A garden can easily get bigger than you ever planned for it to be. What was once a source of relaxation could begin to turn into a growing list of things to do on weekends. Fortunately, the fact that your garden is either overgrown or too much work to keep up with doesn’t mean you failed at gardening. An overgrown garden, or one that takes too much time, is merely an indication that there is more to your yard than what you have the time to take care of.
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Reframing The Garden Instead Of Fighting It
Many people wrestle with their gardens as they get too large. They try to take care of everything. More often than not this makes things worse for you, and a lot more work than if you simply allowed the garden to be itself. It helps to look at which parts of your garden grow very quickly and with little help from you. Then look at the areas in which plants really struggle. Areas of the garden that grow well easily will tell you about the type of soil or the amount of sunlight they have. Instead of removing those plants, work with them.
If there is an area of your garden that always grows thick, lush greenery, let that part of your garden grow into a wilder space. By doing so you will remove all pressure to keep the area perfectly manicured. When we allow our gardens to act in their own natural ways, they tend to require a great deal less maintenance, yet still feel intentional and visually appealing.
Simplify The Layout Of The Space
The amount of invisible work required for complicated layouts will significantly decrease when you simplify your garden layout. Larger bed shapes are simpler to maintain than smaller beds. Larger bed shapes also provide a sense of calm. Thoughtful landscaping goes a long way when it is designed with intention. Thoughtful design decisions today can save you hours of future yard maintenance. Landscaping not only adds to the visual appeal but also considers how the garden is used and cared for day to day.
Choose Plants That Look After Themselves
Another significant shift in caring for an intensive garden is choosing plants with low maintenance requirements. While many of the most commonly planted garden favourites are aesthetically pleasing, they often require regular pruning, division, etc. as they age.
Consider using long-lived perennial flowers, hardy shrubs, or self-sustaining grasses to provide interest in your garden with much less labour required. These plants will develop their own form once they have matured, and will come back year after year with little if any care. An extensive garden of low-maintenance plants will create its own rhythm over time and begin to grow in a way that does not require constant maintenance.
Most gardens appear unmanageable because they are waiting on a new perspective. When we simplify our design, work with nature in how it grows, and use plants that will grow well independently of us, space becomes more supportive of us, as opposed to overwhelming us.
