If you’re struggling with maintaining your flower beds and looking for easy and low maintenance landscaping, here are some fantastic outdoor garden and upcycled planter ideas that might help. Firstly, using large landscaping rocks can take up space without needing constant watering. Similarly, smaller landscaping rocks can be used instead of mulch for more permanent coverage, with the option of weed barriers to reduce maintenance even further. Planting ornamental grasses is another great option for a low maintenance yet visually appealing addition to your flower bed. Lastly, incorporating upcycled toys or found items can add interest and without the need for plant upkeep. These ideas are perfect for those who don’t want to spend a lot of time working on their flower beds and want a simple solution for a great look. Check out the post for more details and other backyard projects.
I’ve been struggling for years with the flower beds on either side of my pool. No matter what I did, they looked terrible. I wasn’t asking for a beautiful floral display or anything, I just didn’t want dead plants and dirt, that’s all. I am not a gardener, I just want low maintenance flower bed ideas, please.
Outdoor Garden Ideas: Large Rocks
To fill up significant space, opt for large landscaping rocks. These guys won’t die on you even if you forget to water them. Ha ha. Plus, they add visual interest. We had some large landscaping rocks in the backyard that we relocated to our flower beds. We put one in each flower bed on either sides of the pool. Placing one in each bed not only adds color but also serves as a platform for potted flowers. This helps break up the space and prevents it from appearing overly crowded with plants.
Small Rocks Are Low Maintenance
Another of my outdoor garden ideas is instead of mulch, cover the ground with smaller landscaping rocks. The rocks are much more permanent and don’t float away in a rain storm. We used gray Mexican Beach Rocks from Home Depot to echo the gray color we used in our pool coping. (Check out our recent pool renovation here.) These are available year after year, so you can keep adding to your pile if you need to. I did lay a weed barrier over the dirt before I laid the rocks down. I still have an occasional weed or plant pop through, but this much easier to deal with than replacing mulch all the time.
Grasses In Your Flower Bed
I really love the look of ornamental grasses. We had some monkey grass growing in a different flower bed in the backyard, so I pulled it out and planted clumps of it in the flower beds by the pool. I just spaced out my clumps, cut a hole in my barrier, and planted them.
This grass looks great in these flower beds and it won’t get overgrown like bushes would. Also, it’s very low maintenance. I don’t have to do anything to this grass. It is growing in all the places with varied sunlight. It’s just a great low maintenance plant which makes it a good choice for my low maintenance flower beds.
Flowers in Pots Are Great Outdoor Garden Ideas
Instead of trying to plant flowers in the ground in the flower beds, I started planting them in pots and placing them in the flower beds. This way I can move them around if they need a different spot with more sunlight or more water. If I can’t keep them alive, it’s no problem. It doesn’t ruin the whole flower bed and I can just replace them next year. The flexibility and convenience make potted plants great low maintenance outdoor garden ideas.
Upcycled Toys Make Great Planters
Finally, don’t think a flower bed is only for flowers or plants. It’s okay to incorporate some upcycled toys, antiques, or found items for fun. These items are also low maintenance and won’t die in the winter. I have several upcycled toys in these flower beds. People are always trying to decide what to do with old toys. Well, there are some old toys that make great flower bed decorations.
When we first moved into this house my daughter, 3 years old at the time, would ride her little red tricycle around the pool. When she outgrew it I couldn’t give it away, so I saved it. Eventually, I put it in the flower bed and upcycled it by placing a plant in a pot in it’s driver’s seat. I also drilled holes in it’s back compartment for drainage and planted a plant. It’s the perfect upcycled planter. I love having it in the garden because it reminds me of that little girl.
In the other flower bed I have my son’s Tonka dump truck. He used to dig holes and play with his trucks right in that very flower bed. So, I never removed them. I just sort of planted the flower bed around his trucks. He doesn’t play with them anymore, but the dump truck is the perfect upcycled planter and makes a great spot for a plant. I just put some small rocks in the back of the truck to make a level spot for the plant. My upcycled toy planters are my favorite part of my flower beds and are great upcycled planter ideas.
In my flower bed around the backyard tree, I have a wooden airplane swing that my dad made. It’s kind of sad that it’s just yard or garden art now, but I think it is very unique and adds interest to my yard. I’m not sure if fall under upcycled planter ideas, but it make a great flower bed decoration.
By following these easy low maintenance flower bed ideas, you can create a captivating and low maintenance garden that will flourish with minimal effort. It took me years of trial and error to discover these strategies, but now I enjoy beautiful flower beds without the constant struggle. So go ahead, embrace the world of upcycled planters, explore cool planter ideas, and let your creativity blossom!
If you liked this post, check out some of the other outdoor garden projects I have recently completed in my backyard and check back for more. We’ve actually completed a total backyard makeover as well.
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