Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

10 Tips for Creating an Easy-Care Landscape That Won't Need a Ton of Maintenance

10 Tips for Creating an Easy-Care Landscape That Won't Need a Ton of Maintenance

You'll have more time for relaxing in your garden now.

When you focus on making an easy-care landscape, that means you'll have more time for relaxing in your outdoor space because you'll have less yard work to do. These simple garden design tips will help you keep the maintenance to a minimum, while also creating a beautiful landscape you'll enjoy throughout the seasons.



Know Your Site


Take time to really get to know the weather, light, and soil conditions of your site. When plants are paired with their desired growing conditions, they'll need a lot less help from you to thrive. So, if you have quick-draining sandy soil that bakes in full sun, for example, plant drought- and heat-tolerant varieties. Damp shaded spaces will require a different palette of plants.



Make a Master Plan


Successful landscapes often start with a well thought-out plan. Even a simple sketch of your property will do the trick. Include any structures, existing trees and shrubs, and garden elements. Add outdoor living areas, pathways to access those areas, and other elements, such as a swing set or vegetable garden. Don't hesitate to include areas that you are not ready to install but would like to build in the future. The master plan will be essential in illustrating how your landscape will come together in time.



Choose Trees and Shrubs


Sometimes called the "bones" of a landscape, trees and shrubs have a big presence that increases over time. These long-lasting woody plants can provide decades of flowers, fragrance, and colorful foliage with minimal annual maintenance. When making your choices, look for varieties that have features that provide year-round interest, such as spring flowers, summer fruit, colorful fall foliage, and interesting bark for brightening up winter.



Rely on Native Plants


The beauty of landscaping with native plants is that these varieties are most likely accustomed to the weather and soil conditions in your area. Be sure to site the plant in its preferred sun exposure, and you're well on your way to a trouble-free garden that thrives year-after-year. Plus, these plants are the best for supporting pollinators and other beneficial wildlife.



Focus Your Efforts


Focus on creating one or two key garden areas that offer impact, rather than placing multiple beds and borders in all corners of your property. A perennial-and-shrub border along your front walkway or near the front door of your home is always a good choice. The area immediately surrounding your porch, deck, or patio is also a great spot for landscaping.

You're likely to visit these spaces often and enjoy the fruits of your labor, but before you sit down to enjoy your beautiful landscaping, apply a layer of Bug Botanist Repellent Spritz to help ensure you won’t be a snack for mosquitoes. The plant-powered formula is made with an effective blend of six essential oils.



Group Similar Plants Together


Cluster plants with similar needs together. Grouping containers simplifies watering, plus it allows pots to shade one another, which reduces watering. In the garden, planting in groups of odd numbers and repeating those plants throughout your beds is most pleasing to the eye.



Install a Border


Encircle shrub borders, perennial beds, vegetable patches, and other garden spaces with a border. This might be as simple as a spaded edge that separates the lawn from your planting beds. Or use metal edging, stone, or brick to create a lasting border. A defined bed edge plays two important roles in the landscape. It provides a clean finish for your garden areas and it prevents grass and other weeds from creeping in.



Blanket the Soil


Bare soil is an invitation for weeds to move in. A lush groundcover, such as easy-to-grow creeping thyme or low-growing sedum, adds color and texture below perennials and shrubs while helping to prevent weed seeds from germinating. A 2- to 3-inch-thick layer of shredded wood mulch, cocoa hulls, or pine straw also helps reduce weed growth.



Plan to Prune


If you make sure to trim back your plants at least once a year, you'll save yourself a bigger hassle down the road when an overgrown shrub or vine demands drastic action. Some plants require more pruning than others, so factor this into your selections as well. The best time to prune flowering trees and shrubs is just after they bloom. Prune shade trees and evergreens in mid- to late spring.



Add Plenty of Compost


Rich in nutrients that plants need to thrive, compost is an essential addition to almost any garden. It helps keep plants healthy, and healthy plants are easier to care for. Search for quality compost through your local municipality or garden center, or you could start your own compost bin.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
×