Easy Landscaping Ideas

You want to come home to a beautiful yard, but you don't necessarily have the time to do a lot of work, or maybe you can't afford extensive landscaping services. Having an award-winning garden may seem out of reach for most of us, but there are many little tricks you can use to create a gorgeous landscape without breaking the bank or your back. Easy landscaping doesn't have to be expensive, or dull.

To keep things easy, plant for your climate. You may love violets, but they may not love your region. A little research on your part can help you discover what grows best in your area. Most areas have a native plant society, these can be a wealth of information (and often, free or inexpensive plants). Local greenhouses often have knowledgeable staff which can help you find the best plants requiring the least amount of work. You can also find books on regional plants to help you get a visual picture of the best selections. Pull out a sheet of paper and sketch out a possible layout for your yard using the information you've gathered. If you want minimal work, select plants which are perennial and require little to no watering. Plant annuals only if they are self-seeding so that you won't have to replant them the next year.

For year round beauty, select a shrub or bush that stays green. Don't plant them too near your walkways unless don't mind regular trimming. These will make a great base for your landscaping. Below the shrubs you can plant a variety of native, perennial wildflowers. Native wildflowers normally require very little maintenance, though taking the time to remove the withering blooms will cause them to stay in flower longer. They offer the added advantage of attracting local pollinators such as butterflies and hummingbirds. One frequently neglected family of plants are grasses. Many regions have very hardy native grasses that are beautiful and require little to no watering. Native grasses usually reproduce quite easily in their region, and will create an exotic look in a neighborhood full of trimmed lawns.

This may sound like more than you bargained for, but you don't have to go all the way in the first round of planting. If you have a basic idea of what you want in mind, plant your primary plants and work your way into a more extensive landscape over time. Sticking with natives will give you the best results with the least amount of work.