You might think of a low-maintenance yard as nothing more than dirt-filled ground and a few cacti, but the truth is that it's easy to create a yard that requires minimal maintenance while providing all the beauty that anyone could want.

The ideas outlined here should get you started on your personal journey toward a creating a low-maintenance yard that you're sure to love.

Decorative rocks can be used in all kinds of places throughout the yard to create beauty while keeping maintenance requirements to a minimum. They come in various shapes and sizes and can be used to create many different features in the yard.

Consider making pots for your flowers and hedges by stacking decorative rocks in a circle to make an above-ground hole.

Just fill the rock hole with your favorite soil and plant seeds or cuttings of your preferred plant life. The size of your plants at maturity should correspond to the size of the rock pots you put them in.

This means that you can use decorative rocks to control the size of any foliage that is introduced to your property and achieve a manicured look that doesn't take a lot of trimming and shearing on your part.

You can also create privacy walls with decorative rocks to keep a specific area of your yard free from the prying eyes of passersby.

Buy rocks of the same shape and size and then just stack them to create a fence line. Applying ready-mix concrete to the bottom and top of each rock before placing it will help keep your new privacy wall sturdy for years to come with minimal maintenance requirements.

Decorative rocks can even be used to create garden seats – a big piece of Arizona flagstone sitting atop smaller flat rock legs is sure to improve the appeal of any garden.
Smaller pieces of rock can be used to create garden stools. Stacking similar sized red lava rock slabs will create a stool that serves as a conversation piece and a comfortable place to sit.

Using bark, mulch, and gravel in your yard is an excellent way to minimize weed growth and reduce the need for mowing a lawn.

For example, putting mulch around your flower beds, trees, and gardens will keep grass and weeds from growing in the area and provide your foliage with some food without the need for mowing or watering.
Replacing some of your grass with gravel will cut down on mowing tasks and provide you with a place to create an outdoor living space complete with table, chairs, and a fancy barbecue grill.

You can also place gravel along fence lines, between the yard and driveway, and along the exterior of your house to keep weeds from growing extensively.

Bark can be used to keep kids safe in play areas and will eliminate the work it takes to keep grass growing where kids are constantly trampling on it.

No yard is complete without some colorful plants living there to help bring it to life. And while many plants require a serious commitment to maintenance, there are quite a few low-maintenance options you can invest in that will provide the beauty you're looking for but that won't require much attention overall.

Try one of more of the following options on for size:

Mix and match flowers with green shrubs to ensure that the colors and depths don't get too overwhelming for anyone while spending time in the yard.

AA & Bob Allen, Inc. can help you create the perfect low-maintenance yard for your needs. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.