1. Plant Maturity – When designing your landscape leave enough space around plants for their mature size. Plants, when spaced too close together increase maintenance headaches by making pruning and irrigation repairs difficult, and by increasing susceptibility to diseases and pests because of lack of air movement around the plants.
  2. Climate Zones – Consider the climate zone and the microclimates around your property. A plant may be able to grow in the specified zone, but it may not necessarily flourish in that zone. Observe the plants that are growing best in the surrounding neighborhood to help make wise plant choices.
  3. Eliminate or Reduce Your Lawn – A lawn requires extra maintenance time, large amounts of water, and the use of chemicals to keep it looking nice. If lawns are necessary, consider using MP Rotator sprinklers that increase water use efficiency and decrease spending. Consider using drought tolerant plants instead of lawns.
  4. Soil Type – Consider the type of soil found throughout the landscape. Clay soil has much smaller particles than sandy soil, and drains poorly. Choose plant material and set up irrigation schedules based on the existing soil conditions.
  5. Perennial Pruning – Large numbers of perennials within a landscape can be high maintenance because most need to be cut back annually to maintain vigor. When designing your landscape utilize a mixture of shrubs and perennials to reduce the amount of time spent on maintenance. When pruning, make sure to use the proper techniques at the proper time of the year to ensure blooms for the following season. Prune plants sequentially so that plants are not cut back all at one time.