5 Tips for Low Maintenance Landscaping
The number one request we get is for consumers looking for Low Maintenance Landscaping near Sparta, NJ. There are a few key components that go into your Landscape Design which will help determine whether or not you will receive a Low Maintenance Landscape Installation that meets your needs. These are 5 tips we would like to share to help ensure you get the most from your Landscaping.
1. Work with your contractor to determine what low maintenance means to you.
Since 2004 we have discussed this hundreds if not thousands of times with clients. It is safe to say that we got a different answer for every time we asked the question. By determining what level of maintenance you might be interested in providing, your landscaper can tune your installation to meet those needs. We have had conversations where Low Maintenance meant paving an entire space, but we have also had conversations where Low Maintenance meant paying a crew to come in several times a year with a cost of $10,000 or more annual cost. It means something different to everyone and this is the most important piece of information your Outdoor Living Company would want to know.
2. Spend the time to plan your project before you begin.
It is always more expensive to make changes after the fact. A well planned Landscape Design will place elements correctly which will minimize unwanted expenses down the road by taking into account environmental conditions, sunlight requirements, deer pressure, and life expectancy. An overall investment of around 10-15% of your project budget will ensure that dividends are paid back in a lower lifetime cost of ownership.
3. Think long term.
Probably the biggest mistake we see in landscapes is the failure to plan for the future. When planning a Landscape or Outdoor Living area it is important to consider not just what the result will be initially, but to consider the vision of what could be down the road. Unless you enjoy playing in the dirt, it often makes the most sense to plan for the future by considering such things as electric, plumbing, and fuel needs for additional elements like outdoor kitchens, fire pits, and accessory buildings in the future. The same would apply for the softscaping elements by taking into account how large plants will grow and how far their spacing should be.
4. Don’t be afraid of diversity.
No matter how well planned a landscape is, nor how well cared for. No landscape is ever truly maintenance free. Pests, weather, natural disasters, vandalism, and sometimes ill prepared care givers can cause additional maintenance needs. The upside is that these unwelcomed problems rarely affect an entire area. Most commonly, the specific problem will impact only one element, often the weakest element. By having a vast array of different elements in a landscape, it becomes less likely that catastrophic loss will occur.
5. Hire out maintenance as needed.
Lastly, it is always good to know when enough is enough and understand when your time is best served elsewhere. Having a regular maintenance arrangement could be the tool that your landscape needs to ensure that it performs as intended with as little maintenance as possible. By implementing a regularly planned maintenance schedule, long term problems can be minimized and lifetime value can be obtained.
Sierra Landscape Management, LLC is proud to offer Low Maintenance landscape solutions for homeowners in northern New Jersey and beyond. If you think you might be right for a well-planned outdoor living landscape design we would love to discuss your needs and see how you are hoping we can help you.
You can also see some videos from our Low Maintenance Landscape Series on YouTube at the links below.