Sometimes less is more, especially when it comes to landscaping. There’s no doubt a garden bursting with color will boost your property’s value, but who wants to spend hours in the Houston sun every weekend pulling weeds? A low-maintenance garden will brighten up your landscape without all the work.
If you’re looking to put a home on the market or just want to fit in perfectly with a planned community like the Houston Heights, planting a low-maintenance garden enhances your small piece of the world. And the best part? Veggies from the vine to the dinner table.
Mother Nature provides the tools you need; you just need to use them properly.
Sunshine
Flower and vegetable gardens need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. Sun exposure changes as the day goes on; it’s important to plant your garden away from the house and shade trees.
Before digging a garden plot, determine how much sunlight the area gets. Draw a squares-based diagram to gauge the sun’s location. Start at 7 a.m., and each hour beyond, mark off a square for sun or shade.
Dig the garden on flat land so water won’t pool over plant roots.
Soil and Mulch
Soil types vary in Houston, with a pH range typically between 4.5 and 8.5. Test the soil; if it's overly acidic, it may need some lime and phosphorus. Clean soil stops weeds from popping up.
Mulching protects the soil while cutting down on weed seed germination. Organic mulch like wood chips and grass clippings break down into compost to nourish the soil, but you’ll need to replace it periodically. Gravel, crushed rock, and plastic cover mulches last longer, but they do not absorb water for plant roots.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables brighten up your Houston property – the planting calendar lets you decide what to plant and when. Color up your veggie garden with red beets, green broccoli, orange carrots, white cauliflower, and purple eggplant.
(If the house is on the sales market, welcome visitors at the height of harvest time in autumn. Showing a full garden is a good way to attract buyers with a green thumb).
Go Native!
Nothing says “low maintenance” like native plants for flower beds and gardens. These plants adapt to the local soil, thrive in Texas’ temperate climate, and don’t need fertilizer or much water. Yellow vine flowers like Carolina jessamine travel around posts and arbors. Pink coral honeysuckle attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Colorful black-eyed Susan is a hardy bloom that can grow up to 3-feet tall.
Xeriscapes and Rock Gardens
Drought-tolerant greenery planted among variously-sized rocks and ornamental grasses make for sweet landscapes in Houston. Xeriscaping doesn’t cost much when you DIY, and you won’t be spending time pulling weeds. Creating a rock garden also cuts down on the amount of grass that needs mowing. Add a birdfeeder, flat tile pavers, and a couple of pinwheels for a charming setting.
Rain Garden
Rain gardens attract pollinating birds and insects to wildflowers, such as Indian blanket and coreopsis. Designing a rain garden in the right location and choosing plants that will absorb standing water helps to cut down on erosion.
Container Gardens
The simplest type of garden comes in a container, big or small. Grow tomatoes or green peppers in a large urn to place on the back patio (make sure it’s in the sun). Plant flowers or ornamental grasses in boxes … even an old dresser drawer (with a hole in the bottom for drainage) makes a great container. Use clean, fresh potting soil for a weed-free, maintenance-free garden.
There’s no such thing as a no-maintenance landscape. But a low-maintenance garden enables you to spend more time enjoying your yard and less time working on it. It will also help you sell your home a lot faster.
This blog was written by Zach Edwards, Zach is a lifestyle and landscape and design writer. He has refurbished a number of older homes and commercial buildings with a focus on low-maintenance gardens and spaces for entertaining.