save a significant amount on plants. Prices at nurseries and garden centers fluctuate based on the variety, size, and quality of the plants. The same shrub can cost anywhere from $5 to $15. Perennial flower seedlings range from $3-$5 each.

For instance, a linear meter of spirea hedge, if you choose four of the smallest seedlings from "Leroy Merlin", will cost at least $13.4. A large bush of about one meter in length can be purchased for around $20. A variety plant from a well-known nursery will cost approximately $16.

RULE #3

Limit Lawn Space

Lawns are high-maintenance. They need to be mowed at least once every two weeks and watered almost daily. Additionally, at least once a season, they require aeration, fertilization, reseeding, and sanding. No lawn equals less hassle.

How to manage. Consider less labor-intensive alternatives to a lawn. For example, deck the seating area, sow the lawn with low-growing clover (which doesn't need mowing), or plant ground-cover plants under the trees.

If you don't want to do away with a lawn entirely, create one or more small, regular rectangular spaces that fit your lawnmower's size. These are easier to maintain.

 

Here's a great example of a small, regularly shaped lawn next to a terrace. It's easier to maintain than a larger lawn and is well-positioned. For instance, while adults enjoy tea, children can play on the grass. Photo: Hannamariah / Shutterstock

Cost Breakdown. Paving a 1 m² area with paving stones costs around $24, including labor. Boardwalk construction costs about the same. As for plants, clover is the most cost-effective option; a $3 seed packet can cover 3 hectares.

Sowing a lawn, even by hand, can be a more expensive endeavor. Essential tools, such as a seeder and a special roller for compacting the soil, can cost up to $50. However, there's no guarantee of immediate perfection.

A rolled lawn, costing from $23 for 1 m² including installation, offers immediate appeal. If your lawn area is small, it might be easier and more convenient to opt for a rolled lawn rather than dealing with seeds.

 

Low-growing white clover may not be mowed.

RULE #4

Make high garden beds

What is the point. For high beds make a stationary fence for several years and usually at the bottom lay drainage. It is more convenient to take care of so: you do not need to dig up the soil every year, it is enough to loosen and correct the edges.

Some people create decorative vegetable gardens on high beds: together with vegetables and greens they plant herbs and flowers.

 

High beds offer the main advantage of not requiring you to bend down for cultivation.

Organizing High Beds. The ideal height for these beds ranges between 60-80 cm. Any higher and watering them becomes a challenge due to the need to lift a heavy water can over the sides. Avoid planting perennial plants, like strawberries, on high beds as the ground in free-standing boxes freezes during winter and this can kill the roots. However, herbs, greens, and other annuals thrive in such conditions.

The width of the beds depends on the accessibility of their sides. If you can only approach from one side, it's best to keep the bed no wider than 60 cm. If all sides are accessible, the bed can be 100 cm wide.

You can use any spare boards you have, such as formwork. If you don't have any, buy a dry pine board that's 30-40 mm thick and bars that are 50 × 50 mm.

To ensure the longevity of wooden beds, treat the boards with antiseptic impregnation and cover them with protective varnish, paint, or oil. The bottom of the bed can be laid with 20 cm of large branches or logs for drainage. These will rot over a few years and turn into soil. Add fertile soil on top of this.

Cost Estimation. If you have leftover construction materials, the beds will essentially be free. New lumber costs around $15, and patio oil is about $11, but a single jar can cover more than one bed.

RULE #5

Opt for Low-Maintenance Materials for Garden Paths

The Reason. Traditional paving stones need regular cleaning using special solutions and brushes. This means you'll have to carry a hose, a high-pressure washer, or a bucket of water around your garden. Additionally, you'll need to refill the seams with sand at least once every couple of years. On bubbling soils, such paths are prone to skewing.

Instead, consider using stone chips, natural cobblestones, or step-by-step slabs for paving paths. Such pavements don’t require frequent cleaning or repairs, and they remain stable even after winter.

 

Here, paving stones are used as a curb, and the materials are combined. The main, frequently used path was made of crushed stone, and the walking part was laid in steps of slabs.

 

This is a staggered walkway of stone slabs. The space between the slabs must be filled. If there is a lawn around, then grass should also grow between the slabs - then the gaps are filled with sand. The photo shows a variant with a forest laurentia.

How to Organize. For any path, begin by digging a trench. Then, lay a geotextile at the bottom, followed by a layer of crushed stone and sand, and finally, fine crushed stone, stone, or flagstone.

