As a landscaping company that specializes in both landscape design and installation as well as landscape maintenance, we are sensitive to the need for reduced maintenance in landscaping on residential and commercial properties. Poor plant choices can create a ton of work for homeowners and property managers at commercial sites. Some of these poor choices may drastically increase your need for tree spraying, shrub trimming, and other tasks.
Which Plants to Use?
Landscape plants will all carry with them a varying degree of maintenance. Choosing certain varieties will hopefully reduce costs and frustration later. Here are a list of just a few great low-maintenance shrubs for your landscape:
Boxwood
These evergreen shrubs are fantastic because they grow so slowly and are easily kept small with shearing. Unlike other varieties like Yews and Hollies, these shrubs will stay fairly compact and uniform with a little attention from time to time. Do your research with the variety you select; some will grow at slower rates and end up at different sizes and forms. Boxwoods do require a few treatments each season to keep them from being damage from a few pests, but really are easy to manage if you plan that in advance and have it performed regularly. Be sure to not let heavy snow damage these plants. Knock snow off if it lays too long in the winter.
Weigela
These shrubs are rarely damaged by pests or disease and come in a variety of colors and sizes. Some of the larger varieties will grow to larger shrubs while some others are more small and mounding. Weiglas can have variegated and even burgundy foliage and most will flower with small pink trumpet-shaped flowers in spring which will attract hummingbirds. They are easily reduced in size with pruning and look spectacular when used with contrasting plants.
Knockout Rose
These hybrid rose bushes have been heavily used in the past 10 years because their better performance against typical rose diseases. They continuously re-bloom until hard frost in the fall and can be drastically cut-back if getting too large. There are several combinations of colors of blooms you can find them in. You can even find a couple of different overall sizes depending upon your site’s needs. Roses still have thorns so be sure to wear thick leather gloves when you prune them. Japanese Beetles will still feed on these varieties, but their damage can be reduced with an annual injection of systemic insecticide and occasional spraying if populations are severe.
Coppertina Ninebark
This large shrub has stunning copper-brown foliage and even flowers in late spring. It grows dense and upright and is a great border plant where you want to screen. It won’t have problems with disease and insects like many other shrubs and will also take aggressive pruning if you want to reduce their size. Just be sure to give it plenty of room to grow.
Crape Myrtle
These southern plants have made a great addition to our landscaping in the northeast. They should be planted in areas that are semi-sheltered from winter winds and in full-sun. There is a wide array of colors and overall sizes you can find Crape Myrtles in, from the smallest shrub to a small tree form. You can lightly reduce their size and prune out any deadwood each year, but these plants are perfect selections for a landscape that needs flowers in mid-late summer. They are a favorite snack for Japanese Beetles, but can be easily protected with soil injections and occasional spraying if populations are severe.
Spirea
These soft, deciduous shrubs will provide color and small flowers for a large part of the year. Some varieties even have great fall color. What makes Spirea great is that they have virtually no pest or disease issues. In addition, they can be drastically trimmed each season to keep them from getting too large. Be sure to give them plenty of room to grow, because they expand a lot in years with high rainfall.
Conclusion
There are dozens of great plants you could choose for your landscaping, and this is just a few. If you need help removing plants and replacing them with better varieties, or would like to talk about landscape design and installation for the first time, we would be happy to meet with you.