Low Maintenance Landscaping in Michigan
Every landscape requires some maintenance, but some landscapes require a large amount of the property owner’s time and hard work to maintain its pristine condition. Of course, vegetable gardens and fruit-bearing trees are high maintenance. But, so are lawns with plants or grass species that are not native to the northeast United States.
For the best low maintenance landscaping in Michigan, homeowners should partner with a landscape designer that can suggest suitable trees, flowers and shrubs which will save you time, money, and effort, season after season.
Suitable Trees for Michigan Landscapes
If you’re looking for low maintenance landscaping in MI, then you should consider sustainable landscaping. Sustainable environments are those that react positively to the local climate, soils, and water tables. Sustainable habitats are low-maintenance, eco-friendly, and economical because the design and layout takes advantage of natural drainage patterns, your home’s sun and shade orientation, and most importantly, includes vegetation that is native to the area.
Suitable shade trees for a Michigan property owner would be those that are frost hardy, such as maple, basswood, and oaks grown from regional seeds, making them resist regional pests well. Smaller native tree species that can be scattered throughout the landscape include:
- Hornbeam – a small, 15- to 25-foot-tall tree with year-round leaf cover and pale grey bark
- Black Gum – a medium-sized low-maintenance tree with a brilliant mix of fall shades
- Tulip Tree – with blooming tulip-like flowers, its leaves turn a golden yellow in fall
Choose a similar selection of easy-care trees that are native to the Northeast and result in various shades of green foliage all summer, followed by a spectacular autumn display.
Perennials in Michigan
Who doesn’t love a three-season flower bed or colorful hanging perennials in your outdoor entertainment space? Perennials are a perfect choice for low maintenance landscaping in MI, and it is one that keeps on giving back year after year. A good landscape designer can not only color coordinate your perennial selections but also choose the right species to make sure you have blooming flowers throughout spring, mid-season, and late fall.
Perennial crops are designed to go dormant during the colder seasons, and they are not only lovely, but they are also functional. With their extensive root systems, your property will experience less soil erosion from the reduced amount of tilling and maintenance required. Perennials also require fewer pesticides, which leaves you with a healthier lawn.
Allow your landscape designer to choose hardy perennials that are perfect for Michigan’s colder climate. These include:
- Black-eyed Susan
- Columbine
- Garden Phlox
- Hardy Hibiscus
- Coneflower
- Blue Flag
Consider staggering your perennials, annuals, and small shrubs using the rule of threes. This means three different height categories with taller plants and shrubs nearer the home, and three different blooming phases to get the most out of your sometimes short-lived blooming plants.
Shrubs Native in Michigan
Woody plants (shrubs, bushes, and some ornamental grasses) are likely the most underrated plants in landscaping. But, these low-maintenance crops act to prevent water and soil erosion around the home, provide some level of privacy from roadways, and can serve as a lovely backdrop for your garden beds.
Shrubs are hardy plants, making them easy to grow and care for. A landscape designer can help you integrate colorful, red and yellow-leaved shrubs and other ornamental varieties to add visual excitement to your property. Landscape design secrets that use shrubbery include:
- Use a tall shrub or a shrub collection as a focal point
- Multiple dots of shrubbery serve as accent features
- Shrubs can screen or hide something like an AC unit
- Install bushes to provide structure in a wild or loose landscape
- Shrubs make the perfect landscape divider, such as separating a play area.
When it comes to shrubs, you’re not stuck with just green bushes, because many landscaping shrubs also bloom. These include pink roses, lavender, Bougainvillea, and hydrangea.
Design One for Your Low Maintenance Landscaping in Michigan
Design One has transformed many properties from drab and boring into stunning, low maintenance landscaping in Michigan. We enjoy taking the time needed by each of our clients to bring their dream landscape to life. This includes discussing how much time and energy you want to devote to lawn up-keep.
And, if you desire a creative and highly functional landscape, Design One can take on your landscape maintenance duties, which may include fall leaf removal, debris removal after storms, mowing, fertilizing, lawn aeration, and pest infestation control.
For over 30 years, Design One has been serving residential and commercial property owners in Michigan. We know the climate, we know the soil types, and we know how to design an eye-catching landscape that accentuates your home, serves your family’s needs, and doesn’t require a large investment in your time or energy.
