The first thing to do when planning any garden or landscape feature is to ask yourself what you want out of it. Are you trying to attract birds? Add color or fragrance to the area? Or cover up some unsightly porch or deck footings? For our project, our goal was to create low-maintenance front yard landscaping that would freshen up our space and boost the curb appeal of our home.
I want to be very clear: low maintenance landscape does not mean NO maintenance. A flower bed or landscape feature in your yard is a living thing that will require some attention. As much as we wish low maintenance meant “put it in the ground and you’re done,” that is not the case. At a minimum, you must water and pay attention to how your garden grows. Plants are just like people: some are high maintenance, and some are low maintenance. Do a little homework so you can make your choice wisely, and the whole flower garden season will be easier in the end.
I was very fortunate to have Melinda Myers, a highly regarded landscape designer, on this project. I gained a ton of knowledge and am happy to share some of her insight.
Choose plants for garden
Once you know what you want from your garden, it’s time to determine the plants that will get you there. Myers recommends first visiting your local garden center and reading the plant tags.
“Plant tags are excellent,” she says. “They give you the growing conditions and the size of the plant. Some nurseries are now sharing more information on their website, where you can learn so much more than just the hardiness zone. Will it flower? Is it going to provide interest for songbirds and butterflies? Will it match the color you are looking for?”
Sketch out a plot map that includes the anchor plants you want to plant to get an idea of how the garden will come together. Consider the size of the plants now and how big they will grow. Myers always plans to “use smaller complementary plants and annuals for quick fill until plants grow into the space, so it looks like your garden has been there for a while.”
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