10 Low Maintenance Landscaping Ideas for Any Budget

Low Maintenance Landscaping Tips That Save Time and Money

Last year, HOMR published a popular guide to low maintenance landscaping in Texas. We received incredible feedback from homeowners across America asking for broader home landscaping advice that simplifies lawn maintenance and saves money.

Our research team cultivated this list to ensure you can utilize these ideas for low maintenance landscaping wherever you live. However, there are 5 specifics to keep in mind before we dive in:

• Native plants  are ones that grow naturally in your region. Some native plants have larger regional success — for example, purple coneflower grows well from the Great Lakes through Kentucky and down to Texas.
• Xeriscaping is a landscaping process that reduces the need for watering by installing drought tolerant plants, rock garden areas and soil without grass. While you can practice xeriscaping anywhere, it performs best in dry, hot climates like Arizona, southern California and south Texas.
• Smart sprinkler controllers are the best way for most homeowners to save money long-term on watering their lawns and gardens. Find a smart controller that's EPA WaterSense certified and you might qualify for a tax incentive or rebate.
• Artificial turf is an excellent option for homeowners who love golf, have pets, or just hate mowing the lawn. But bear in mind, the real grass underneath your turf will die off once it's installed. — so be sure you want it!
• Deck materials perform differently in different regions. Pressure treated pine decking does great in drier regions, but you'll need to seal it to endure rainy months in Seattle or New England, or the tough winters in Chicago and the Great Lakes region.

Pick the best deck material for your location and climate! Use our easy-to-read guide to great (and lousy) deck materials to find your perfect match.

Now that we've covered the basics, let's dive into our top 10 low maintenance landscaping ideas for homeowners.

Low Maintenance Landscaping for Small Budgets (>$999)

These 4 low maintenance landscape ideas were designed for homeowners looking to spend under $1,000 on their project.

Choose native plants that grow naturally in your yard.

Sustainable easy landscaping starts with native plants. These low maintenance landscaping plants grow naturally where you live. They're used to the soil, climate and weather patterns of your region — that means less watering, less fertilizing, and less overall flower bed maintenance.

Native plants are naturally resistant to local pests and diseases. No harmful chemicals and pest control products in your plant bed equals less time and money spent. Flowers that are native to your region also tend to attract pollinators.

Choose native perennials as the foundation of your gardens and flower beds. These plants will bloom every year and with proper maintenance — you won't waste time and money buying new flowers every year. Biennials are preferable to annuals, they live two years before dying.

HOMR offers free consultations with local native plant experts — message us!

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What native plants and flowers grow where you live?

Here are native plants we love in every region of the continental United States:

Northeast US:

Columbine (aquilegia) is a perennial that grows best in partial shade but can survive full sun with proper watering. They produce multi-colored blooms every year that range from red to purple to yellow. Columbines are self-seeding, easy to grow, and tolerate winter temperatures below -25°F when rooted.

Peony (paeonia) are extremely hardy perennials that survive winter temperatures of -40°F. They love full sun and usually produce gorgeous pink and white flowers every spring. Plant peonies next to azaleas and poppies — they make great neighbors and help each other produce ideal blooms.

Southeast US:

Purple coneflower (echinacea purpurea) is a popular flower across much of the midwest and southeastern US — it performs brilliantly in Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas. Their bright lavender blooms last for up to 2 months and require little watering. This perennial grows up to 4 feet in height.

Black-eyed Susan (rudbeckia hirta) is an ideal choice if you love pollinators buzzing around your flower bed. Their blooms last most of the summer, and last 2-5 years before the plant dies. An added bonus for pet owners: black-eyed Susan flowers are non-toxic to dogs!

Midwest US:

Prairie aster (aster tanacetifolius) is a late-blooming plant that features beautiful lilac blooms with bright yellow centers. They're sold as both young plants and seed packets, so prairie asters are a great option for gardeners who like to start from scratch. These perennials do well in prairie and woodland areas.

