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Simply..low maintenance....

24/8/2016

16 Comments

 
..with the WOW factor!

It should be possible, shouldn't it, to have a garden that looks fabulous but doesn't take up every minute of your time and all your energy and too much of your money?

(I have just agreed to open my garden again for charity in 2018 under Scotland's Gardens Scheme.)

So, a new category, Simply Low Maintenance.

Any ideas for a better title? The very words Low Maintenance when applied to gardening make me think boring - static dwarf conifers, slabs, hard landscaping....

The first thing I will do is list the plants I love which give the most impact for the least work.

I already have a good structure with two - betula Jacqumontii, the white-bark birch. The impact comes from the fact that we planted ten of them in quite a small space. Three cornus controversa variegata provide a dramatic horizontal contrast to these. See this post.

I would go so far as to say that these are no maintenance, so that's a good start!

16 Comments
Damsonlily
24/8/2016 02:47:37 pm

"It should be possible, shouldn't it, to have a garden that looks fabulous but doesn't take up every minute of your time and all your energy and too much of your money?"
Oh for a garden that is like this! Pottering about can be very pleasurable but when the workload exceeds the pleasing result, then resentment and overwhelm sets in - that sounds rather like Mr Micawber's recipe for a solvent life!
As well as the trees and shrubs, I think planting what I call 'good doers' is one of the keys. By that I mean plants that come up smiling year after year, require little or no maintenance, do not succumb to slugs or frost and require no cossetting.
So far, I have come up with hardy geraniums, crocosmias, hellebores and alliums. I'll keep thinking.

Reply
Freda
26/8/2016 12:31:31 pm

Yes 'good doers' are what I need and geraniums and crocosmias are two of mine here, though alliums don't do well as the soil gets too wet in winter.

Reply
Lotta link
24/8/2016 11:28:52 pm

As I read your post all I could picture was you lying in your hammock with a stunning garden around you, requiring nothing from you other than to roll out every now and then to do some of the more pleasurable garden tasks... Hammock Horticulture!

Reply
Freda
26/8/2016 12:32:44 pm

Oh what a lovely image! Love it Lotta.

Reply
Julia
25/8/2016 03:23:58 am

Oh dear!!! Because of our frequent travels, our garden would fall into the boring, but low-maintenance, category for sure...ithe complete bane of our gardening are DEER..they eat it all! have a number of friends who have beautiful gardens... my observation would be that they put their hearts, souls, money, and backs into them....for hours and hours..and certainly lots of successes but lots of tears too...is it possible to create a one-hour-a-day spectaular?? We will all be cheering you on, Freda!

Reply
Freda
26/8/2016 12:34:26 pm

Travel and gardening don't work together too well I guess. One hour a day would be great...

Reply
Lucille
25/8/2016 06:43:50 am

Low toil?

Reply
Freda
26/8/2016 12:35:03 pm

Nice!

Reply
Mary
25/8/2016 08:01:07 am

Simply (Self) Sustaining?

Reply
Freda
26/8/2016 12:35:30 pm

Yes!

Reply
cath
25/8/2016 08:45:14 am

If you need a category for the open Garden scheme this wouldn't do I guess: I was thinking 'The white-bark birch garden' as what you write sounds like they are so to speak the starting point as wel as the point of reference for your simply low maintenance garden.

Reply
Freda
26/8/2016 12:36:37 pm

Make a nice title for an article some time in the future perhaps?

Reply
Gail
26/8/2016 04:01:55 am

You planted the birch en-masse a few years ago with your eye toward to future (so many ppl forget about the element of time). And now...drum roll...your way-back-then idea is going to be enjoyed by many visitors in 2018. Great job! For a woman who has limited vision, you have a lot of vision.

Reply
Freda
26/8/2016 12:37:52 pm

Gail thank you for the reminder that vision isn't just about eyesight. Lovely.

Reply
Angela link
28/8/2016 01:34:38 pm

On holidays so this is a quick hello and suggestion! How about "Simply ... High Impact"? xx

Reply
Freda
28/8/2016 02:25:53 pm

A good suggestion Angela and enjoy your holiday! x

Reply



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    An artist seeking a simpler life - (but not too simple!)

    All words and images copyright Freda Waldapfel 2010 - 2020

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