To prevent the crushed stone from scattering, use a curb. Plastic curb tape works best, but a classic stone curb or improvised materials like leftover paving stones can also be used.

"Wild" cobblestones are simpler to lay. Dig a trench about 10 cm deep at the proposed pathway. Directly on the bottom, position the cobblestones, creating a unique mosaic by hand. This process may be labor-intensive, but it's also very engaging and can be a fun activity for the whole family, as no two stones are alike.

Step-by-step slabs are a recent trend in landscape design, making a garden look as natural as possible. The slabs can be made from different materials, but cement and granite are most commonly used. The former is cheaper, while the latter is more durable.

 

The pattern of a cobblestone walkway is always unique, but it takes a long time to pick it up.

 

You will also have to do a lot of work with a stepped walkway. If it is laid on a ready-made lawn, the soil is removed exactly to the size of the slab. Ideally, geotextiles, crushed stone and sand are laid at the bottom of the pit, but more often they don't bother and lay the slabs directly into the ground.

The most inexpensive paths are made of silt. Generally, all loose materials are sold in cubic meters. One cubic meter of crushed stone, sand, and silt will suffice for 250 m² of track. A meter of curb will cost at least 1$. Therefore, a meter of a 60 cm wide path will cost 0.1$ without a curb and 2.2$ with a curb.

A path composed of flagstone, crushed stone, and sand will cost at least 4$ per 1m². A staggered path is the priciest, with one slab of concrete costing from 12$ and granite from 14$.

The cost of cobblestones is hard to predict - the price isn't listed in advertisements and workers state it afterwards. You'll need to visit the quarry personally and manually select cobblestones. This option isn't suitable for all regions.

RULE #6

Create a "new wave" garden

Rationale: The "new wave" garden is a relatively recent trend in landscape design. Its main principle is naturalness, arranging plants as they would grow in the wild without human intervention. Paths are intertwined with the planting system, much like paths in a forest. The ideologist of natural gardens is Dutch designer Piet Oudolf, hence such flower gardens are also referred to as Udolfian.

Such a garden looks decorative throughout the year and requires minimal maintenance if the plants are chosen correctly.

 

The "new wave" gardens are dominated by cereals.

 

Plants are selected so that they look interesting in winter as well.

How to Organize Natural style gardens often resemble meadows, but this style can also be implemented in ordinary plots. The two essential principles are the avoidance of regular shapes and the use of tiering.

Flower beds should have at least three tiers. The highest tier comprises existing trees and large shrubs. The next tier includes grasses and flowering perennials, while the lowest tier contains annuals and ground cover plants.

70% of the flower bed should be occupied by structure-forming plants such as cereals, grasses, and flowering perennials typical for the region. The remaining 30% should be ornamental plants that add accents.

Before arranging such a garden, study the flowering period of plants to ensure blooming throughout the season. For example, 25% should bloom in spring, 30% in summer, and another 25% in the fall. You can use ready-made schemes from gardening magazines, books, or the internet, for example, on Pinterest.

Cost Consideration Perennial seed packages cost between $0.2 and $2 each, but such a flower bed will only bloom and fully grow in 1-2 years. If you buy seedlings, a small flower bed of 3-4 m² will cost about $100.

RULE #7

Set Up Auto Irrigation

Purpose If there is no rain, the garden needs to be watered 1-2 times a week, and the lawn even more often. To avoid manual watering, it's worth setting up an irrigation system. This allows watering your plot at the touch of a button or with a valve.

How to Organize The most expensive, labor-intensive, but also the most reliable and effective option is a smart irrigation system. This consists of power cables and water pipes laid underground, with only sprinklers remaining above the surface. The irrigation schedule is set via remote control.

Such a system is usually planned before the construction of greenhouses and any plantings. Installation is typically handled by specialized firms.

A simpler option is drip irrigation, a network of hoses with holes or nozzles through which water slowly trickles. Watering is turned on manually, but an automatic machine can be purchased to set up a watering schedule.

 

For spot irrigation of individual plants, it is more convenient if the tubes are led to each root.

What it costs. A drip irrigation kit for 60 plants costs $15-$50 depending on the type.

The cost of a smart auto irrigation system starts from $2000-3000 and depends on the layout, size and fill, but a system can cost from $3000 to infinity.

Do you have a garden? Tell us what is the most annoying thing about gardening