Maintenance is undetectable until it is not done. It is an invisible art, that if neglected becomes dreadfully visible. Although there isn't a landscape design that is maintenance-free, the right materials and design can provide an attractive look that will allow you to spend time enjoying your yard rather than tending to it.

Attractive landscapes are often high maintenance. How much maintenance do you want to do? Avid gardeners will spend all day in their garden and enjoy ever y moment, but not ever yone thinks of weeding as a labor of love. I have never talked to anyone, in all my years as a landscape architect, who wanted to have a yard with lots of maintenance. There are ways to have beautiful flower gardens, and all the high maintenance items we love, but not be overwhelmed by their upkeep.

The key to low maintenance is good design.

Good design and low maintenance are tied together. Time spent planning can save you hours trimming, mowing, pruning, and grooming if you follow these design guidelines.

Keep it simple: Each element in your landscape should serve a purpose. If it doesn't have a function, it is an unnecessary addition to the garden and will take time to maintain.

Downsize: Bigger is not better; just more maintenance. If your kids don't use the expansive lawn as an athletic field, let it naturalize by creating small prairies or woodland gardens. If you resent the time you spend tending flowers, vegetables, and roses, consider strategically placed containers. They can provide as much enjoyment as many beds scattered throughout your yard.

Make the layout count: If you love the look of a highly manicured landscape, but not the work, place eye-catching amenities around the front entry, or wherever they will have the most impact. Choose lower maintenance materials in less visible areas. Your landscape can look more unified, and mowing will be simplified, by combining plants, garden ornaments, and all other free-standing items into beds.

Know your plants: Select plants that can adapt to the growing conditions you have in your yard. Planting grass in a densely shaded area, or a tall shrub in front of a window, is asking for hours spent pruning, watering, spraying, and eventually starting over.

Set realistic goals about how much time you are willing to spend and make changes accordingly.

Design is half the battle in the war on maintenance. The amenities we choose and the materials we install are the other ingredients. If your goal is to make a change that will reduce the amount of time you spend maintaining, then you need to know the maintenance requirements for each of your landscape choices. A partial list follows describing these requirements to help you decide if the time commitment is right for you.

Low-Maintenance Options

Low-maintenance options often cost more to install initially, but there is no doubt they will save valuable time in the long run, and look great for many years.

Hard surfaces: Concrete, pavers, brick, decks, and even blacktop are low maintenance, and will provide comfort and definition to your outdoor living spaces. Incorporating hard surfaces into entertaining areas, high traffic pathways, and storage areas will look better and save mowing time.

Trees and shrubs: Most woody plants require less maintenance than other plants, unless a shaped and trimmed hedge is desired.

Groundcovers: Beds of groundcovers can replace grass in isolated areas that are hard to reach with a mower. Pachysandra placed at the base of structures, such as fences, will help eliminate tedious trimming. Groundcovers are also good alternatives for steep slopes that are difficult to mow, or shady areas where grass does not grow well.

Lawns: Grass can be either moderately low or very high maintenance, depending on the type of grass and the standard of perfection you want to achieve. It's probably not necessary to aim for putting-green perfection, although lawns need at least weekly mowing during the growing season.

Find your comfort level and commit to maintaining your landscape.

Committing to a high level of maintenance will make an ordinary yard look extraordinary, as even the most expensive design and installation can be an eyesore if neglected. It will take some time planning to find the balance between an attractive yard and low maintenance, but with a creative design and the right materials, you will have landscaping you can live with.

By Barb Cross