If you’re planning a retirement, then access to an outdoor space can be a tremendous boon. Even a small garden can give you a sanctuary that can revitalise your body and mind. Exposure to plants provides proven mental health benefits, and having a long-term, ongoing gardening project to grapple with can provide your retirement with some much-needed structure and direction.
On the other hand, you might not want a gardening project to consume every waking moment. Instead, you might want a garden that’s useful, beautiful, and easy to care for. But what goes into such a garden? Let’s consider four useful tips.
Choose the Right Plants:
If you prefer perennials, then you won’t have to plant and re-plant, year after year. Instead, you’ll be able to simply come back for minimal pruning to keep everything happy and healthy.
It’s also worth choosing plants that are able to cope with infrequent watering – or even no watering at all. Drought-tolerant plants, like succulents, will minimise your problems, even during mid-summer heat waves.
Finally, you’ll want to incorporate plants that creep along the ground, like ivy. These can suppress the growth of unwanted plants, like leaves, and also add colour in the same way that a layer of mulch might.
Smart Landscaping
Of course, creeping plants aren’t a substitute for mulch. A layer of mulch will reduce moisture loss caused by evaporation. It will also suppress weeds, and look the part, too.
Raised planters can also make plants more easily accessed, while improving drainage. You can build your own and incorporate a layer of gravel. You can even water yours using drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting.
Minimal Lawn
The smaller your lawn, the easier it will be to care for. You can supplement a smaller patch of grass with wildflowers, and with hardscaping elements like garden paths and patios. Porcelain paving is an excellent, attractive alternative to natural stone. Gravel and builder’s sand are also useful in creating an even surface that will drain properly.
Finally, it’s worth choosing a variety of grass that doesn’t grow as fast, or demand as much water, as the common varieties. In the long run, this will save you the work of repairing a patchy-looking lawn.
Plan for the Future
As you get older, you might not feel as mobile. You might, therefore, make sure that your garden is easy to get around. Even if you still consider yourself fit and healthy, a space that’s awkward to navigate might be a source of irritation rather than fulfilment.
You’ll also want to get into the habit of planning your garden meticulously. Think about what plants you’d like to bloom at what points in the year, and then plant accordingly!
In Conclusion
A great garden doesn’t necessarily require a lot of hard work – provided that you do the right planning. By investing in the right paving materials, choosing your plants carefully, and developing the right habits, you can develop a garden that will be rewarding (but not exhausting) for years to come.
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