7 Amazing Low Maintenance Garden Ideas

A garden is your private space to enjoy the outdoors in the comfort of your own home. Whether you plan to have fun with the kids, relax with loved ones or even enjoy a spot of alfresco dining – gardens are arguably one of the most enjoyable areas of any property, especially in the summertime!

However, it’s fair to say that gardens can require a lot of upkeep depending on what they consist of. All of which can leave you spending more time on maintaining your garden rather than actually enjoying it. 

If any of this sounds familiar, never fear, as here at Dino Decking, we’ve put together our top low maintenance garden ideas to inspire you. So, it’s time to put that spade down ready to relax with these fantastic ideas you can try today. 

What Are The Benefits Of Low Maintenance Gardens? 

Low maintenance gardens offer something for everyone. But, if you’re on the fence about whether a more pared-back design is right for your garden, here are just some of the benefits to be had. 

Great For Busy Lifestyles

Whether you’re a busy working professional, trying to juggle a family or travelling a lot – your garden should provide a sense of sanctuary rather than appear as one big to-do list. 

When you consider how quickly gardens can become overgrown, creating a real eyesore and requiring backbreaking work (or costly landscaping!) to fix, it’s no wonder low maintenance gardens offer the perfect solution when you just don’t have time. 

Instantly Boosts The Appeal Of Your Property

It’s not just you who doesn’t fancy hours spent battling the trowel, as low maintenance gardens are equally appealing to house hunters too. 

If you’re planning to put your property on the market anytime soon, then you might want to consider improving the ease of use your garden provides. After all, if your garden, along with the rest of your property, feels like a place someone can move straight into and make their own, then it’s far easier to sell versus coming across as a project. 

Reduces Costs Long Term

The simple fact is that when there’s less to worry about, whether it be paying for gardeners or having your patio professionally jet washed, all of the associated costs come down too. 

Sometimes, it is definitely a case of investing in good quality materials to begin with that may cost more upfront, but the pay off is that less maintenance and upkeep will be required in the years that follow. 

Ideal For Renters

As a property owner looking to let out your property, you have to consider how much upkeep your tenants are going to be willing to put into the garden. Plus, at the end of the tenancy, the amount of work that will be required to get the property ready to rent again. 

Once again, a low maintenance garden keeps things simple for your tenants and helps to keep costs down for you as a landlord. 

Easy To Maintain With Reduced Mobility

Gardening may be an activity that’s designed to be relaxing, but let’s not forget how strenuous it can also be too, especially for those with any mobility issues. 

On the one hand, the person doesn’t want to lose the enjoyment of their garden, especially when it comes to spending time outside with loved ones. But, it’s clear that bending, twisting, lifting and dragging a mower around isn’t going to cut it anymore.

The beauty of a low maintenance garden is that they really are a blank canvas. You can add in exactly what will work for your needs and remove anything or at the very least tweak any elements that could cause discomfort.

No Need To Be A Gardening Expert

Didn’t catch the latest episode of Gardeners’ World? Let’s be honest – understanding all of the many facets of keeping plants alive, let alone how to keep your lawn in optimum condition, isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s okay! 

As mentioned, gardens are designed to be your personal space. So, if certain elements aren’t compatible with your knowledge or the amount of time you can dedicate to your garden, then it’s perfectly acceptable to scale things back with a low maintenance garden instead. 

Artificial Grass

Real grass lawns can look absolutely beautiful, but they take extreme dedication to keep them looking at their best. As well as constant mowing, you may need to remove weeds from your lawn, water it, add formula to improve its colouring and even tackle moss patches. For those of you that have pets that use your lawn as a toilet or even like to dig it up – expect the workload to treble. 

Artificial grass may have seemed like an alien concept to begin with, but once you consider the amount of upkeep real grass requires, it’s a no-brainer. These days, artificial grass is available in many different varieties spanning different thicknesses and even materials. 

Pet owners will also be pleased to know urine patches will be a thing of the past, with artificial grass actually designed to be more pet friendly. As well as being easy to hose down or spray, there will be no more bringing muddy paws back into the house either. 

Artificial Shrubbery

Why stop at artificial grass when the likes of hedges or shrubs can also be a pain to regularly trim or prune? Even the cleanup from trimming a hedge can fill the entire bin, causing no end of headaches. Unless you have a compost bin which, let’s face it, is not a common addition to the typical back garden anymore. 

There are many benefits to installing artificial hedges or shrubs, and one is gaining instant privacy. Instead of waiting for a hedge to grow, you can automatically protect unwanted glare from the sun or prying eyes. Your plant won’t need trimming or watering, and it will maintain its colour all year round without having to add specialist nutrients to the soil. 

In the wintertime especially, it’s nice to have a bit of greenery or even colourful shrubbery hanging outside your front door or in the back garden. 

Potted Plants Instead Of Bedding Plants

If you’re really set on having real plants, then our advice is to opt for those which can remain happily within a pot, such as agapanthus, euonymus, pittosporum tenuifolium, skimmia japonica, hosta, fountain grass, buddleia or hebe. Alternatively, your local garden centre can provide you with plenty of advice on suitable plants for containers, especially when it comes to the best low maintenance plants. 

