The Low Maintenance Garden

Using Decorative Containers to Create Your Own Garden Oasis

Who said that a proper garden should always be big and expansive? The truth is that you can create your own garden oasis with just a few strategically placed gardening planters. If you are an apartment dweller with no yard to speak of, take heed. There are many easy ways to establish a garden oasis without a yard. If you have access to patio, fire escape or rooftop, you are well on your way to your own version of gardening paradise. Choose colorful (depending on your taste and environment) and decorative planters.

Choose a variety of planter sizes, from very small herb-sized containers to large gallon planters. Choose hardy perennial plants that do not need to be cared for on a daily basis. Container gardening is a boon to gardeners that are short on space because you can move your garden around to your liking, and create a unique garden design.

Choosing the Best Plants if you are Short on Space and Time

One of the easiest ways to establish a space- and time-saving garden is to choose the right plants from the very start. What are the right plants for a space- and time-saving garden? Ideally, you will want small plants that do not require an excessive amount of water, sun, pruning or any kind of daily care. Consider a cactus garden made up of many different varieties, colors, textures and blooms. Many cacti do well in container gardens, and typically they do not need extended care. Simply make sure that they are well established in their respective containers and place in a sunny location. There is an incredible amount of diversity in cacti, and you will surely appreciate the color and texture that this kind of garden can provide your home with. Choose hardy perennials to accent your cactus garden.

Look Up - Hanging Planters Saves You Space

Look up-what do you see? One of the best ways to save space is to take advantage of hanging planters. Hanging planters are easy to install. You can choose from a variety of planter designs and sizes. No matter where you live-apartment, condo or small house-chances are that you can find space for a hanging planter. These add a lively decorative touch to your patio, backyard or even in a sunny indoor location. There are many hardy perennials that do well in this environment. Choose easy to care for plants so that you don't have to worry about a daily watering schedule. Invest in a watering can designed for planter watering so that when it does come time to water, it is a quick and efficient process.

Raised Beds Give You Space to Grow Fruits and Flowers

If you are working with limited space or poor soil, consider building or installing a raised bed. Raised beds come in all sizes and it is an easy way to control the plant environment. You can build a raised bed to your space specifications, and plant a variety of plants and flowers in a single bed. With your own raised garden bed, you can even grow your very own vegetables!

Almost nothing is as rewarding as spending an afternoon outside, working on the family garden. Gardening as a family is a wonderful way to bond and to teach your children about their environment. Even if you don't think that you have time to garden with your family, there are many things that you can in fact do to make certain that your garden is always in bloom. Here are some low maintenance gardening ideas for the busy family.

Create a Raised Garden Bed

Need an easy way to teach your kids about gardening? A raised garden bed is an easy way to establish a no-fuss, no-muss garden. Choose a space in your garden, patio, deck, yard or whatever space you have available, and restrict your family garden to this one raised garden bed. Make sure to plant hardy perennials that will not require constant care and attention. Keep a watering can by your raised garden so that you or your children can water the bed at a moment's notice.

Plant Your Own Windowsill Herb Garden

Want an easy way to teach your kids some gardening basics? A windowsill herb garden is a fun and simple way to learn about the basic growth pattern of plants, and to reap the rewards of your work. Moreover, a windowsill herb garden does not take up a lot of space, nor do you need a lot of time and money to establish a healthy, thriving herb garden. Moreover, you can even enjoy the results together by using your herb gardens in a family mean.

Start Your Own Family Cactus Garden

Here is a fun and creative way to garden together as a family without having to spend a whole lot of time or money. Start a family cactus garden that adds color and texture to your garden, without taking a lot of your time. Start by picking out pots that you and your kids can paint. Let your children express their creativity by using different paint colors and craft supplies to decorate their own pot. Then it's off to the nursery to pick out cacti. Each member of your family should choose cacti that fit into your pot. Use a soil specially prepared for cacti and help your children pick out cacti. Cacti come in a variety of shape, sizes and colors. When it comes to planting cacti, make certain that you wear thick gloves and handle the plants with care so that you do not get pricked. Cacti do not need daily maintenance, and can create an earthy and fun environment for your children and family to enjoy. Try to choose blooming cacti so you and your family can plan to enjoy seasonal blooms.

Plant a Family Tree

Want a project that the whole family can do together? Why not plant a family tree? You don't have to wait until Arbor Day to plant a tree. Take a trip to the nursery together and pick out a tree that is suited for your area. Consult with a nursery attendant if you are not sure what kind of tree you should be planting. Let your kid's help you choose the perfect location and dig the hole. Planting a tree together is a wonderful experience that the whole family will remember for years to come. Set up a periodical watering schedule that works for the whole family. Although it takes a bit of pre-planning, once the tree is planted, this garden project will not take up a lot of your family's time. With luck, this low maintenance garden project will be enjoyed by future generations of garden-lovers.

Do you wish you could come home after a long day to your own private garden? But maybe, like most of us, you simply don't have enough time to plant and care for a proper garden. Even if you don't think you have enough time to spruce up your garden, there are a lot of things you can do to make your garden bloom, even when you don't have the kind of time you would like. Here are a few quick and easy fixes that can spruce up your garden.

