Small backyard landscaping can be a major pain, but it comes with one major advantage. Small backyards lend themselves to low maintenance landscaping very readily. With less space comes less responsibility for grass upkeep, gardening, and tree maintenance. Here, we’ll look at a few landscape ideas that will provide you with a low maintenance landscaping layout for your small backyard.

1. Avoid trees that attract pests. The most important pest to avoid welcoming in Lake Bluff and Libertyville is the emerald ash borer, a green beetle who made its way from Asia and Eastern Russia to the U.S. via ash firewood and ash nursery stock. The EAB poses a major threat to U.S. forests as it feeds on the inner bark of ash trees and disrupts the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients. Most ash trees die within two to four years of being infested by the ash borer. On top of that, emerald ash borer treatment can be costly and high maintenance. If you can, avoid planting ash trees to set yourself up for low maintenance landscaping.
2. Find alternatives to grass. There are plenty of options, including clover which is insect-resistant, competitive against weeds, and slow-growing or xeriscaping, the process of filling your yard with drought-resistant plants that don’t need frequent watering or mowing. Moss is another option if you have a shady lawn where grass doesn’t grow easily.
3. Put in a rock garden instead of a traditional flower garden. Rock gardens typically contain drought-tolerant plants, and the rocks themselves never need tending. This low maintenance landscaping idea will save you time, water, and money.
4. Use mulch. It’s portable, malleable, and even possible to make at home. It reduces your watering need and suppresses weeds, making yard care much easier.

Low maintenance landscaping is all about reducing your obligation to tend, water, and maintain your yard. Use these tips to avoid a troublesome lawn and to save yourself time and energy.