LANDSCAPE STYLE:The style of garden you choose will have a major impact on how much upkeep will be involved. A Japanese garden, for example, is higher maintenance than you might think (lots of plants to clip, gravel to rake and water features to clean), as is a formal garden with its hedges, topiaries and patches of lawn in need of constant trimming. And a cottage garden, with its mass plantings, needs ongoing care to prevent it from looking out of control. Less fussy styles include Mexican and Tuscan because of their reliance on hard landscaping features.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
While undeniably appealing, special features like fountains, ponds, topiaries, hedges, parterre gardens and gravelled areas all require ongoing care and maintenance. If you really want to do the minimum you'll want to avoid all of the above.
CHOICE OF PLANTS:
Be smart about what plants you buy and where you put them. Basically, put shade-loving plants in shady spots and sun-loving plants in sunny, more exposed positions or you'll be engaged in a constant battle to keep them alive. And match your plants to local conditions so that they'll need less nurturing. Also, avoid messy trees, like jacarandas, or you'll be forever sweeping up dropped leaves and blooms and don't forget to check on the mature height of plants. If you place a tall-growing shrub under a kitchen window, for example, it will need regular trimming.
LAWN AREAS:
Lawns require a lot of work - mowing, edging, fertilising, weeding - so consider replacing yours with a paved area, garden beds, an expanse of groundcover or a wildflower meadow. If you do have a lawn, create a solid edge around the perimeter to keep the edges tidy and to make mowing easier.
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