Life’s daily requirements take up a lot of time, so when it comes to your free time you’ll want to spend it doing what you want. If you’re not too big on gardening, you’re going to want an outdoor space that is easy to manage and maintain without taking up too much of your valuable time. So, for you, we have compiled some ideas for you to keep down time spend looking after your garden and increase time spent in it relaxing.  

1. Implement a modern, minimalist design

Some of the most standout gardens are perhaps the most simple in design, and simplicity is timeless. By not overcrowding your outdoor home, you’re inviting room for expression, and catering it to what you want. 

Don’t think that opting in for a minimalist design limits your options. To get a modern design it’s all about placement, and using the surrounding area to your advantage. If you have a home with a view, why would you obstruct that? Water features, sculptures, and potted plants all go a long way in giving your home a unique look. Think about what you want to show off in your home. For example, you could utilise a single tree as a statement piece, and design an outdoor living area around it. You could go for a Crepe Myrtle that feels exotic yet Australian with its beautiful muave flowers.

2. Use shrubs, not flower beds

Flower beds look great, but for those who want low maintenance, they aren’t really suited. Shrubs instead look just as great, yet require a lot less effort in maintaining. This doesn’t mean you can’t have flowers, many shrubs such as fuchsias and dawn river peas offer lovely little flowers. They’re great for making mini hedges, so you can set the boundaries and edges of your garden. 

3. Lay down some pavers

If you’re looking to reduce time spent on lawn care, get some garden paving done. Pavers work to break up your garden and offer a place to walk through your outdoor living space. Opt for a natural stone look, as they’ll look the best for the longest amount of time, and survive any weather conditions. What’s also great is that they’ll only need to be cleaned with a pressure washer once every half a year, so that’s not too bad. 

4. Create an outdoor living area

Use up some of your space with a living area. Your garden should be a shared location, whether you host for guests or just have a family that loves the outdoor space. Keep the snags sizzling and install a barbeque, a table and chairs. Then go the extra mile and put up a pergola or gazebo to keep the hot sun off. Keeping the palette neutral and natural with, greys, browns, whites and wood materials will give your outdoor living space a long-lasting appeal and look. 

5. Go for hardy plants 

Even with a minimalist look and a large outdoor living space, you should have some plants. For that, we recommend going to hardy plants that can easily withstand the Australian environment. Natives are perfect for this, such as the banksia and bottle brush, as they’ve evolved to get the most out of Australia’s dry environment. These plants don’t require much effort in the way of watering, fertilising and trimming over the year, so you’ll get to spend more time seeing to your daily routine, not gardening. 

6. Get a professional in

Okay so, sometimes we just want all the plants we can get, and maybe minimalism isn’t your best choice. We get it, those multilayers, explorable gardens you can just get lost in have a lot of appeals. Who doesn’t want to get lost within their own hedge maze, or wander through all the different flower beds smelling the fresh air, and listen to the bees buzzing busily? For that, you’ve either got to spend more time just maintaining it yourself and grow a passion for plant care, or you can hire a garden maintenance professional. A professional will be able to see what plants both look the best, as well as thrive the best in your environment. They can design the layout and keep your home looking exactly how you want it.