Your garden shouldn’t require all your spare time maintaining it to stay beautiful. In fact, there are several ways you can decrease the time spent on your garden while keeping it vibrant and healthy. One way to do so is by using native plants that are used to thriving in the conditions we experience here in Iowa. This cuts down on maintenance time in several ways, making your garden much easier to manage. You also want to make sure you're selecting plants that will thrive in your soil's conditions to cut down on time and resources. Lastly, another great way to create that low-maintenance garden is to use a ground cover that provides additional benefits like retaining moisture in your soil, so you don't have to water your plants as much. Keep reading to learn more about how you can establish a low-maintenance garden for your home or business!

Native plants are perfect for a low-maintenance garden.

Coneflower planting in landscape bed in Urbandale, IA.

Using native plants is a great way to establish a great low-maintenance garden. Native plants are suited for the soil and climate here in the Des Moines, IA area. Because native plants are already adapted to your local environmental conditions, they normally don't require as much watering. They are typically able to establish deep root systems in your soil and can retain more water because of it. They also generally don't require fertilizer to grow because they're already well adapted to the local soil, and they require fewer pesticides to fight off pests. So once these plants are established in your garden, they require little maintenance to upkeep!

Select plants that are suited for your soil's conditions.

Next, when you're planning out your low-maintenance garden, you want to select plants that will thrive in your soil's conditions. Different plants have different conditions in which they can survive and thrive. For example, some plants prefer sandy or dry soil. Another thing to consider when building your garden is how much sun your plant needs. If your garden is in an area that gets a lot of sun during the day, then you'll want to choose plants that need more sun. Choosing plants more suited to your area’s soil conditions will help reduce the time and maintenance required to ensure your plants remain strong and healthy.

Utilize a ground cover in your garden for additional benefits.

Mulch installed for landscape bed plantings in Clive, IA.

Another way to establish a low-maintenance garden is by installing a ground cover in your garden. Ground covers are perfect for your garden because of the numerous benefits they provide. For one, ground covers are a great way to retain moisture in your soil, which means less watering for you. In addition, a ground cover is a great way to regulate soil temperatures. They are great at keeping your soil cool because they block a lot of sunlight from reaching your soil, which is especially important during the summer when the warmer temperatures can stress the plants in your garden.

Ground covers like mulch are also a great form of weed control. They keep weeds from getting the sunlight they need to grow!

Call us today to create the perfect low-maintenance garden for your landscape!

Following these guidelines is a great way to create a beautiful, low-maintenance garden. At A+ Lawn & Landscape, our team of landscaping experts will meet with you to help you design a garden that is perfect for your landscape. We use a variety of native plants that are perfectly suited to the environmental conditions here in Iowa. We service commercial and residential properties in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and in many of the surrounding areas. Give us a call at (515) 289-2020 to design and install the perfect low-maintenance garden just for you!