Once a project is built, the ribbons are cut, and the doors are open, clients then become faced with the reality of operational cost and maintenance. Thus, it’s no surprise that one of the top design requests on projects is “low maintenance planting”. When a client hears low maintenance their eyes light up. The idea of a beautiful, lush landscape that requires little effort is, understandably, appealing. In other words, plantings or landscapes that look beautiful with little human intervention and the burden of costly maintenance practices.
But as any landscape architect knows, “low maintenance” does not imply “no maintenance.” The idea that a landscape’s appearance will remain in a state of perfection year end and year out is simply unrealistic. Plant materials (Trees, Shrubs, Groundcovers, Perennials, Annuals, etc.) are living, breathing organisms that will grow, mature, and change over a period.
The reality is that smart planting design can significantly reduce long-term upkeep, but this requires diligent planning, proper plant selection, and an understanding of how plants interact with the site over time. Let’s break down what low-maintenance planting design really means—and how to achieve it successfully.
Defining "Low-Maintenance" in Planting Design
Planting maintenance includes tasks such as mowing, irrigating, fertilizing, pruning, dealing with seasonal shifts due to climate fluctuation, replacing damaged or dead plants, and weeding.
A truly low-maintenance planting design should:
Require minimal watering (after establishment)
Need little to no fertilization or chemical treatments
Resist pests and diseases naturally
Reduce the need for constant pruning, removal, or replanting (one of the main design problems)
Adapt well to the site's native soil and climate conditions (Refer to USDA Hardiness Zone Map and local/regional nurseries for plant adaptation and selection)
Sounds easy, right? Not so fast. Achieving these goals requires careful plant selection, strategic placement, and an understanding of long-term growth patterns.
Common Myths About Low-Maintenance Landscaping
🚫 "I can plant anything and just forget about it."
Reality: Even the most low-maintenance plants need some initial care. Meeting the watering needs of the plant is essential during the first year or two to help get an established, strong root system. In addition, conducting routine site observations and checking for issues such as erosion of mulch layer, pest, (ants are notorious for building their dream home next to newly installed plant materials w/ freshly cultivated soil), soil moisture levels (unexpected conditions where soil drains faster or slower than anticipated). These observations can protect against more long-term problems and increased maintenance demand.
🚫 "Gravel landscapes are the lowest maintenance option."
Reality: While gravel/stone/aggregate may often be the first choice in some regions or perhaps a good alternative, it still has some issues. Weeds still pop up between rocks (and yes, they even grow with weed barriers under the gravel layer), gravel can absorb and retain heat which may increase temperature around plant and underlying soil, gravel does not decompose and add nutrients to soil like organic mulch options, potential for more soil compaction due to the perception of walkable surface, and just like organic mulch, it often needs replenishment over time with higher cost.
🚫 "Native plants always look messy."
Reality: With proper design, grouping, plant selection, and attentive front-end maintenance during the establishment period, native plants can be just as polished as traditional landscapes while requiring far less maintenance over time. Using defined borders, mass plantings, and evergreen structure helps create a clean, intentional look. The old cliché: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. Unfortunately, not everyone enjoys the look of native gardens.
Key Strategies for Low-Maintenance Planting Design
1. Right Plant, Right Place
One of the biggest mistakes in planting design is selecting plants based on aesthetics alone. Without a doubt this is a key consideration, but plants should also be chosen based on their adaptability to local conditions and design needs including:
§ Soil type (sandy, clay-heavy, loamy, etc.)
Sun exposure (full sun, shade, partial shade)
Moisture levels (well-drained, wetland, drought-prone)
Hardiness zone and seasonal weather extremes
Visibility (open, dense, low, high, private/public spaces, security/safety reasons)
Future growth - improper selection where plants outgrow their intended space both above and below ground (confirm growth pattern/characteristics of plants: height, spread, shape, root structure)
For example, in a dry, full-sun site, drought-tolerant native grasses like little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) or black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) thrive without excessive irrigation. In contrast, a moisture-loving plant like hosta would struggle without constant watering. Another example, larger shrub species like Viburnum and Southern Indica Azaleas would be a great buffer or massing plant where there is room to grow, but planted along sidewalk or close to driveway, the plants may require constant pruning due to size at maturity. Wrong plant selection and wrong location can lead to more maintenance. Avoid plants that grow wildly and cover entryways, driveway intersections, or windows, needing regular pruning to keep sightlines clear.
2. Native and Adaptive Plants: Your Secret Weapon
Native species with proven landscape performance are a great place to start. They are naturally adapted to local soil and climate conditions, making them inherently low-maintenance. They typically require less water, fertilizer, and pesticide use than non-native species. There are numerous resources available depending on region of country.
Don’t feel limited: climate-adapted plants can also be simple to grow when your site and their native range share a similar climate. Adaptive plants (non-natives that thrive in local conditions without becoming invasive or demand special conditions) can also be useful. Examples include drought-tolerant ornamental grasses like Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca), perennials like Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia), shrubs like Compacta Holly (Ilex crenata ‘Compacta’) and Winter Gem Boxwood (Buxus microphylla var. japonica “Winter Gem’) or trees like Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica).
