Low Maintenance Landscaping Tips & Plants

Many of us struggle to grow a beautiful (but high maintenance) garden. Between work, family and other responsibilities, it’s simply hard to find the time.

Rather than let your garden fall by the wayside, consider making some small changes to save you time and hassle in the long run. Use these low maintenance landscaping tips, so you can spend more time enjoying your garden, and less time maintaining it.

Low Maintenance Landscaping Tips & Strategies

Use mulch

Mulch is a must-have for a successful, low maintenance garden. It looks great, and gives garden beds a nice, finished look, but it does so much more:

Mulch helps prevent weeds
Mulch acts like a blanket, insulating plants from extreme heat and cold
Mulch keeps moisture in the soil, saving water

Use wood, stone & other natural elements

Adding “zero-scaping” elements to the garden provides great structure and interest - and requires absolutely no effort to maintain. Try incorporating flagstone pathways, gravel “rivers,” and accent boulders or driftwood to fill in empty space or hide hard-to-grow areas.

Plant container gardens

An easy and fun way to add lots of color and charm is to use containers throughout your landscape. A time-tested formula for success is to include a tall “Thriller” in the center, surround it with smaller and wider “Fillers”, then tuck in trailing “Spillers” vining plants at the edges to soften the look.

You can easily personalize the look by choosing a uniform palette of containers. Modern gardens rely on repeating industrial style containers in tall squares or rectangular shapes. Funky, eclectic cottage gardens can use a collected hodge-podge of colors and styles.

Put them on drip irrigation, and you won’t have to fuss with them beyond planting them up. Have fun with this!

Plant plenty of perennials

Unlike annuals, which look great for a short time but die at the end of every season, perennials come back year after year, and they look better over time. Buy them once, and enjoy them for years to come, no extra planting or buying required.

Stagger flowering times

Enjoy beautiful blooms from spring through fall by planting flowers that bloom at different times. Start off the season with spring bulbs, such as Hyacinths and Daffodils, followed by Cherry Blossom trees and Roses. In summer, Hydrangeas steal the show, followed by fall-blooming Asters. It’s a low-maintenance way to enjoy beautiful color most of the year!

Pick plants suited to your area and garden

If you want a truly low maintenance garden, you have to work with Mother Nature. Only use plants that thrive in your area. Take your local USDA growing zone, annual rainfall, and weather patterns into account, and base your plant selections on that.

In other words, if it doesn’t work well, don’t force it.

Xeriscaping is a water-wise way of gardening in hot, dry climates. Choose the right plants, like Succulents, and you'll be grateful!

Hydrangeas, for example, thrive in many gardens, but they struggle in dry, cold climates. Trying to grow them in these environments would take a great deal of work, and they are less likely to survive in the long term. Stick with something else, like Snowball Viburnum, that flowers beautifully with half the effort in more arid climates.

Planting the right tree or shrub for your climate isn’t enough for a low-maintenance landscape; you also have to plant them in the right spot. Get to know your garden’s shady, sunny, and part-shade areas, and match the plant to the area. Don’t forget to test your soil too!

Filter your search results by your Growing Zone and sun exposure. Plants have different needs for sun conditions that must be met for them to flourish.

When in doubt, contact the local garden experts at your nearest County Extension Office. They provide excellent free advice on common soil, weather and common pest conditions, and will let you know which plants will thrive, and which plants won’t.

Water properly

One of the most common reasons garden plants die is due to improper watering. Watering issues generally boil down to:

Watering infrequently
Watering too often
Watering too little, too often
Improper drainage
Watering at the wrong time of day

With so many ways to water wrong, it’s no surprise that so many plants struggle in their first two years. Taking care of water-stressed plants can be time consuming.

Learn how to water properly with this how-to article written by our experts

Embrace a casual style

If you want a low maintenance landscape, you might have to modify your preferred style. If formal, clipped hedges float your boat, plan to be out there shearing and trimming several times a year.If you can get in the right mindset, this could be an exercise in mindful meditation. Otherwise, this becomes a monumental yardwork chore.

Instead, get a looser, natural style by using Boxwood, Hedge Cotoneaster and Privet shrubs without pruning them. To establish new casual hedges in this style, look at our Plant Highlights on every product page. Subtract two feet from the largest number listed in the mature spread of the plant. That’s how far apart you’ll plant an untrimmed hedge, measuring from the center of one shrub to the center of the next.

The hedge will grow together, and the branches will touch, but you can plant a bit further apart if you won’t be tightly pruning or shearing them. Give yourself the gift of time, without losing any of the benefits of a beautiful hedge.

