A hobby can quickly become a chore even to the best of us.
What happens to your British garden when that occurs? Would you abandon it because you are tired of constantly mowing the lawn or taking out weeds?
I bet your garden would feel sad and abandoned if it had feelings.
Understandably, you are finding gardening, your most cherished hobby, a chore. The summer months have probably made it more strenuous for you with the grass constantly filling up the place before you could say “Jack”.
This would be exhausting for anyone. But thankfully, there’s a way out. You can configure your garden in a way that shouldn’t require high maintenance.
This way, you can have time to engage in other activities that you love.
Let’s find out how to do this, shall we?
Take Away the Lawn
In the name of all things holy, ditch the grass! This is your first point of contention. Remove it, and half your problem is solved.
If you’re thinking, “I love the aesthetics it gives my garden”, there’s an alternative for you.
You can go for artificial grass that requires little to no maintenance, it shouldn’t take away the visual appeal you so badly want to maintain. It can equally be beneficial to you if you have a small garden, and want to create more space.
Go for Hard Surfaces
If you don’t agree with the idea of artificial grass, there are other options for you.
You could use low-maintenance composite decking for your entire outdoor space, carving out some area for the garden. Here you could leave the grass, using the decked patio as a border around the lawn.
This way, you shouldn’t have to spend time trying to trim the edges of your lawn right.
You could use pavement or gravel if you prefer them to decking.
Go for Large Pots
In the space you’ve carved out for your garden, get large pots for planting.
These are better than small pots because they don’t dry out quickly after watering. So, you won’t have to wake up every morning to water your plants and flowers.
If you don’t have good soil in your garden, you could use raised planters. Don’t get frustrated, there’s always a way out.
Plant Right
Planting the right flowers and plants in your garden space is synonymous with having a stress-free garden experience.
Choose plants that suit your soil type and environmental conditions. If you live in a sunny area that has dry and coarse soil, lavender should be your go-to option.
Also, planting flowers with similar textures and colours will enable you to have flowers in bloom throughout the year and you won’t have to change their bedding frequently.
Keep Your Planting Simple
Do you want to enjoy your gardening hobby? Then don’t go for plants that require a lot of attention.
Simple plants like shrubs and evergreen plants like sedges and hellebores are what you should take into your garden.
They have high water-retaining features so won’t have to water them always and they will look good throughout the year.
Zone Your Garden
This is a useful trick to avoid weeding and keeping your borders pruned all year.
The constant squatting or bending to pull out weeds and keep your borders trimmed can get annoying for anyone, instead, create zones for each type of plant in your garden.
This will help to control the rate at which weeds grow and you could also use raised beds to prevent the weeds from growing outside the borders you created.
Mulch is Gold
Using mulch in your garden gives you a win-win feature. It reduces the rate of weed growth and enriches your soil. It also retains water for a long period, reducing your watering time.
What could be better than that?
You don’t have to fuss or spend money to buy mulch from a local nursery. You can easily make one from shredded tree bark, shells, wood chips and dead plant composts, mixing it to provide nutrients and covering to your plants and soil.
Use Self-climbing plants
This is an effective way to extend your garden if you are in want of space.
Make good use of your walls or fences and create a beautiful addition to your garden.
Make sure to paint your wall or fence with any shade of green colour before planting them in order to reduce maintenance.
This way your ivy, Virginia creeper or climbing hydrangea can run wild and you won’t have to worry that the color of your fence is obviously different from the plant.
Clean and Store Your Equipment Properly
Once you are done with every gardening session, it is good practice to clean your equipment after use. This will prevent rust and deterioration.
After you clean them, dry them up and store them properly in one location, a shed or outdoor storage. This way you won’t have to spend time looking for your equipment when you next want to garden.
Conclusion
Now you have nine ideas at your fingertips on how to make your gardening experience easy and stress-free.
Your hobby should not be tucked away because it is exhausting and you can’t afford the time for it.
Go to your garden right now and begin experimenting with these ideas.