Don't Have Time to Water? Drip Irrigation Can Work Wonders

Drip irrigation is a type of watering system that drips water directly into the soil at a very slow rate. This allows for minimal evaporation loss to wind and sun. If you have a garden or a garden bed in which all the plants require more or less the same amount of watering, installing a drip irrigation system is a good and efficient way to make sure that your garden thrives without any need for traditional hose watering.

Assorted Planters Add Color and Texture

Do you have a garden that needs color and texture? Even the greenest garden needs a splash of seasonal color. An easy way to fix a drab garden is to add a few well-placed planters. Choose seasonal annuals for the brightest blooms. For year-round color, create a handful of planters that feature perennial flowers and plants. The number of planters will depend on your specific garden. For a small garden, one or two planters may be all that you need. For larger gardens, you may want to invest in larger or more planters.

A Few Well-Chosen Hardy Perennials Can Transform Your Entire Garden

Think year-round color is difficult to achieve? Not with a few well-chosen perennials. Pick a handful of hardy perennials that thrive in your area and plant them in visible, well-chosen locations in your garden. The hardiest perennials are known to thrive in extreme temperatures with minimal care.

Start Your Own Compost Pile

This is easier than you think, and it can add invaluable benefits to your garden with minimal effort. Creating your very own compost pile can help add to your garden's vigor while significantly reducing the amount of yard and food waste that you produce. Compost simply refers to organic matter that has decomposed to create dark brown soil-like crumbly substance, called humus. This is organic-rich matter that can be used to enrich all of your plants. The simplest way to create your own compost is to set aside a space in your yard where your can start your pile. Ideally, you would want to use a bin, but if this is not possible, simply choose a spot that is relatively clear. Use this space to pile food waste and yard scraps, including carbon-rich material such as sawdust, branches, twigs, stems, straw, corn stalks, dry hay and dry leaves. Include plenty of green nitrogen-rich materials as well, including kitchen scraps (no meat products or bones), grass clippings, coffee grounds, used tea bags, hair, feathers, fur, manures and other nitrogen material. Moisten the pile and turn it with a pitchfork periodically. After a few months, you will have ready-made compost that will enrich your soil. All that from food and lawn scraps!

Add Colorful Hanging Planters

Boring garden got you down? Here's an easy solution: add a few planters. Hanging planters often come pre-planted-all you have to do is find the right space to place them. If you have a deck, patio or front porch, a hanging patio can add an easy new dimension to your garden.

Do you wish you had a garden that could provide you with brilliant year-round color and fragrance? Do you love to garden, but fear that your green thumb is not as green as it could be? Have no fear, if you love to garden but can't seem to get your plants to thrive, here is a handy guide to choosing the right kind of plants that will make your garden a true show-stopper.

Choosing the Right Plants is Key

Many novice gardeners spend a lot of time and money on plants that simply will not thrive in their garden. The key to establishing a healthy, lasting garden is choosing the right plants. If you don't know already, figure out what planting zone you are located in. This is very important, because you might otherwise spend money on plants and seeds that are simply not intended to thrive in your specific climate. Although many plants can be adapted to a wide range of climates, make it easy on yourself. Choose plants that work in your climate. However, despite this warning, there are many hardy perennials that can be planted in a variety of gardens across a great diversity of climates. Before you get started in designing your own perennial garden, find out what winter hardiness zone you fall into. Also, check the back of seed packets to make sure that the plant will thrive in your growing conditions.

Your Secret Weapon: Plan Your Own Perennial Garden

As a gardener, your secret weapon to establish a lovely garden in no time will be the use of many hardy perennials. There are many different kinds of perennial plants, each with its own particular set of growing requirements. Some perennial plants are much easier to establish than others, and it is up to you to choose the plants that are most suited to your growing conditions. Fortunately, you will find that each planting region has its own set of hardy perennials that are suited to your particular growing conditions.

The Cost of a Colorful Year-Round Garden

Walk into your local nursery and you will notice that there is usually a pronounced difference in the cost of plants. The colorful annuals that come in that standard black plastic six-pack may be tempting, but if you were looking to establish a low-maintenance year-round garden, you would be better off resisting these colorful temptations. These colorful annuals will only last one season, and then it is up to you to replace them. Perennial plants, on the other hand, will continue to grow and, if you're lucky, bloom throughout the season. It is no wonder that perennials are more expensive than annuals. They may not look immediately colorful, but stay with these plants and watch them grow.

A Short List of Easy and Low-Maintenance Perennials

Here is a short list of perennials that are appreciated for their hardiness, color and wide adaptability. These include the Peony, which will generally grow in zones 3-8. Many lilies are remarkably well adapted to a variety of climates, and will provide color throughout the warm growing season. Choose Siberian Iris, the Bulb Lily and the Daylily, all of which have been known to grow in zones 3-8. Other lovely perennial flowers that have become a staple of gardens across the country include the low-maintenance Purple Coneflower (also known as Echinacea, highly regarded by some as a medicinal herb), the Stonecrop and the Black-eyed Susan. All of these can be grown in zones 3-8. Finally, for zones 5-8, the Cranes bill is a hardy perennial that has even been grown successfully in zone 3.