Tips For Creating a Low Maintenance Garden: From Plants to Recycled Aggregates

With Spring just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about your garden. During the winter months, many of us tend to neglect our gardens - not only is it too cold to get anything done, but many of us don’t spend any time in our garden when the weather’s cold. However, with lighter evenings and longer days on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to start preparing your garden for Spring.

At William Thompson & Son, we understand that not everyone has the time to prune and maintain their garden all year round - and that’s why we want to share our tips for creating a low maintenance garden. While your garden will never quite be a no maintenance zone, there are plenty of things you can do to transform it into a low maintenance space that doesn’t require constant work.

Whether you have a busy schedule or you simply don’t want to spend your free time working on your garden, there are ways you can achieve a beautiful garden with limited time and a low budget.

Here are just a few ways you can create a low maintenance garden that looks great all year round.



Get rid of your lawn

In order to keep your lawn looking bright, green and full of life, you need to regularly maintain it. While a well-kept lawn looks stunning, properly caring it for it can be a lot of work - especially if you haven’t got much time to dedicate to garden maintenance. A neglected lawn can quickly bring down the aesthetic of your garden, and the last thing you want is a patchy lawn that looks uncared for. If you simply don’t have the time to look after your lawn, it may be best to lose it altogether.

There are plenty of low maintenance alternatives to consider. Here are just a few:

●     Recycled aggregates. Available in a wide range of shapes, textures, sizes and colours, recycled aggregates are a great low maintenance alternative to soil or grass. Aggregates are easy to lay and can frame your garden perfectly.

●     Bark. Bark is a great lawn alternative as it’s easy to maintain and soft, making it ideal for gardens with children. It also makes the perfect soft landing under a slide! Bark is available in a range of colours and sizes to match the aesthetic of your garden too.

●     Decking. If you’re looking for a long-lasting, stylish solution, decking could be perfect. It makes the perfect garden flooring for hosting barbeques and dinner parties - but it’s important to note that it does require an annual clean and occasional brushing to remove debris.

Invest in low maintenance plants

Unfortunately, plants that require no maintenance don’t exist - but thankfully, ones that require very little maintenance do. Often, people with gardens find that plants require the most upkeep and maintenance. Without the correct care, certain plants can quickly become overgrown and unruly (and not to mention dead if they don’t get enough maintenance) which can quickly lower the aesthetic of your garden.

Instead, opt for low maintenance plants that don’t require too much work. If you want to enjoy your garden rather than constantly work on it, here are some of our favourite low maintenance plants and flowers to choose:

●     Geranium Psilostemon is the easiest of the herbaceous perennials to grow and will add a lovely pop of colour to any garden during the summer months. Geraniums are ideal for filling borders with colour as they sprawl with little maintenance.

●     Elijah Blue Fescue. Able to withstand a variety of weather conditions, this evergreen is ideal for those looking to create a low maintenance garden. Offering beautiful blue hues in your garden, the Elijah Blue Fescue makes a striking addition to any garden.

●     Sedum. Recognised for its ability to grow back year after year, the colours of a Sedum will brighten your garden in Spring. It goes from green buds, to a delicate pale pink, to a luscious deep pink and then finally a brown hue. You can expect to enjoy their colour every year.

Use decorative aggregates

We’ve briefly touched on how recycled aggregates make a great alternative to your lawn, but there’s plenty of ways aggregates can be used to decorate your garden and improve your landscape too. Aggregates can last for years and require much less maintenance than other garden landscaping products, making them perfect for low maintenance gardens. Here are a few of our favourite ideas:

●     Garden path. You can easily create aesthetic garden paths with aggregates. Whether you want them to wind through your garden or simply lead up to your back door, there are plenty of designs and concepts to explore.

●     Seating area. Aggregate is ideal for garden seating areas; it provides the perfect ground for a bench or chair and is far cleaner than a grassy area which can quickly get muddy in bad weather. For a modern look, opt for purple-toned dark grey gravel. 

●     Borders and beds. Aggregates can be perfect for creating stylish garden borders and beds. Weeding borders can take up a lot of valuable garden time, so the best way to combat this is to create a border that is easy to maintain - and the best way to do this is with aggregates! Whether you choose gravel, slate, pebbles or cobbles, aggregate borders are stylish and low maintenance.

Swap hedges for fences

When properly maintained, hedges look great - but if you don’t have the time to regularly trim and prune them, they can quickly end up taking over half of your garden and making the space look smaller. An unruly hedge can be difficult to keep up with; instead, we recommend swapping your hedges for fences if you really want to cut down on garden maintenance.

Over the years, your hedges will require a considerable level of upkeep. Swapping them for a fence or brick wall will instantly reduce the maintenance required and can even boost the kerb appeal of your home too, along with security. Your fence will only need painting every couple of years to freshen it up, significantly reducing the amount of time you need to spend on your garden.

Install a water feature

A stunning water feature is an easy way to instantly boost the appearance of your garden - and the great news is, they don’t require much maintenance once they’re installed! They’re pretty much self-regulating, which means you can enjoy the tranquil sounds of the water trickling and the beautiful view without having to regularly maintain your water feature. There are lots of different designs, styles and finishes to choose from to complement your garden, from chic fountains to aesthetic waterfalls.

William Thompson & Son: Recycled Aggregates Delivered in Dumbarton & Glasgow

At William Thompson & Son, we supply reclaimed stone and other recycled aggregates, combining both traditional values with the latest technology and advancements. We can provide our clients with all of the services and materials they require to successfully complete their projects, whether they need reclaimed stone, crushed concrete or asphalt for their driveway. The aggregates that we supply are subject to rigorous quality control procedures, ensuring that our clients always have access to the very best construction materials.

Our aggregates can be reused in the construction of paths, roads, car parks, public spaces and much more. Sustainability is at the forefront of everything we do, and therefore we ensure that every aspect of our operation is as green and environmentally friendly as possible.

To learn more about our recycled aggregates and how they can benefit your next project, visit our website. We’re also proud to be one of the leading concrete suppliers to customers across the region, whether for large commercial enterprises or smaller DIY jobs.