Whether you’re getting on in age, are experiencing mobility problems, or just don’t have the time to spend on gardening, you might think your dreams of a pristine garden are over. 

However, there are plenty of easy ways to create a low-maintenance garden that looks beautiful while leaving you with plenty of time to enjoy it. 

Let’s explore. 

7 ways to create a low-maintenance garden 

Pick plants wisely

Limiting the variety of plants you choose is the first step towards a low-maintenance garden. As well as paring back, you’ll also want to choose species wisely. For example, vegetables are notoriously high-maintenance options, as are certain species of flower. 

Your best bet is perennials and evergreens, including shrubs, as both of these will require minimal attention and won’t require replanting. 

Favour hard over soft 

Hard landscaping (decking, paving, gravel) requires much less maintenance than soft landscaping (flowers, greenery). Gardening is all about balancing hard with soft but if you’re aiming for a low-maintenance outdoor space, you’ll want to favour hard materials a little more. 

Luckily, there are plenty of beautiful low-maintenance landscaping options, such as warm wood decking and decorative aggregates and gravel, like the products we provide here at Chargrace Soils, that can give you that beauty you’re seeking while still being easier to maintain. 

Strip back your lawn 

There’s no doubt about it, caring for a perfectly pristine lawn takes effort. It should be no secret that a large well-manicured lawn is not for those who want a low-effort gardening life. That’s why reducing the area of your lawn and replacing it with more hard landscaping, as covered in the previous point, is a good option. 

For those who want a lawn but are ready to ditch pristine and manicured for wild and free, why not try a wildflower lawn? This option really takes you back to nature, requires very minimal mowing and encourages local biodiversity. 

Some people prefer to get rid of their lawn all together, instead opting for a well-designed hard landscape where decking, paving and gravel can still complement each other to create a stunning garden space. 

The best tools for the job 

Technology has moved on to the point where we can now invest in equipment that saves us both time and effort, and this extends to our garden care too. 

Gadgets such as leaf blowers, self-recoiling hoses and self-propelling lawn mowers are just a few of the time-saving tools available on the market. It’s therefore worth putting in the time to research how you can shave valuable hours off your maintenance by choosing the right equipment. 

Raised beds

Traditional gardening involves a lot of bending which isn’t ideal for everyone. Raised beds can help take the backache out of weeding and maintenance by bringing your plants up to a higher level so you can sit off to the side or in a chair, making for a more relaxed experience.

You’ll also make life easier by creating the best growing medium for your plants. Obviously, this depends on the requirements of your plants but a combination of good-quality topsoil and sharp sand creates a robust growing medium. You can also top-dress to suppress weeds, using gravel, slate or bark chippings. All the mentioned products are provided by us here at Chargrace Soils, and to the very highest quality. 

Accessible storage 

This may seem like an obvious one, but having accessible storage points in the garden for your tools, equipment and materials will save you lots of trips in and out of the house. Placing the storage at the locations in the garden where you need it most will make getting things out and putting them away plain sailing too. 

Timed or automatic irrigation

Using hoses and watering cans are therapeutic for some but a drain on time for others. Timed or automatic irrigation systems need minimal input by you to keep your greenery healthy and thriving by allowing you to control the amount and the intervals when your lawn will be watered. 

Whether you’re seeking topsoil for minimal-effort raised beds or decorative aggregates for low-maintenance surfaces, Chargrace Soils has a wide range of landscaping materials to suit any need. We are the leading landscaping material provider for our area and serve Kent, Bromley and Sevenoaks, so get in touch to arrange your easy delivery today. 

From big bold colour schemes to naturalistic and eco-conscious gardens, it’s sure to be an exciting year for the green-fingered among us. 

Whether you’re a professional landscaper or tend your own home garden, there’s plenty of design, theme and colour inspiration to look forward to in 2024 as we explore the top trends predicted for the new year. 

