Creating Low Maintenance Landscapes for Busy Homeowners

When it comes to the process of designing a landscape for a new home build, many clients are looking for landscape setups that have low maintenance needs. As a home builder, what sorts of areas should you be considering to meet these needs while still accomplishing a beautiful landscape for your new build?

At Wright Landscaping, as the top landscaping company across Salt Lake City, Kaysville, Layton and nearby areas of northern Utah, our landscapers are here to offer a huge range of landscaping services to home builders around the area. We’ve helped design numerous low-maintenance landscapes for any new home need. Here are some top elements we may recommend if this is one of your primary goals for new home landscaping.

The Staples

Within most landscapes, particularly those that are meant to be low-maintenance in nature, there tend to be a few staples that are commonly found:

• Mulch: Mulch is one of the most versatile elements in a low-maintenance landscape. It helps to reduce weed growth, retain moisture, and regulate soil temperature. Mulch can be used for everything from covering the ground in garden beds to creating pathways.
• Topsoil: Good quality topsoil is essential for creating a healthy base for your plants, shrubs, and trees. It provides nutrients and helps with drainage.
• Stone or hardscape elements: While not a requirement for every low-maintenance landscape, incorporating stone or hardscape elements can add visual interest and reduce the need for plants that require regular maintenance.

Now let’s go over a few other important areas to consider for a low-maintenance landscape in any home you or your team is building.

Native Plants

When we talk about native plants, we’re referring to plants that naturally grow and thrive in a specific region or climate. These types of plants are ideal for low-maintenance landscapes because they’re adapted to the environment and require less care compared to non-native species. This means less watering, fertilizing, and pruning for you.

There are a wide range of native plants available, from groundcover and shrubs to trees and flowers. By incorporating native plants into your landscape, you’ll not only save time and effort in maintenance, but also help support the local ecosystem.

Proper Drainage

One key element of designing any low-maintenance landscape is ensuring proper drainage. This means paying attention to the slope of your yard and strategically placing plants, hardscaping, and other elements to prevent water from pooling or running off in unwanted areas.

In addition to being essential for plant growth, proper drainage can also prevent erosion and water damage to your property. Consider incorporating a rain garden or using permeable materials for paths and patios, which allow rainwater to soak into the ground rather than runoff.

Implement Hardscaping

Hardscaping refers to any non-living elements in a landscape such as rocks, gravel, paths, decks, and fences. Incorporating hardscaping into your low-maintenance landscape design can help reduce the amount of time and effort required for upkeep.

For example, using mulch or gravel as ground cover instead of grass can significantly decrease mowing and watering needs. Another option is to incorporate drought-resistant plants and native species, which require less attention and resources.

When planning your hardscaping elements, consider the overall aesthetic of your landscape and choose materials that complement each other. Also, make sure to leave enough space for walkways and seating areas for maximum functionality.

Add Natural Features

In addition to incorporating hardscaping, adding natural features such as a small pond, bird bath or butterfly garden can enhance the beauty of your low-maintenance landscape while also attracting local wildlife. These features not only add visual interest but also serve important ecological functions such as providing habitats for pollinators and other beneficial insects.

When adding water features, make sure to use plants and materials that are native to your region, as they will require less maintenance and thrive in their natural environment. You can also consider adding a rain garden to help manage stormwater runoff on your property.

Incorporate Smart Irrigation

One of the biggest challenges with maintaining a traditional landscape is the constant need for watering. However, by incorporating smart irrigation techniques, you can significantly reduce water usage while still keeping a low-maintenance landscape thriving.

Drip irrigation systems and soaker hoses deliver water directly to plant roots, minimizing evaporation and waste. Setting these up in advance can help your clients maintain their landscapes with minimal time commitment.

As you can see, there are many ways home builders and landscapers alike can create high-quality, low-maintenance landscapes for busy homeowners. For more here, or to learn about any of our landscaping services for home builders across SLC, Kaysville, Layton or nearby areas, contact our team at Wright Landscaping today!