Although you’ll still need to water the plants and perhaps deadhead them, compared with beds (including raised beds), there’s far less maintenance involved. In particular, there’s no bending or twisting to contend with. You can even reposition the pots wherever suits, so long as the plant isn’t going to be in too much sun or shade depending on how it thrives. 

Another positive here is that the containers themselves can also be customised to the look or theme of your garden. So, if you’re planning a garden makeover, refreshing your containers is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways of doing so. 

Decorative Screens

Does your garden have excessive wall space or boring spots which just feel a bit lacklustre? 

Your inner designer might want to jazz these areas up, but when it comes to the low maintenance theme, it can be tricky not to create a mess or end up with something that will need frequent attention.

That’s why we’d highly suggest decorative screening (also known as trellis screening). It only takes a matter of seconds to install decorative screens, and they instantly bring a sense of sophistication and elegance to your garden.

Our composite trellis screens are available in four different designs, including Areca, Mosaic, Botanic and Spectrum. These incredibly stylish pieces are not only cost-effective but can even be used inside making them truly versatile too. 

Shop Dino Decking garden screens

Invest In A Decent Fence

You may have noticed a fair few storms have headed our way in recent years, and nothing takes the brunt of gale-force winds quite like your poor fence. All of which ends up with you having to fork out for endless costly repairs, not to mention awkward discussions with your neighbour about whose responsibility it is to fix it!

But, if you replace your fence with something a little more premium, it will actually save you money in the long run. An added bonus is that luxury fences also add a stylish touch to your property too. 

These days, you can even find composite fences which are constructed using individual horizontal slats and metal frames. Better still, if you do opt for a composite fence, we’d be able to match you up with composite decking, which we can provide to you in eight different shades. 

We can guarantee you’ll be the envy of the neighbourhood with your incredible swish, durable fence and decking combination! 

Low Maintenance Water Features 

You might think water features are out of the question when it comes to low maintenance garden ideas. But unlike in times gone by, water features are no longer the equivalent of something you’d find on The Crystal Maze in terms of their complexity or construction. 

At the most basic level, something such as a bird bath requires zero maintenance or installation. It will also attract all manner of birds and wildlife to your garden, which can be a really lovely thing to see. 

Moving up a gear, solar water features again don’t require a mains connection. All they do need is careful positioning to ensure they can absorb enough sunlight to work properly.

If you have your heart set on something a little grander, the best advice is to ask the manufacturer about the amount of maintenance involved. As an example, impressive water features can add serious kerb appeal to the front of a property and create instant tranquillity for back gardens. 

Some water features require messy installations, constant cleaning or even the use of chemicals – but this is not always the case! So definitely don’t rule water features out completely until you’ve explored all the options and the current technology. 

Composite Decking

All of the above leads us nicely onto one of the best low maintenance garden features that we can offer you here at Dino Decking, and that’s our beautiful range of composite decking. 

Decking as a material is already low maintenance, especially since once you install it, so long as you look after it, your decking will pretty much take care of itself. Compare this to the likes of a patio that needs constant cleaning and is prone to weeds and mould and it really starts to make sense for those who don’t have the time, energy or willpower to look after a high maintenance garden. 

However, composite decking goes that extra bit further to ensure you spend more time enjoying your decking rather than maintaining it. Unlike wooden decking, you don’t need to prime or paint the material. Any stains can easily be wiped up, and cleaning your decking is simply a case of using soap, water and a soft bristle brush. All of our composite decking also comes with a 10-year guarantee for your continued enjoyment. 

Did we also mention our decking is available in eight beautiful shades? While the colour you opt for is down to personal preference, you’ll notice that each shade is designed to blend with practically any garden design so that the finished look is simple yet highly effective. 

Composite Decking Benefits

Here at Dino Decking, we’ve been supplying composite decking to our clients across the UK for the last 10 years. For anyone who is new to composite decking, we’re keen to share some of the main benefits the material can bring over regular decking, especially versus installing a patio, tiles or gravel. 

Some of the top benefits of composite decking include:

• Cost-effective
• Environmentally friendly
• Long lifespan
• Low maintenance 
• Mould resistant
• No splinters
• Non-slip
• Range of colour options
• Reversible designs
• UV fade resistant
• Weather resistant

So, when we go back to the idea of creating a low maintenance garden, we think you’ll agree that each of these aspects contributes towards a hassle free experience. You won’t need to be constantly repainting the surface, sanding it, or trying to fix chips or cracks. You also won’t have to deal with weeds or discolouration. 

Instead, we want you to enjoy your beautiful composite decking for the likes of outdoor entertaining, alfresco dining or even reading your favourite book in the sun. 

However you’ll be enjoying your outdoor space, you’ll actually be able to do so when there’s far less work involved! 

Buy composite decking online – UK wide delivery! 

Low Maintenance Composite Decking UK – Dino Decking

Need further advice on how to create a low maintenance garden? Or perhaps you’re in search of some low maintenance composite decking to begin your project? You’re in the right place!

Dino Decking is a UK based supplier of composite decking. You can reach our customer team at any time by giving us a call on 01942 355968 or dropping us an email at support@dinodecking.co.uk.

You can also download our brochure to browse our full range of products. With Dino Decking, your beautiful low maintenance garden is only a few clicks away!