Butterfly weed (asclepias tuberosa) is a variety of milkweed that produces clusters of fantastic bright flowers. It establishes well with plenty of seed pods, and comes back for many years with minimal care and maintenance. They attract butterflies, and are rabbit and deer-resistant.

Southern US:

Red yucca (hesperaloe parviflora) is a small evergreen that produces bursts of red flowers in spring. It's incredibly drought tolerant and thrives throughout the southern US into Mexico. Red yucca attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, and can survive a freezing event down to -20°F.

Texas sage (leucophyllum frutescens) is a tough evergreen shrub that’s native to Texas and grows exceptionally well in the dry, arid American south. This dense sage shrub is a fantastic habitat for birds, and attracts butterflies and other pollinators. 

Western US:

Blanket flower (gaillardia) is another short-lived western native perennial that loves full sun climates. They're highly deer and rabbit-resistant and produce broad red flowers with yellow tips that resemble daisies. This drought tolerant plant requires little maintenance or watering.

Blue flax (linum lewisii) is a perennial that's native to the western United States. They live under 10 years, but produce beautiful pale blue flowers throughout their lifespan. Blue flax is easy to maintain and grows well, even in poor soil. Plant blue flax if you want to attract pollinators and bees.

Use xeriscaping — drought tolerant plants save on water bills.

Xeriscape gardening is a type of landscape design that focuses on reduction (or elimination) of watering and maintenance. If you live in dry, arid climates, xeriscape design helps keep your plants alive longer without much care.

Here are 5 drought tolerant plants for xeriscape gardening that are incredibly hardy and beautiful:

• Purple coneflower
• Yarrow
• Salvia
• Lavender
• Catmint

Want a pro xeriscape designer? Message us for a free recommendation!

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Invest in ground cover and other low-growing plants.

Ground cover plants offer 5 key benefits to a low-cost, low-effort landscape strategy:

1. Size. Ground cover spreads rapidly and covers a lot of landscaping area at a minimal cost.
2. Attracts pollinators. Most native ground cover attracts bees and other pollinators.
3. Wins in tough terrain. Plant ground cover on hillsides, in rocky or shallow soil.
4. Mostly perennials. Your plants will come back for many years, saving time on planting and purchasing.
5. Weed suppressors. Ground cover controls weeds and stops them from spreading through your yard.

Easy-to-find, inexpensive ground cover plants include coral bells, creeping thyme, pachysandra, and sweet alyssum. 

PRO TIP: Want a sweet smell to cover your lawn? Plant oregano — it provides excellent ground coverage.

Mulch your landscape design and save on water and weed killer.

A bag of mulch costs roughly $4 - $10, and a cubic yard costs $60 - $85. The more mulch you lay down around your trees, shrubs, and home's foundation, the less yard you have to mow!

Mulch also helps suppress weeds and aids moisture retention in your soil. Both these attributes help reduce your yard work.

Cedar mulch is an excellent choice if you want attractive landscaping that smells great. Expect to pay a few dollars more per cubic yard of cedar mulch, but it’s worth it for the beauty and fragrance. 

Want even more free home service tips? Message us 24/7 and talk to a human!

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Low Maintenance Landscaping for Medium Budgets ($1,000-$4,999)

Try these 4 easy landscaping ideas if your budget is between $1,000 and $5,000.

Define your sprinkler zones and install a smart irrigation controller.

Split your yard into distinct irrigation zones that deliver the proper amount of water to specific plants and trees. The number of irrigation zones you need depends on 3 factors:

1. The size of your yard;
2. The unique areas of your overall landscape design; and
3. Your sprinkler system’s water pressure. 

Most yards require between 5 and 10 irrigation zones — use our helpful guide to determine how many zones you need. Then, save a bunch of time and money on future lawn care and upgrade your sprinkler system to a smart controller. 

Smart controllers don’t just save you time — they save you a lot of money. The average homeowner saves $435 per year on water bills after installing a smart sprinkler system. Expect a payback period of 16-20 months on your smart controller. After that, it’s pure savings.