3. Layering for Long-Term Success
A well-planned planting design should mimic natural ecosystems by using a layered approach:
Canopy layer (small trees/shrubs for structure)
Understory layer (mid-sized shrubs and perennials)
Groundcover layer (spreading plants or mulch alternatives)
This approach not only reduces maintenance but also crowds out weeds naturally, reducing the need for herbicides or manual weeding. For example, pairing a small tree like redbud (Cercis canadensis) with low-maintenance shrubs like inkberry (Ilex glabra) and groundcovers like wild ginger (Asarum canadense) creates a self-sustaining plant community that requires little intervention.
4. Mulching (Weed and Moisture Control)
Mulch is a simple but powerful tool in low-maintenance planting design. Mulch reduces weed growth, keeps soil moist, insulates against temperature swings, and, when plant-derived, slowly enriches the soil. It’s not the only low maintenance ground covering, but it can be very effective. A well-applied 2–3 inch layer of organic mulch (like shredded hardwood, cypress, pine straw) helps in the following manner:
Suppress weeds
Retain moisture
Regulate soil temperature
Improve soil health as it decomposes
However, mulch should be used correctly—avoid piling it up against tree trunks (a.k.a. mulch volcanoes) or using excessive layers that prevent water from reaching plant roots. Bark mulch requires annual replacement, and most mulch can be kicked, washed, or blown outside its intended bounds. If you lean toward naturalistic, you can mulch by simply allowing leaves to remain where they fall. Leaf litter is the original mulch, and a rich source of soil nutrients.
5. Limit Lawn
Ironically, lawns can be the most management-intensive part of any landscape. Maintaining a thriving, lawn often requires massive watering and other routine maintenance such as mowing, edging, dethatching, aerating, raking, fertilizer applications, and sometimes pesticide/fungicide applications. This all requires a lot of time and resources (typically on a weekly basis for eight – nine months out of the year). The concern with reducing or limiting lawn area is, lawns are also very useful. No plant beats a lawn for walkability and versatility.
On occasion perhaps there can be a balance: keep enough lawn to do the running, playing, and other functions that you demand from your landscape, but be mindful of lawns that are purely decorative. Minimizing lawn area can reduce your maintenance. Also, consider replacing lawn with evergreen groundcovers and other planting. Yes, weeding, watering, fertilizing may still be needed, but overall time spent can be reduced once plant materials become established.
6. Plant Density and Spacing
It is inevitable that weeds will grow through mulch - the enriched, freshly cultivated soil and lack of competition in bare patches of planting beds are irresistible to them. If weed suppression is a priority, dense planting is a more effective, long-term strategy to pursue. One caution: too dense a spacing can lead to overcrowding, increasing risk of spreading disease/pest through plants, and the need for frequent pruning.
Dense planting mimics natural plant growth patterns, in which unplanted areas are scarce, and plants grow amongst each other in distinct vertical layers. To be clear: “dense” does not have to mean bulky or heavy. You can still maintain some space and clean lines while still planting densely.
To do so, utilize low, spreading ground cover species to fill gaps between taller plants, spaced as widely as you wish. Ground cover plants are less expensive, attractive, easy to maintain, and great at combating weed growth. A single ground cover species for a controlled and minimal look or combination w/ shrub massing for a more natural feel.
7. The Impact of Flowers
People enjoy seeing flowers and the color lifts our spirits and garnishes attention. Big showy flowers are the pride of many traditional gardens and landscapes, but they can require a lot of work and create quite a mess. Those seeking a low-maintenance landscape design would do best to avoid annuals and other flowers that require lots of tending, cleanup, and replacement. If these plants are a must-have, limit your maintenance and cost by restricting all the heavy flower needs to specific areas (main entrances, signage monuments, focal elements) and/or supplement with perennials that provide a boost of color during the season.
8. Pruning Hedges
There are many examples of striking and beautiful designs that warrant this level of maintenance in a garden or landscape. However, well-trimmed hedges and topiaries require regular and intentional tending. Pruning can be reduced in many cases if the shrubs/trees are allowed to grow in their natural state based on appropriate selection. Refer to Item #1 Right Plant, Right Place. Not every plant needs to be manicured, or better yet deserves to be.
Final Thoughts: Setting Realistic Expectations
A well-designed, low-maintenance planting plan won’t eliminate maintenance completely—but it will significantly reduce it. By selecting the right plants, grouping them wisely, and allowing natural processes to work in your favor, you can create a resilient, sustainable landscape that thrives with minimal intervention. Also, be mindful that the plants are well-suited to your region’s climate and can thrive in the available conditions is the first step toward a low-maintenance landscape.
You may never eliminate all these obstacles, but planting choices will help minimize them. At the end of the day, low maintenance starts with smart design. If you're looking for guidance on creating a sustainable landscape that enhances both function and aesthetics, feel free to reach out. In closure, I wanted to end with this quote….
“A life devoid of all problems would contain nothing worth doing, and would therefore be meaningless.”
—Oliver Burkeman (2021)