Different maintenance levels of gardens

A good landscape designer’s philosophy is there is no such thing as a NO maintenance garden. Your landscape design will impact the maintenance level required for your garden. 

There are generally two types of homeowners, low maintenance, who want nothing more than a practical garden with next to no maintenance, or garden lovers who enjoy the satisfaction of seeing their hard work flourish. 

MYARD Landscape Design have shared their expert knowledge on which garden may be for you. 

LOW MAINTENANCE GARDEN IDEAS

Maybe this is your first time having a garden or you don’t have the time to spend your weekends weeding and planting, opting for a minimal maintenance garden may be the one for you. For many of us, a low maintenance garden is a priority because of our busy lifestyles or even changes in our circumstances, consulting with a landscape designer will provide you with the knowledge & understanding of your environment, they will implement simple design decisions to reduce maintenance time to suit your individual needs. 

Rhapsody 26 on display at HomeWorld Thornton 

Low maintenance does not mean bland or boring, you can still get that WOW factor by having a combination of the following. Integrating an irrigation system that will not only save you time but will allow your plants & lawn to be watered at the optimal times of day without you having to think about it. Having mulch in your garden beds is a great way to suppress weeds and it will also help hold moisture in the soil.  Incorporating pebble, pavers, or even artificial turf strategically in shaded or small areas of the garden is a great way to reduce unnecessary maintenance to dying turf. Selecting plants that suit your climate is a smart way for them to thrive & survive without any special care, native plants are great for drought-stricken areas, tropical or salt tolerant plants are perfect for coastal areas, ensure you select the correct plant species for frost tolerant areas to avoid damage to the plant & having to replace them. 

Going low maintenance doesn't mean sacrificing what makes a garden special, alternatively it means being smart with your design and selective with the plants you grow.

MOJO Homes Inspiration Centre at HomeWorld Box Hill

HIGH MAINTENANCE GARDEN IDEAS

On the flip side some people enjoy being in the garden, they find it relaxing & therapeutic enjoying that extra level of maintenance a mature curated garden brings, such styles would include cottage, formal or contemporary gardens. These styles of gardens normally have a balance of hedges, symmetrical garden beds, pathways & manicured plants, which require extra forms of maintenance like hedging, soil conditioning, pest management, selective pruning, and general upkeep to ensure your garden is at its best. 

Barrington 46 on display at Old Pitt Town Road, Box Hill

Whether you choose a low maintenance or a more mature garden style, consulting with a landscape designer, will allow you to achieve & understand the maintenance level of your garden