Gardening

5 Ways to Create and Enjoy a Low-Maintenance Green Garden

Image by ilovebutterSpending time outdoors is recognised as being a great way to improve health and quality of life. ...

Spending time outdoors is recognised as being a great way to improve health and quality of life. The sun can help increase levels of vitamin D, and being in natural light generally seems to improve people’s moods too. If you’re not up for travelling about the countryside, the most convenient way to enjoy the great outdoors is in your own back garden. But looking after your horticultural paradise can bring its own problems.

Whilst it can be considered a form of exercise which assists with mobility and flexibility, continuously bending and stretching to carry out every day gardening tasks such as weeding, digging and mowing can become strenuous on the muscles and joints. And, according to RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) around 87,000 people are injured whilst gardening or carrying out DIY tasks outdoors every year.
Many senior citizens already suffer from stiff joints and muscles, so a gardening injury is the last thing you need. So, how can you enjoy all the benefits of a beautiful garden without too much hard work? Read on to find a range of tips for staying safe and creating a low-maintenance garden environment.
1. Before You Get Started
Although you want to make your garden as low-maintenance as possible, a little light gardening work may be unavoidable. When you do need to carry out work in the garden, try to avoid strong sun by going out in the early morning or late afternoon. Wear comfortable, lightweight clothes and keep yourself well hydrated; perhaps take a bottle of water with you when you carry out your gardening.
2. Shrubs & Evergreens
When choosing plants for your garden, you ideally want those which require little maintenance, and are attractive and in bloom for as much of the year as possible. Try planting conifers or shrubs such as heather, magnolia and azalea. When planting flowers, try constructing your flower beds so that they are raised off the ground, to avoid stooping when you do have to work on them.
3. Artificial Grass
Having a neat, green lawn is great, but it requires a lot of upkeep. If you don’t fancy all than running around with a mower, try artificial grass instead. It can look just like the real thing, but requires no mowing, weeding or maintenance. Plus, you can be sure that it will stay a beautiful fresh green hue all year round. This form of grass is even ideal for wheelchair users.
4. Water Irrigation System
Getting out and about to water your plants in all weathers can be tiresome, particularly if you have to carry a big, bulky watering can around. Installing an irrigation system can make the process much easier. These can be set on a timer to automatically water your plants, as and when you need it. If this is a little out of your budget, try a normal hose or a plastic flat sided watering can, which should be easier to hold.
5. Slow Release Fertiliser
To ensure that your plants stay well fed all year round, use a slow release fertiliser. These can be spread just once, and will feed your plants for around six months.
– This guest blog was written by Emma Williams for NAM Grass. NAM Grass fake grass is a neat, low maintenance gardening solution

– See more at: https://seniorcare2017.wpengine.com/blog_information/13-12-12/5_Ways_to_Create_and_Enjoy_a_Low-Maintenance_Green_Garden.aspx#sthash.DbPst5bE.dpuf