Keeping your garden pristine can be challenging for people with a busy lifestyle. If you work long hours in a stressful job, it can seem like there’s not enough to eat and sleep, let alone potter around in your flowerbed. You need to fit everything in, including spending time with family and doing household chores. It’s unsurprising then, that gardening can sometimes take a back seat.
But you don’t want to let your yard fall into disarray. Coming home to a beautiful garden makes you feel a sense of pride in your home and your green-fingered achievements. And the very act of gardening itself can boost your well-being and relieve the stresses of work. Even if you have little time in your schedule to maintain your outdoor space, here are five quick and easy tips for keeping your garden in peak condition.
Choose low maintenance plants
If your schedule is jam packed, you don’t want your garden to be full of plants that need a huge amount of love and attention. Low maintenance varieties are the friend of the busy working professional. Species like lavender, eucalyptus, silver birch, and ornamental grasses are all very hardy plants, and are very easy for even the most absent homeowner to keep alive.
Automate the gardening process
Investing in some nifty gadgets can help make the gardening process quicker and more efficient. Tasks like watering plants and mowing the lawn take up the most time, but are considerably easier if automated. Consider a drip irrigation or timed sprinkler to keep your lawn green all year round. A robotic mower might be expensive, but it saves you having to spend hours cutting the grass on your precious weekend. And if you really hate this job, you could even buy some self-levelling grass!
Keep it organised
An organised gardener spends less time working. If you have a tool shed or garage, make an effort to keep it neat and tidy, ensuring all your equipment has a place and there is no clutter. Your garden too should be arranged in an orderly fashion, with some structure as to how it is laid out.
Prioritise
If you only have limited time in which to garden, it’s important to prioritise your chores effectively. Use your time wisely, starting with the big jobs that really need your attention. Weeding, watering, and cutting the grass are very important and cannot be avoided if you want a pristine garden. Errands such as planting new bulbs and repotting your flowers can wait.
Ask for help
Although your garden may be your domain, there’s no reason you cannot ask for help. Ask a friend, relative or neighbour to take care of your garden if you are working away or too busy to take care of it yourself. You could even hire a part time gardener to pop in now and then to ensure your outdoor space is in good working order.
In summary, by prioritising tasks and choosing low-maintenance options, you can reduce effort in the garden and enjoy more time in your busy schedule. Happy gardening!
Image: Pixabay
