Garden Designer & Plantswoman | Bel Grierson | Loughborough, Leicestershire
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Advice Hub

Garden Inspiration, Expertise and Advice

Low Maintenance Gardening Tips

23/5/2019

 
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​Gardening can become a chore for those who are time poor, but there are ways to reduce the time and effort it takes to keep the garden looking good all year round.  When i visit new clients to discuss their needs for their gardens and look at how i can design or enhance their spaces to fulfil their requirements, one of the first questions i ask is how much time they can devote to looking after the plants, lawns and hedges and so on so that i can tailor the design to suit.
From my experience it is often the lawn which requires most care during the spring and summer as it grows abundantly and needs a trim every week or two.   Some planting demands deadheading and regular trimming to keep it in shape and then hedges need a haircut once or twice during the year to keep them looking at their best.  For some it is weeding which takes up so much of their time and it is difficult to keep on top of the weeds if they are allowed to run riot early in the season.......
There are ways to reduce the ongoing maintenance in the garden but ‘no maintenance’ is improbable if you would like a space which is a joy to look at too!
Key tips for low maintenance planting:
Chose well behaved evergreen shrubs when considering planting, to give all year round structure. Eg. Hebes, Choisya, Euonymous, Buxus, Skimmia
Select dwarf and compact forms of plants so that they don’t over grow their space and can be easily trimmed without the need for a ladder or long handled equipment. E.g Choisya ‘White Dazzler’
Look for plant varieties which are repeat flowerers so you get a long period of colour without much effort – e.g Geranium Rozanne will flower from June – September without any deadheading or trimming.
Select the right plant for the right place – Plants always look healthier and grow better if they are sited in an appropriate situation.  If you have a sunny garden make sure you buy plants which are suited to that aspect - some shade loving plants will soon look tatty in a sunny spot.
Use ground covering plants to spread beneath shrubs and trees to reduce the emergence of weeds. E.g Heuchera, Tiarella, Geranium ‘Spessart’
Membrane and a covering mulch of wood chip or gravel stops weeds growing in newly planted areas. Lay the membrane on the prepared soil and cut crosses through to enable planting. Cover with mulch and water the plants well.  A word of warning through – Black birds love to flick through wood chip and bark looking for insects and it often makes it’s way on to the lawn causing difficulties during mowing.
Start again with the planting – this gives the opportunity to remove thuggish and overgrown plants and start a fresh with plants chosen to give interest throughout the year without high demands on time.  Clearing out a border allows invasive weeds to be tackled thoroughly once and for all before the new plants are added.  Well worth the work to get a new easily tamed look.  
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I hope i have given you some ideas for reducing maintenance in your garden. If you are in need of further help to create a manageable garden space, i’d be happy to help. I offer a bespoke service from consultations through to full design packages. Take a look at my website for more details  Garden Design Services  Planting Design  or give me a ring on 07506 750250. 

Author: Bel Grierson

Expert Plantswoman and Garden Designer with 20 years experience in horticulture.  Bel loves to share her knowledge and enthusiasm with those with gardens large and small.

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    Author: Bel Grierson

    Expert Plantswoman and Garden Designer with 21 years experience in horticulture.  Bel loves to share her knowledge and enthusiasm with those with gardens large and small.

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We are absolutely delighted with our beautiful new garden designed and installed by Bel! We had an unusually shaped garden which we didn't have the knowledge to handle, but at the same time had quite specific ideas of what we liked and disliked. Bel listened to our ideas and the challenge didn't phase her at all! The preparation of the the soil by her team, and the planting of the garden by Bel herself over three days couldn't have gone smoother. We would highly recommend Bel in terms of her expertise, conscientiousness and friendly, easy going personality and we can't stop looking at our amazing new garden!

Mrs Prist, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire

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"Bel is brilliant. Easy to work with. Lots of ideas and plans but great at listening and quickly tapping into what you like, want and need. She has bags of style with a healthy dose of practicality and is 100% reliable. Totally recommend." ​

Mrs Munden - Thrussington, Leicestershire

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"Bel delivered professional advice in a friendly way after she had established what her clients wished to achieve.  All in all - it has been a pleasure to work with her"

Mrs Harrison - Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire

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"If you are looking for advice on your garden or a new designs then look no further than Bel Grierson. We have used her on several aspects of our garden to lower the maintenance and update the planting with spectacular results. Bel is easy to work with and is totally in tune with all our requirements."

Mr Stapleton - Rothley, Leicestershire

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"Bel has delivered a delightful garden with a design that has transformed a shallow plot surrounded by fences, into a garden full of interest.  Bel listened carefully to our concerns and gave her total attention to each step of the way." ​​

Mr & Mrs Bayley - Loughborough, Leicestershire

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​​"Our 20 year old garden was looking tired and boring. No colour and a mishmash of plants that were past their sell-by date. We had no idea what to do to rescue the situation as we knew very little about what plants would do well. Then we found Bel. Our garden is transformed; beautiful colour that just keeps coming all through the year, easy maintenance and a joy to sit and look at with an appropriate glass in one hand. Bel interpreted our thoughts perfectly and has produced an extraordinary result. She is patient with non-gardeners, knowledgeable and highly professional. Not afraid to get her hands dirty and endlessly helpful. I simply cannot recommend her too highly."

Mr & Mrs Benussi - Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire

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"Bel redesigned and planted our garden this summer. It has transformed it from dark and dingy to a fresh open space. Bel is a pleasure to work with, friendly and helpful, full of ideas and always ready to listen to what you want and find the best way of delivering it. Recommended!"

Mr Goodman - Loughborough, Leicestershire

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​"Bel provided good advice and warm, friendly and professional support at all stages of our garden transformation. Her knowledge about plants and her design ideas gave us confidence from the outset. We are delighted with the result, and now look forward to enjoying our new garden in the months and years to come."

Mr Corner - Rearsby, Leicestershire

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"Bel has recently redesigned a large area in my garden which was previously a 'wilderness'. I was very pleased with the design that she came up with - it was clear that she had paid attention to what I had said I wanted and understood my style. Great communication throughout the process and now that the planting is finished I am looking forward to next spring and watching it develop."

Mrs Phillips - Ratby, Leicestershire

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Thank you very much Bel for your design to renovate our back garden. It’s been great to work with you, we really appreciated spending time with you to hear your ideas and develop those with you for a new vision for our garden. We love the pond and wild at the back of the garden and the new plants you’ve sourced have all settled in very well and we are excited to see how they will grow!

Mr & Mrs Adshead, Loughborough

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