Certain towns and counties offer incentives and rebates on smart controllers if they meet EPA WaterSense standards. Use this handy EPA Rebate Finder to see if you qualify!

Make sure your smart controller can service every area of your yard. If you aren’t sure how to calculate the number of irrigation zones you have, check out our helpful guide.

What is the best smart sprinkler controller?

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We think the Rachio 3 is the best smart irrigation controller for most homeowners.It has the most intuitive features of any current smart irrigation controller, yet it’s easy to install. The Rachio app is a breeze, even for new users.

Buy on Amazon:  8-Zone Rachio 3 ($159.00 at the time of writing)

New to smart lawn irrigation? Try the Hunter Hydrawise X2. It has a contractor log-in feature that lets your sprinkler company help set and manage your watering schedule. Plus, it’s about $100 cheaper than the Rachio 3.

Buy on Amazon: 6 Zone Hunter Hydrawise X2 ($98.20 at the time of writing)

Cut down on lawn mowing with hardscaping elements.

Weekly lawn mowing services cost an average of $60-90 for most American homeowners. Use hardscaping to cut your lot size by 25%, and you’ll save $360-$540 a year on lawn care services.

And that doesn’t count fertilizer, irrigation and weed management savings! It’s no wonder so many homeowners use hardscaping to simplify their landscape design.

Start with concrete pavers and stone walkways in your landscape design to create clean pathways for walking. Then, add 2-3 focal elements like retaining walls and landscape lighting.

A small fire pit with casual outdoor seating creates a lovely ambience without breaking the bank. We found this attractive 33”x32” rectangular wood-burning fire pit from Hamilton for under $300.

Buy from Amazon: Hamilton 33”x32” Rectangular Fire Pit ($299.42 at time of writing)

Got a larger budget for hardscaping? Check out our low-maintenance landscaping ideas for deck and patio spaces later in this article.

Text HOMR’s live reps and get hyperlocal recommendations for landscape design!

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Use large native trees in your front yard.

Looking for a low maintenance front yard landscaping hack? Large native trees are a wonderful way to reduce yard space — which in turn saves money on lawn care, mowing, fertilization and watering.

Native trees are easy to plant, adapt well to the soil and climate conditions in your front yard, and require far less upkeep to keep healthy than non-native trees. Choose the right tree for your front yard landscaping by pairing it with your hardiness zone.

Find the right native tree for your hardiness zone:

Use the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to find your zip code’s zone. Hardiness zones are determined by how cold an average winter gets in your area, and which plants can survive that temperature. 

Almost every location in the continental United States falls between zone 4 and zone 8.

Here are some great trees to plant for low maintenance front yard landscaping in each hardiness zone.

Zone 4: Red Maple — Buy from Home Depot, $72.98 at time of writing

The sturdy, reliable red maple is one of the most popular low maintenance trees in zone 4. It’s a fast growing tree that reaches up to 60 feet tall at maturity. Red maples are wonderful shade trees that pack a colorful punch, especially in autumn.

Zone 5: Dogwood — Buy from Home Depot, $72.98 at time of writing

Homeowners love the dogwood for its brilliant spring flowers and its red-purple leaves throughout the late summer and early autumn. Dogwoods prefer well-draining soil and a partial shade location. Mulch every year for best results. 

Zone 6: Magnolia — Buy from Home Depot, $52.97 at time of writing

The versatile Magnolia grows well in full sun and part shade, and does well in most types of soil. The Magnolia Yellow Bird varietal produces soft yellow blooms in late spring and grows to 40 feet tall by 25 feet wide at maturity.

Zone 7: Pecan — Buy from Home Depot, $79.98 at time of writing

Zone 7 offers a wonderful mix of climate and soil conditions to plant trees in your yard. Why not plant a pecan tree or two, and harvest fresh pecans every September? Pecan trees are great pollinators that grow to 20-30 feet at mature height.

Zone 8: Crape Myrtle — Buy from Home Depot, $83.08 at time of writing

The crape myrtle is a drought tolerant tree that’s great for low maintenance front yard landscape design in zones 7 and 8. Plant it in full sun for best results, including stunning hot pink flowers for half the summer. Crape myrtles grow to 10 feet tall.

