Low-Maintenance Plants: Gardening Tips for Busy Plant Lovers

Are you new to gardening and searching for a little leeway? You are not alone! We have compiled a list of low-maintenance plants and handy hacks from experienced garden masters to save you time and effort. Read on for an efficient approach to being a boss in your backyard.

Busy plant lovers – meet low-maintenance plants

For those steadily expanding the power of their green thumb, selecting low-maintenance plants is one of the first steps to securing long-term success – and sustainability.

With gardening, while it is lovely to spend time outside, not all of us have spare time to dedicate to needy flora. With the right plant picks and top tips, you’ll be able to make some garden design decisions and adjustments to your garden routine for a lasting backyard oasis.

Selecting low-maintenance plants

Steer clear of roses – unfortunately, roses do require a little bit more attention than your typical plants. We suggest looking for plants that will be a little easier to sustain. And you’ll be relieved when the results are blooming with success.

When browsing for plants that will thrive in your area, prioritise researching the native and indigenous plants of your region that will thrive. Plus, you will need to consider your soil profile, rainfall, and the amount of sunshine that various spaces of your garden receive.

Some great general plant choices to keep in mind are:

Aloe vera and Aloes

These delights bring a burst of colour across the nation in winter. Aloes thrive in well-draining soil and do well with infrequent watering schedules.

Agapanthus

This plant comes in many strains, with options in white, blues and violets. It is an evergreen plant that requires minimal care and is always sure to bloom in summer from December to February.

Dianthus

For those that love the bright and brilliant shades of pink and red in the garden, dianthus offers a happy selection. They are known to withstand hot summery conditions and feature little disease concerns.

Gazania

Want pops of colour? Don’t look further than the iconic African daisies for a full range of yellows, oranges, pinks, and variegations in between. They serve as year-round eye-catching additions to the garden as well as drought-tolerant ground cover options.

Lavender

This plant is not only a pest preventer, but it also offers a delightful scent and creates a calming space. Lavender is notably cold and frost tolerant, can handle semi to full sun conditions and grows well in the ground and in containers.

Succulents, Ice Plants, and Cacti

These water-wise plants are not only a great way to save on your bills, but they are hardy! Plus, succulents are a gorgeous way to keep any space trending. Ice plants serve as great

drought-tolerant groundcover plants in hot, dry climates and also for a rockery feature. Succulents have the wonderful ability to propagate – meaning less replanting effort for you and double as great gifts for friends.

Shrubs

Don’t shrug on shrubs! These plants are also an incredibly hardy option and allow for

long-lasting greenery. Choose from the bushy or blooming variety – there are so many ways to design your garden with a monochrome green approach or a vibrant splash.

Tips for a low-maintenance garden

– Reduce your lawn space

This will cut down your lawn mowing and maintenance time, but also save you on water costs. Opt for creating a deck space, sourcing groundcover plants, and featuring hard elements like a rockery and stepping stones.

– Add mulch

This is not only a top water-saving strategy, but also a great method to suppress weeds and hold on to moisture. Plus, mulch adds a clean aesthetic to any garden space.

– Go wild for less work

This approach may seem lazy to some, but it actually allows for the garden’s natural plant life to grow and relieves you of unnecessary stress. Plus, a little wildness adds some charm to the space as well. A way to plan for this growth is to design a garden that allows for some shifting throughout the seasons with bushier or leaner conditions.

– Plant in larger pots

Not only does it give your garden the look of luxury, but taking care of larger pots is a proven garden hack. The trick is to have raised pots to save your back and water as

needed – which is a considerably lessened amount than you would water smaller pots which dry out quicker.

– Keep variety to a minimum

When selecting your plants, less is more in terms of the types of your plants. By building a garden with a minimal amount of plant variation, caring and water schedules will be easier instead of having to provide more customised care for each of the plants. We suggest also considering companion planting.

– Set up an irrigation system

One way to cut back wasted time on watering is to install an innovative watering solution. We stock a number of great Gardena watering tools, like the Micro-drip Systems and the Water Control Easyplus. And you’ll love the Holiday Watering Set – say goodbye to holiday watering hassles!

Loosen up your time with low-maintenance plants

Here is to a thriving garden space with minimal grunt work using low-maintenance plants. When planning or redesigning your garden, be sure to speak to our plant care experts at any of our four Plantland centres. Or, contact our team with a call or message.