Dress Your Backyard for Less (Time, That Is)

Nobody wants a naked backyard. But homeowners are increasingly complaining they just don’t have the time to put into maintaining a lush landscape.

That explains why you can’t throw a stone online without hitting the term low-maintenance landscaping.

Planning a yard for minimal upkeep can take many forms, from incorporating native, drought-resistant plants to designing an edible landscape. For busy homeowners who have little time for yard care, here are a few additional tips for creating a low-maintenance landscape:

Choose vinyl fencing instead of wood fencing. Vinyl fences require no painting, staining, sanding or sealing—only occasional cleaning. A vinyl fence not only saves homeowners time, but it saves them the long-term costs associated with caring for a wood fence.

Add landscaping structures. Accent your landscape with a low-maintenance feature such as a durable vinyl pergola or WestStar composite deck. These structures not only enhance your outdoor living space, but they add interest to your yard without adding work to your to-do list.

Use clover or moss as an alternative to grass. It’s possible to achieve a soft, carpeted lawn without the typical maintenance requirements of grass. Moss is a low-maintenance plant that grows well in shade, where grass struggles, while clover makes a hardy, insect-resistant ground cover that needs only minimal water and mowing.

Apply mulch to flower beds and problem areas. A layer of mulch 2-4 inches thick not only helps suppress weeds, but it keeps the soil beneath cool and moist, significantly reducing your watering needs.

Read more low-maintenance landscaping tips:

Texas Agri-Life Extension Service
About.com

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Tags: composite decking, low-maintenance landscape, vinyl fencing

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 20th, 2010 at 8:00 am and is filed under How-Tos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.