The Closest Thing to Zero-Maintenance Landscaping

There really is no zero-maintenance landscape option. Even if we wanted to let it grow wild, The City of Winnipeg has its Neighbourhood Liveability By-law requiring us to at least mow our lawns!

We all have limited time and energy, and not many people want to spend hours every weekend taking care of a yard.

In this article, I’ll discuss what I’ve learned about low-maintenance landscapes in the 40 years I’ve been landscaping in Winnipeg.

Patios are nearly maintenance-free

A well-built patio is as close as you can get to “zero” maintenance. It requires regular cleaning to keep it looking its best, but this is very easy and quick. The only problem is that not many people have the budget to turn their entire back yard into a patio though so this is only a partial solution for most people.

Grass is cheap to install and reasonably easy to maintain

Grass is the default choice to cover a large area at a reasonable price. Although grass requires weekly mowing, it is still one of the easiest things to maintain. It’s not even close to being as easy as a patio surface, but it’s a lot cheaper to install.

Garden beds with the right plants can be easy to maintain

Well-designed garden beds might eventually require very little work. You have to get to the point where the intended plants are healthy enough to crowd out weeds. Getting to that point requires some effort and planning, but it’s definitely possible.

Weed barriers work for a little while

For the majority of us who are less gifted gardeners, there is a temptation to rely on weed barriers and ground covers to eliminate weeds and reduce gardening chores.

Over the years, we have been guilty of installing thousands of square yards of landscape fabric, covered with river rock or crushed granite. Initially this is a beautiful clean look, but over time weeds find their way into these areas too, and keeping a rock bed weed-free can be its own frustrating challenge.

If you look closely around Winnipeg, you’ll see many examples of landscaping fabric poking out from under mulch and a lot of weeds growing on top. Organic matter eventually ends up above the landscaping fabric and weed seeds blow in. When it was first installed, it looked great. A few years later, not so good.

Recommendation

My recommendation for a functional, easy-to-care-for landscape is to get as much patio as you can within your budget, and then fill the rest of the yard with grass. Plant a few trees for shade and privacy, along with some small garden beds.

A yard like this will still require an hour of work every weekend to keep it looking good, but will not consume all your free time. For that effort, you will be rewarded with a very nice yard you will enjoy year after year.