Do you ever feel like your garden looks tired and overgrown rather than a peaceful retreat? Well, first things first, you aren’t the only one. Secondly, with clever planning and shortcuts, you can transform your outdoor space.
Ready to create a low-maintenance corner that adds aesthetic character to your garden? Continue reading as we explain how you can do this successfully.
Find Your Spot
When it comes to picking the right area for your garden corner, go for somewhere manageable. It could be a corner, but despite the name, it could also be along a strip by the side of your house, or even a space around a tree.
Consider sun and shade, wind exposure, and whether your children or pets could trample over it.
You don’t need acres of land; a 2×3 metre area is a good place to start. Think about sightlines and how the corner will connect with the rest of your garden.
Clear the Area
Before you begin to lay anything down or start planting, you need a clean canvas. Remove any weeds and debris, and trim back overgrown plants.
If you’re creating a garden corner on grass, we suggest removing a strip to prevent regrowth. If this is the first time you’re completing this type of project, you may not realise it, but this will save you a lot of hassle down the road.
Looking for an extra low-maintenance approach? Lay down a weed-suppressing membrane over the cleared soil. A little extra effort here ensures that maintenance will remain minimal.
Add Decorative Aggregates
When it comes to laying aggregates, it’s important to get reliable ones that function and look good, whether you’re using gravel, limestone, or blue slate. For example, if you are a Teeside local, you can purchase premium decorative aggregates from Joseph Parr Alco.
The depth should typically be between 5cm and 7cm for gravel and pebbles to ensure good coverage and to prevent weeds from coming through.
You could mix textures or colours for additional visual interest, such as mixing dark slate chips with pale gravel. This will help you create a polished look that also improves drainage, and when it comes to garden projects, anything that is practical and visually appealing is a welcome addition. Larger decorative stones can help add further allure and character.
Plant Low-Maintenance Greenery
Now that you have your gravel in place, choose plants that help you decorate but won’t require lots of maintenance.
Hardy perennials like lavender, heuchera, or sedum are all brilliant options, while small shrubs, including boxwood or rosemary, can add structure to garden corners.
Plant in clusters so that you can create visual impact without leaving massive amounts of empty soil that can encourage weeds.
Spacing plants properly is advisable so they don’t need constant pruning.
Add Functional Decor
With your aggregates in place, your attention should be focused on creating a space that you will actually want to use. Things like small benches, a couple of folding chairs, or a tiny table will be highly useful for your garden corner.
If you have adequate amounts of room, you could add solar lights to create a soft evening ambience, or even a simple bird feeder to attract wildlife.
Enjoy Your New Garden Corner
Now all that’s left to do is enjoy your new garden corner, whether that’s for reading, enjoying a drink, or just winding down at the end of the day.
We hope that you found this piece useful. If you did, check out our other gardening blogs here.