As landscape designers in San Diego, CA we’ve designed projects for a range of our client’s needs. One of the most common questions that we receive from our clients is, “How much maintenance is this backyard design going to require?” We understand that not everyone wants to spend their weekends taking care of their backyard, and we have lots of experience creating amazing backyard landscape designs that are low maintenance.
Creating a backyard landscape that is low maintenance doesn’t have to be stressful and the doesn’t have to be minimally fun! San Diego and backyard entertaining go hand in hand. Whether you want to put in an outdoor movie theater, a dazzling fire pit, an outdoor custom grill, or a putting green, this is your chance to customize the outdoor living space of your dreams that won’t you won’t constantly have to upkeep
Gone are the weekends spent mowing and maintaining your yard.
Simple San Diego backyard and landscape design tips for your garden.
Landscape Design Tip 1: Reduce Your Lawn Maintenance with Hardscape
Reducing your lawn space with hardscape will not only cut down on lawn maintenance, but will also expand your entertaining area. Even reducing your backyard grass by a 3rd can make a world of a difference. You’ll have less lawn to mow and less weeds to tackle on a weekly basis. This will also cut down on your water consumption.
Imagine having that perfect grill and lounge setup for summer time BBQs… Decks and patios are great options for your outdoor entertaining base. A good patio or deck can become the hub of your home!
Patios are built at ground level while decks are elevated from a few inches to several feet and can be built on a slope. Stone pavers, brick, or poured concrete are popular options, but remember that this is your opportunity to select the perfect surface for your needs. Maybe you want something that will be cooler in the middle of summer or perhaps you want something that will feel nice on your bare feet. We have options for all your needs.
Landscape Design Tip 2: Utilize Plants Native to Your Area
In San Diego, we’re able to utilize the desert landscape to our advantage with xeriscape plants. Utilizing plants that are native to the area, not only reduces water cost, but also saves your time by not having to constantly water and worry about their health. For options for your native plant garden in San Diego, check out our post http://deeprooteddesigns.com/the-best-plants-for-your-san-diego-landscape/.
Landscape Design Tip 3: Low Maintenance Perennials
Perennials are great because they bloom several times before they need to be replanted. They tend to grow slower than annuals and require much less work (less water and fewer nutrients).
Some great options for perennials in San Diego are: Lily of the Nile, African Ibis, Santa Barbara Daisy, Sea Lavender, Matilija Poppy, and Kangaroo Paw. These will vary in size, so make sure to pick the right plants for your backyard design.
landscape design tip 4: Lavender
Lavender is so amazing it deserves its own section. It not only smells great, but also requires very little maintenance. Even during dry times, it only needs water once or twice a week and will come back year after year. Enjoy the beautiful aroma and use it near your patio as it can be used as a bug repellent.
Landscape Design Tip 5: Potted Plants
Potted plants are extremely versatile. They maintain water and soil in a concentrated area and can easily be moved to different parts of the yard. In addition, potted plants can bring different colors to your yard. It also gives you different options for each season and you can easily change them out when it’s time for a fresh look. TIP: For special occasions or gatherings, they can be moved to the area you want to enjoy!
Landscape design tip 6: Automatic Irrigation Systems
Automatic irrigation and sprinkler systems save you the time of watering your plants yourself. A properly run system can save you time and water. Hoses can be a pain. They easily get stuck on corners or pots and even kink at the when you need it most. Properly functioning irrigation systems alleviate these problems. They can also be very useful in front yard designs also. We recently released a blog post on DIY irrigation systems.
Landscape Design Tip 7: Mulch
Thought there was nothing exciting about mulch? Well you thought wrong! Mulch is great for simplifying your garden design. You don’t need to water or mow it. It also helps fertilize your plants and prevent weeds. We recommend changing it once a year and only using real mulch in areas with plants or flowers.
Rubber mulch lasts much longer, but does not have the same benefits for your garden that real mulch does. We recommend not using rubber mulch around plants and flowers as it can harm them.
Landscape Design Tip 8: Synthetic Lawns or Turf or Artificial Grass
Tired of mowing your lawn and hardscape isn’t enough? Replacing grass with synthetic lawns may seem like a large investment, but you’ll save time cutting the grass each week and recoup part of the expense in water savings. You’ll even cut down on the amount of fertilizer and pesticides required to keep it healthy. Typical artificial grass has a life expectancy of about 12-15 years, so you’ll be set for a long time all while reducing the environmental strain of maintaining traditional grass.
Landscape Design Tip 9: Rock Gardens
Rock Gardens can survive almost anything and look great all year long. In addition, they are low maintenance. They also require fewer plants than traditional gardens. You can even utilize smaller rocks to give and create the perception that your yard is larger than it actually is. Make sure to utilize those xeriscape and native San Diego plants in your Rock Garden to ensure low maintenance.
Whether you want an outdoor cinema covered with market lights surrounded by a beautiful xeriscape or a Mediterranean inspired landscape with an outdoor kitchen and a fire pit, your possibilities are endless. Remember, your backyard can be an extension of your lifestyle and it doesn’t have to require lots of maintenance. We hope these ideas provide inspiration. If you’re looking for landscape and garden design in San Diego County, Deep Rooted Designs can make your dreams come true.