1. Planting for pollinators 

Society is shifting. We’re all becoming more aware of the natural world and our place in it. It only makes sense, therefore, that garden trends are continuing to move towards an eco-conscious approach to gardening. 

One such trend is planting for pollinators. Bees, butterflies, moths, and many other creatures, are a crucial part of our ecosystem, and so doing your bit to plant for pollinators means doing your bit to support the planet. 

If you choose the right ones, pollinators bring an attractive touch to a garden, such as primrose, sweet violet, verbena, wallflower, bluebell, and many more. 

2. Eco-conscious gardening

If anywhere should support the future of the natural world, it should be our garden. Luckily, it’s easy to introduce eco-friendly measures to create an environmentally conscious outdoor space. Some of these tips include: 

• Establish wildflower meadows or more naturalistic areas of the garden where nature can pave the way. This is a return to our roots that also supports local biodiversity, as well as being a relatively low-maintenance approach. 
• Use repurposed or recycled materials in the garden. For example, this could include recycled aggregates, using crates as plant boxes, or incorporating reclaimed wood. 
• Natural water bodies, water collection systems, and SUDS compliant materials are sustainable ways to support local wildlife and look after precious water resources, helping you use less water in landscaping. It also would be wise to introduce drought-resistant plants to prepare for the future. 

There are multiple ways to return to nature with an eco-friendly garden, so why not get creative and think of your own? 

3. Edimentals 

Edimentals are plants which are the intriguing combination of being both edible and ornamental. 

Increasingly, garden owners are wanting more than just looks from their outdoor space; they also want a place to grow and nurture their own food, hence the rise in vegetable patches and edimentals. Such edimental examples include mint, herbs, artichokes, asparagus and fennel, plants which are both eye-catching and mouth-watering. 

4. Big bold colours 

Bold and vibrant colours are predicted to make a splash this year, and gardens that evoke joy in this way should be no surprise following the past few difficult years. 

It really is the time for indulging in eye-catching, beautiful and colourful plants, and this trend has already started to be seen at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. So why not have some fun and free your creativity this year? 

5. All about aggregates 

Aggregates are one thing that will always be a quintessential aspect of a garden. Whether it’s decorative gravel for beds and borders, or recycled MOT type 1 for load-bearing paths, aggregates are the hard landscaping bread to greenery’s soft landscaping butter. 

As everyone moves in a more eco-conscious direction, aggregates are also following that trend, with people on the lookout for suppliers, such as Chargrace Soils, who can provide recycled and sustainable options for their aggregate needs. 

6. Small-space gardening 

Not everyone has acres of space to craft an impressive landscape in their backyard. Many of us live in cities, with only a small balcony or a cramped back garden to work with. 

Fortunately, the trend for small-space gardening continues to blossom, with more of us finding innovative space-saving ways to create a mini haven that is small but mighty. Raised beds, hanging baskets, and standing plant pots are just a few techniques to make the best of a small space. 

7. Innovative outdoor living spaces

COVID-19 saw a big movement towards people re-engaging with the natural world, as many of us started to find solace in our gardens at the height of lockdown. 

This trend continues into 2024, with even more of us incorporating outdoor living spaces into our gardens, such as shaded dining areas, outdoor living rooms, and even transforming our sheds into work-from-home offices. 

8. Mental wellness gardens

The influence of the natural world on our mental well-being has been noticed and studied for many years. Green therapy is sometimes even prescribed for people challenged by mental health problems. So it’s no wonder that creating a mental wellness garden is a predicted trend for 2024. 

This approach incorporates calming colours, flowers with pleasing scents, and Zen-inspired areas for relaxing and meditating. Everyone finds different things relaxing, and so the approach to a wellness garden may be different for each person. 

Realise your design ideas with landscaping supplies from Chargrace Soils. Affordable, sustainable and of the highest quality, we supply aggregates and soils to suit a variety of landscaping applications. Discover more about our supply to Kent, Bromley and Sevenoaks by getting in touch with our team today.