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No mowing needed
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What weeds
Keeping Gardens Shipshape
It is regatta time again and you are all no doubt busy splicing your mainbraces and hoping the garden won’t run riot whilst you are on the high seas.
As a designer, one of the things I am asked for most often is a ‘Low Maintenance Garden’. Everyone wants one. Nobody has ever asked for a ‘High Maintenance Garden’.
The definition of a Low Maintenance Garden obviously varies depending on who you ask. There is, however, one certain fact. No such thing actually exists. All gardens require a certain level of maintenance.
There seem to be three main reasons for wanting a LMG.
• Lack of time – work or family commitments, 2nd home.
• Lack of ability – new gardeners, age or illness.
• Lack of enthusiasm – some people just don’t like gardening.
It is always best to be honest about how much time you are willing to devote to your garden and how much physical effort you are able to put in. Gardening should be a pleasure and not a chore. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Decide on the tasks you are not able or prepared to carry out and either minimise them, delegate (a wonderful skill to develop!) or employ someone to do them for you.
Lawns. A perfect green sward is extremely difficult to achieve, expensive and time consuming. Relax and let it become a mown meadow instead. Only regularly mow the areas you use regularly. Allow others to grow long and perhaps mow paths through. Use permanent edging so that you don’t have to worry about it.
Planting. Plant according to the conditions you have. Don’t fight nature. Use tough, hardy perennials that do not need fussing over. Mulch thickly and plant densely to smother weeds. Use shrubs and trees. Perennial bulbs are an excellent investment. Ornamental grasses are perfect. Weed little and often with a hoe. Avoid small containers, which need constant attention.
Vegetables. Forgive the pun but don’t bite off more than you can chew. Vegetables are hard work. Use 2 or 3 raised beds. A good size is 1m x 2m x 45cm high. You can easily reach across and also sit on them. Sow with annual flowers if you need a year off.
Ponds. No fish, no pumps and allow them to find their own natural balance.
Overall, keep the layout simple with big curves or straight lines. Don’t have little wiggly bits and, finally, don’t panic. If in doubt, ask for help.
colette@charsleydesign.com, www.charsleydesign.com
Tel: 01803 722449. Mob: 07774 827799.
Follow me on Twitter @ColetteCharsley
By the Dart August 2014