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Make sure you hire the right company to maintain your new trees! Here are 10 great questions to ask during an initial tree service estimate.

Install artificial grass and save $189+ per month on lawn care.

The average homeowner spends $189 per month on lawn fertilization, water and general grass care. Install artificial turf on just 25% of your lawn, and you’ll save around $50/month.

TABLE: Initial Lawn Installation Cost, Artificial Grass vs. Natural Grass

It costs roughly $3/sf more to install artificial turf instead of natural grass in your yard. So where’s the savings? Simple — synthetic grass doesn’t need to be watered, cut or fertilized. 

TABLE: Payback Period on Artificial Lawn Installation vs. Natural Grass

Magnolia Turf estimates the average homeowner spends $189/month on irrigation, fertilizer and lawn maintenance for natural grass. Once your artificial grass is installed, the payback period is surprisingly short.

Most homeowners experience a payback period of 16-20 months on their artificial turf lawn. After that, your lawn saves you money and valuable time — no more cutting or watering!

3 Types of Homeowners Who Love Artificial Grass

There are 3 specific types of homeowners who benefit greatly from artificial turf:

1. People in rainy climates: Look for lawn turf with excellent drainage properties — especially if you live in a rainy climate. Dual drainage turf has hole-punched perforated backing and a permeable base.
2. Parents or pet owners: If your kids or pets are running around, find turf options with antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. It keeps microbes away from your kids, and kills bacteria when your dogs pee outside.
3. Golf lovers: Artificial turf is also the best option for backyard putting greens. Use nylon turf for golf, as it’s stronger and more durable than other synthetic turf materials.

Which type of artificial grass material is right for you? Read our updated buying guide to artificial grass brands and pick the best option for your landscape design.

Low Maintenance Landscaping for Larger Budgets ($5,000+)

Spending more now in order to save money for the next 10 years? Try these low maintenance landscaping designs.

Create an outdoor living space with a deck and outdoor kitchen.

Transform your backyard into a true outdoor living space like the one featured above from Blue Fox Outdoor Living in Dallas. The square footage covered by your living space won’t require any yard work — put the lawn mower away and lounge outdoors! 

Add an outdoor kitchen or dedicated gathering space — a seating area and grilling station are guaranteed to be a hit with guests. 

Find a Natural Gas Grill Station for Your Outdoor Kitchen

Be your neighborhood grill master with a 4-burner natural gas grill with dual-layered grill hood and ceramic briquette trays. Find a grill with a direct pilot flame ignitor and never fumble with startup again.

NewAge Products offers a 40 inch natural gas grill in a 4-burner configuration. The platinum grill insert is also available as a liquid propane model. 

Skip all the outdoor grill accessory shopping and upgrade to the full 6-piece NewAge outdoor kitchen set. The package includes a 40-inch 5 burner outdoor BBQ, soft close cabinet doors, stainless steel handles, and 4 stone color options. 

NewAge 40 in. Natural Gas Platinum Grill Insert: Buy from Amazon, $1499.99 at time of writing

NewAge 6-Piece Outdoor Kitchen with Gas Grill: Buy from Amazon, $4419.99 at time of writing (as pictured below)

Talk to a live HOMR rep 24/7 — ask for our landscape design rankings in your area!

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Add a deck or patio with container gardening features.

You’d rather stain a deck or patio once a year than mow your lawn every week. A deck provides your family a central outdoor living space and cuts down your time spent doing yard work.

Plant perennials in large decorative pots for statement container gardening on your deck. You’ll save money on plants and flower beds, and limit your time spent watering flowers by keeping them in one centralized location.

Adding a deck to your home is great for overall property and resale value. In 2023, the average new deck construction recouped 35-50% in property value for homeowners (according to Monda’s 2023 Cost vs Value survey).

Not sure you’re hiring the right deck builder? See if they match any of our 7 biggest red flags about deck and patio builders — or message us for a background check!