Do you hate yard work? We understand, and we have some solutions. From extending your living space into your yard, to choosing the right plants, to doing a little bit of prep work in advance, these tips will help make all your yard work into easy yard work.
Choose Alternatives to Traditional Turf
Hear us out: if there’s less grass in your yard, that’s less grass to mow. You can extend your living space into somewhere that looks gorgeous and has plenty of room for picnics, barbeques, or your own quiet place in nature.
Build a Patio
You don’t need any carpentry experience to make a classy patio. Start by laying a six-inch layer of compacted pea stones, then position stone slabs on top. There are many options and styles available to you when it comes to patio materials, from more natural-looking all the colors you could want. Don’t limit yourself to the patio space: you can use this same method to make walkways and paths throughout your yard.
Create a Stone Garden
Another option for using stone to decorate your yard is to use ground stone, stone chips or palm-sized landscaping stones to cover dirt and create your own version of a Zen garden. You can use the stones as a focal point, an accent, or use ground stones in place of mulch in flower beds.
Opt For Low-Maintenance Plants
The easiest way to maintain the part of your yard that still has things growing in it is to choose things that don’t need a lot of effort to keep looking great. Hardy grasses and native perennials are our top picks.
Perennials Over Annuals
When you’re looking for flowers, choose perennials instead of annuals. They may cost a bit more up front, but they’ll come back year after year instead of dying in the winter and having to be replaced the next year.
Plants (Without the Fuss)
Native plants and climate-specific grasses tend to take less maintenance because they’re perfectly suited to the environment you’ll be planting them in. Another option is choosing flowers that will bloom all season and won’t require a lot of effort or daily waterings to thrive. Succulents are also a low-maintenance on trend option.
Seasonal Prep
The most important thing you can do to make yard work easier is commit to proper preparation throughout all seasons. Instead of pretending the yard doesn’t need any maintenance for half the year, take a bit of time to set yourself up for success when summer comes around.
Fall
Get rid of fallen leaves. If you don’t remove leaves from your yard in the fall, they can rot under melted snow and kill the grass.
Spring
Mulch is good for preventing weeds and it helps water travel to the plants that need it. Whether you buy the mulch, or mulch yard waste (i.e. mowed grass), this is an initial investment in making sure your future yard work is easy yard work.
Hire a Professional
If these ideas all sound lovely but you just can’t imagine yourself putting in the time or effort, have a professional give it a go instead. Sometimes even easy yard work can benefit from a professional touch, and whatever your landscaping needs, Landscaper List has you covered.