Carefully selected varieties reinforce the clean lines of this garden. Bonus? Fewer plants also equal less daily tending of the garden. Mulch isn’t finicky, retains water, and keeps down weeds, which reduces the need for upkeep. Once established, evergreens, including the mid-height versions at the back of the fence and the dwarf varieties closer to the pathway, tend to need very little regular care. Test Garden Tip: In place of hard-to-please plants, garden ornaments like this graceful statue fill in gaps in a landscape and add visual interest. Gracefully arching shrubs such as willow and cryptomeria keep the garden distinctly low-key. Reliable shrubs and trees can provide more than just a basic green color palette; here, vibrant autumnal tones liven up the landscape. An investment in trees and shrubs pays off in more ways than just landscape interest: The two also offer visual interest during wintertime when perennials have died back. Test Garden Tip: Shrubs such as willow can be formally shaped, or left to grow at will, eliminating the need for constant trimming. A flagstone path—which requires no care except a good sweep—flows from one end to the other of the narrow side yard. To create a truly low-maintenance garden, limit plants to those that need little TLC and to those that can take the conditions of the space’s microclimate, such as these coral bells. After the first year or two, large deciduous trees, such as this maple, offer structure without demanding additional garden space. Transitioning between tall plants and groundcovers is essential for any landscape, and low-maintenance gardens are no different. A globe blue spruce bridges the divide between path and trees behind it. Choose accents that involve little effort, too, such as solar-powered landscape lighting. A mostly monochromatic color palette is soothing to the eye and easy to create for nearly any gardener. Test Garden Tip: Lungwort and ferns offer hardy growth patterns with little TLC. Structural plants such as ornamental grasses provide a play of color and maintain visual interest during autumn and fall. Maintenance is easier with garden beds that are accessible from both sides. Otherwise, add pavers through the bed at regular intervals to make weeding and deadheading easier. A defined edge that uses materials (even simple rubber tubing) to prevent grass and weeds from entering the garden bed can save hours of tending. Striking leaves from canna and New Zealand flax pop against the otherwise green plants. Plant and go: That’s one of the primary reasons to love ornamental grasses, including sedge; they grow vigorously in summer and maintain their shape during winter. Containers add bright pops of color, and, if the blooms fade, plants can easily be replaced with another round of annuals. A fence provides a tidy border between the single row of daylilies and more diverse plantings closer to the house. A lush, planted front yard requires less care over the long term than lawn. No weekly mowing! Instead of relying on edging such as mulch that needs to be replaced every season, slim stones provide a solid boundary. Large swaths of a few carefully selected native plants such as coneflower, liatris, and black-eyed susan, as well as ornamental grass keep the planting uncomplicated. Test Garden Tip: Conifers at the back edge of the yard offer year-round color and visual interest.