Popular Low Maintenance Plants

Let’s face it: some plants are just fussy. They require hours of fertilizing, pruning, deadheading and more. Save yourself time by planting some of these hassle-free shrubs and perennials. Remember, not all of these plants are low maintenance in every garden. Check the Plant Highlights on every product page to see if they will work in your unique yard.

Popular Low Maintenance Landscaping Shrubs

Dogwood

Dogwood is one of the most appealing and effortless shrubs available. Able to withstand extremely cold temperatures, it’s a fabulous addition to cool-climate landscapes. What makes Dogwood extra special is its year-round appeal: delicate white flowers emerge in early spring, followed by lush green growth in summer, bright yellow-orange leaves in fall, and - finally - brightly colored stems in winter that almost glow against the snow. You can grow Dogwood as a small tree, a stand-alone specimen, or even as a hedge.

Spirea

If you want a low maintenance shrub that pollinators love, Spirea is a must-grow! These tough little shrubs thrive in hot, sunny summers, and come in several beautiful colors and forms. They bloom from summer through late fall - perfect for a splash of color after other flowers fade.

Lilac

Lilacs are one of the toughest shrubs you can find. They don’t do well in warm, southern climates, but they thrive in cooler areas. These shrubs are long-lived (100+ years), and are virtually indestructible once established. And the spring fragrance is just to die for.

Rose of Sharon

These grow in many areas across the country, and offer easy-breezy style. With flowers that resemble hibiscus, Rose of Sharon brighten up your mid-summer landscape. Use these as a privacy screen, or fun single specimen near your front door or patio.

Juniper

For the ultimate in low maintenance, select improved Juniper shrubs. They'll provide structure and evergreen color year round. Give Junipers the space they need to grow to their mature height and width. They are perfect for a rustic style or modern and contemporary designs.

Popular Low Maintenance Landscaping Perennials

Landscape Shrub Roses

Yes, you can have roses in your low-maintenance garden. Just select one of the incredible, improved Landscape Shrub Roses. They are pest resistant, drought tolerant, and perfect for beginners. You can find dozens of varieties, so it’s easy to find the perfect one for your landscape.

Coneflower (Echinacea)

Prized for its medicinal qualities, Coneflower is a native plant that is also known for durability and ease-of-care. These beautiful perennials are drought tolerant, and widely adaptable to many different soil types. They even come in a variety of colors, from standard purple, to white, green, yellow and orange.

Sedum (Stonecrop)

For gorgeous fall flowers and simple maintenance, you can’t go wrong with Sedum. These succulent perennials are extremely hardy, and well-behaved in the garden. Plant one or more in a sunny perennial bed, or along a pathway where you can enjoy their striking color.

Quick Low Maintenance Landscaping Tips:

Use straight edges to make mowing your lawn faster and easier
Group plants with similar water needs together
If you garden in containers, use bigger pots which require less watering
Grow flowers that don’t require deadheading
Invest in an irrigation system to save on time and water

A low maintenance garden doesn’t have to be boring… and a gorgeous garden doesn’t have to be high maintenance! Start applying a few of these strategies, plant smart, and soon you can enjoy a garden that has maximum impact with minimal effort. Happy planting!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best low-maintenance plants for a landscape that practically takes care of itself?

Perennials are the foundation of any low-maintenance landscape because they return year after year without replanting, and they actually improve with age. Stagger your selections for season-long color: start with spring bulbs like Daffodils and Hyacinths, transition into summer-blooming Hydrangeas, and finish the season with fall Asters. Always choose plants suited to your specific USDA hardiness zone and soil conditions, since a plant thriving in its natural range needs far less intervention. Visit naturehills.com to browse perennials and flowering trees filtered by your zone, and pair your selections with a layer of mulch to further cut down on watering and weeding.

How do I choose plants that are matched to my climate, soil, and sun conditions?

Choosing plants that match your specific conditions is the most important factor in low maintenance gardening success. Check your USDA Hardiness Zone first, then assess your soil type and drainage, and observe how many hours of direct sunlight your planting areas receive each day, keeping in mind that most flowering plants need at least 6 hours. Native plants are an excellent starting point because they have naturally adapted to your regional climate, soil, and rainfall patterns. Visit your local cooperative extension office or use the plant finder tools at naturehills.com to browse species selected for your zone and conditions.

How much watering do low-maintenance plants actually need after they are established?

