Easy Breezy Gardening

Seven tips for a beautiful low-maintenance yard with minimal fuss and effort.

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A gravel pathway with stepping stones is an easy, water-saving solution.

1 WATERLESS FREQUENTLY

Choose drought-tolerant plants, trees and shrubs that require less water to thrive. It makes sense to reduce the number of times you need to lug a full watering can or hose around the yard, plus watering restrictions are a reality in many areas. Plenty of beautiful native options work in a variety of climates and soils with little water.

The keys are to carefully match the plant to its new growing conditions and to water it consistently until it's established. Once it has a good root system, it will grow with minimal supplemental water.

2 LET GO OF LAWN CARE

Many folks love their grass lawns but, frankly, an attractive lawn can require lots of upkeep. Replace a patch of grass with an appropriate ground cover plant to slash your chore time without sacrificing a lush, lovely yard.