Most established low-maintenance perennials, shrubs, and trees need about 1 inch of water per week, which can often come from rainfall alone once roots are fully developed, typically after the first full growing season. In hotter, drier climates like USDA Zones 7 through 10, you may need to supplement during summer months, while Zone 3 through 6 gardeners can often rely on natural precipitation for much of the season. The best approach is to water deeply and infrequently, encouraging roots to grow deeper into the soil rather than staying shallow, and to use drip irrigation or soaker hoses to deliver moisture directly to the root zone while reducing evaporation. Check soil moisture 2 to 3 inches below the surface before watering, and let dryness be your guide rather than sticking to a rigid schedule.

How do I group plants with similar water and care needs to reduce garden upkeep?

Grouping plants by their water and care requirements, a practice often called hydrozoning, is one of the smartest ways to cut down on garden maintenance. Place drought-tolerant plants like ornamental grasses, lavender, and sedums together in your sunniest, driest spots, and reserve consistently moist areas for plants like Hydrangeas or Astilbes. Research each plant's USDA hardiness zone compatibility and water needs before purchasing, and use plant tags or the Nature Hills website to confirm compatibility. Start by identifying two or three distinct watering zones in your yard, then shop for plants specifically suited to each zone so your irrigation schedule stays simple and efficient.

What type of mulch works best for suppressing weeds and retaining moisture in low-maintenance landscapes?

Organic mulches like shredded hardwood bark, wood chips, or pine bark nuggets are excellent all-around choices for suppressing weeds and retaining soil moisture in low-maintenance landscapes. Apply a 2 to 3 inch layer over your garden beds, as this depth is thick enough to block weed seeds from germinating while still allowing water and air to reach plant roots. Refresh your mulch layer each spring to maintain that ideal depth as organic materials naturally break down over time. Head to your local garden center or visit naturehills.com to explore your options, then get your mulch down before summer heat arrives to maximize its moisture-saving benefits.

How much lawn should I keep if my goal is a lower-maintenance yard?

The less lawn you maintain, the less time you spend mowing, edging, fertilizing, and watering. A good rule of thumb is to reduce your turf to only the areas where it serves a clear functional purpose, such as a play area for kids or pets, and replace the rest with mulched beds, groundcovers, or hardscaping. Start by converting border areas and hard-to-mow spots first, then expand from there as you get comfortable with the transition.

What are the best grass alternatives for a low-maintenance front yard?

For a low-maintenance front yard, consider replacing traditional turf with ground covers like creeping thyme, sedum, or ornamental grasses that require little to no mowing. Native plants suited to your specific USDA hardiness zone will thrive with minimal intervention since they are adapted to your local climate and rainfall. Adding mulched beds with drought-tolerant perennials, decorative gravel, or flagstone pathways can dramatically cut down on watering, weeding, and upkeep. Visit naturehills.com to browse ground covers and native plants matched to your region and get started with the right choices for your yard.

How do I keep weeds under control in a low-maintenance landscape without constant attention?

Mulch is your best defense against weeds in a low-maintenance landscape, as it acts as a physical barrier that blocks sunlight and prevents weed seeds from germinating. Apply a 2 to 3 inch layer of wood chip or bark mulch over all your garden beds, replenishing it annually to maintain that depth. For added protection, lay a layer of landscape fabric beneath the mulch in areas with heavy weed pressure. Pair consistent mulching with the right plant selection for your region, and dense plantings will eventually shade out most weeds on their own.

Which types of plants should I avoid if I want to cut down on pruning and deadheading?

To minimize pruning and deadheading, avoid high-maintenance plants like Hybrid Tea Roses, which require frequent deadheading and seasonal hard pruning to perform well. Annual flowers such as Petunias and Marigolds also need regular deadheading to keep blooming throughout the season. Instead, focus on self-cleaning perennials and shrubs suited to your hardiness zone, which naturally drop spent blooms without intervention. Look for plant tags or descriptions that specifically mention "self-cleaning," "low maintenance," or "no deadheading required" when shopping at naturehills.com.

How do I design a low-maintenance landscape that looks great through every season?

Start by layering perennials with staggered bloom times, beginning with spring bulbs like Hyacinths and Daffodils, moving into summer Hydrangeas, and finishing with fall-blooming Asters for color from March through October. Fill structural gaps with zero-maintenance hardscape elements like flagstone paths, gravel features, or accent boulders to add year-round interest without any upkeep. Apply a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch across all beds to suppress weeds, retain moisture, and give your garden a polished look in every season. Choose plants rated for your specific USDA hardiness zone, add drip irrigation to any container plantings, and visit naturehills.com to find perennials and seasonal bloomers suited to your region.

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