Low maintenance landscaping

Awareness and concern on the part of a sector of professionals dedicated to gardening and landscaping and some public administrations, has led in recent years, the development of alternatives to gardening mass consumption to achieve green spaces more respectful the environment and in accordance with the available natural resources .

Awareness and concern on the part of a sector of professionals dedicated to gardening and landscaping and some public administrations, has led us, in recent years, the development of alternatives to gardening mass consumption to achieve green spaces more respectful of the environment and in accordance with the available natural resources, whether water, soil, vegetation, etc.

All these alternatives to large consumer gardening (xeriscape, Mediterranean gardening, native landscaping, sustainable gardening, naturation, low-maintenance gardening or low consumption, etc.) denominated in various ways according emphasize one aspect or another such as water management, the use of native plants, the use of plants adapted to Mediterranean climate, the intention of simulating the natural vegetation of the environment, etc., call for reduced maintenance gardens for a rational use of irrigation water, a limitation of plant protection products and fertilizers, the use of machinery with lower fuel consumption, recycling, use of plant species suitable to the environment, etc.

Generalizing could encompass all these new conceptions of gardening with the denomination of low maintenance gardening. The foundation of this vision of gardening is to obtain an almost self-sufficient green spaces, optimized to the maximum and applicable in all types of climates (not only oriented dry weather and low water availability).

The low maintenance gardens should not be understood as poor vegetation and restricted spaces in the use of herbs and succulents. All plants are in principle capable of being used in low-maintenance gardening. Possible use depends on whether they are well adapted to climáticoambientales and soil conditioning of the implant site and the proper zonation of plants within the garden itself.

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Low maintenance landscaping

The results of these practices can be perfectly lush gardens and low consumption. However, these practices should be channeled into a series of guidelines to follow and that can not be ignored. Good planning and garden design have always to be prior to the implementation of gardening. This involves considering:

a-climatic and micro-climatic conditions of the area. Be considered various environmental factors such as rainfall in the area, the distribution of rainfall throughout the year the possible infuence of marine winds, frosts usually occur, etc.

b-soil and topographical conditions. It is important to have knowledge of soil type, texture, nutrients, pH, conductivity, organic matter and slopes and terrain sun exposure. You can correct the acidity, salinity, clayey, etc. However, in practice gardening of low maintenance although some corrections may be useful soil is advisable based on the use of plant species that adapt to the available features of the substrate. In the Mediterranean area there is such a diversity of native species that simply based on these plants can cover all these needs.

c-Plant species used and the zonation or group of plant material. In planning the garden is basic distribution of plants by grouping species according to their water needs. For example, it is not convenient all have some lavenders (Lavandula sp.) Or a rockrose (Cistus sp.) Near an area of ​​tussock or a twill (Salix eleagnos), since the amount of water that will receive the lawn or twill is excessive for these plants and this perfectly preventable excess if planted elsewhere plants with similar water requirements as may be a mastic (Pistacia lentiscus) or crown (Coronilla valentina).

In this sense we distinguish three levels according to the water consumption of plants (low, moderate and high), and therefore can speak three basic areas in the gardens of low maintenance landscaping:

• dry -zona, in which native plants that support the drought conditions in the area well and grow well simply with contributions from rainwater are used. support irrigation only at certain times of the year may be needed. There are numerous native plants that meet these requirements, such as salviifolius Cistus, Cistus crispus, Erica multiflora, Jasminum fruticans, Rhamnus alaternus, etc., while most of aromatic plants (Thymus vulgaris, Lavandula dentata ). However, they should not be rejected some non-native species also able to withstand this water scarcity. Although with some caution, these plants can serve as a nice contrast and bring some originality to our gardens (Salvia fruticosa, Perovskia atriplicifolia, etc.).


• zona Moderate watering, where water provides more demanding species occasionally or is areas where rainfall is not excessively low. They would be useful in this area countless species, both native and non-native. Among the native Cornus sanguinea we could cite, Crataegus monogyna, Iris spuria, Etruscan Lonicera, Salix purpurea, Tamarix canariensis, Viburnum lantana, Vitex agnus-castus, etc.


• zona Wet, where irrigation needs are greater and, therefore, will try whenever the smallest. In this area the seasonal plants, lawns, perennials resistant non-native species and even from more humid, such as Carex pendula, Sambucus nigra, Iris pseudacorus, areas may be included etc.


• d-The matenimiento. Do not confuse low maintenance gardening with a completely self-sufficient revegetation. Although a rational use of irrigation is done, or revoked altogether by using plants dry areas, they should be carried out a series of activities to maintain a certain appearance desired principle in the garden (blooms, controlled growth, fruiting bodies , colorings and textures of sheets, etc.). They should be disposed weeds and some pruning or a subscriber may be required. Any type of garden should be careful.

Anyway we must note that the name of low-maintenance gardening is that all these practices are greatly reduced: less irrigation (easily reducible to a quarter of normal), little drastic pruning, appearance of less weeds to control better irrigation, nil paid or made with caution (especially with regard to nitrogen during the hottest times), lower phytosanitary treatments (to mostly use native species less susceptible to pests and diseases).

Experience and studies conducted so far show us that low-maintenance gardening should be based mainly on native plant species in the area where they carried out the creation of a green space.

Native plants are evidently species best adapted to the climate and soil conditions of a particular area, and are therefore plants will have lower requirements in gardens, both as nutritional water. In the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic they are characterized by being adapted to a Mediterranean climate (dry winters mild to cold depending on the area, dry, hot summers and rain in spring and autumn).

Native plants take in a region long enough to have co-evolved with the animals to weave ecosystems, so they are always associated with a balanced and varied fauna. They attract insects that feed on them and their predators, thus the danger of plague or invasion is avoided. Even when non-native species are mostly used in gardens, native plants is desirable to insert between them, which reduces the possibility of uncontrolled proliferation of pests. The diversity of plant species is a great ally of the gardens of low maintenance landscaping.

Many plants genetically modified plants sacrifice aesthetics or foreign vitality, reproduction, nectar production, etc., and are strange species of native fauna which is not able to take advantage, and are often a source of pest introduction invasive species, diseases and other disturbances. On the other hand with the use of native plants also significantly reduces the risk of importing pests.

Also, with the introduction of native plants in public and private green spaces it contributes to the preservation of one's genetics of natural vegetation in the environment, avoiding both unwanted and spread of invasive plants and displacement of wild flora hybridizations.

There is a wide variety of native species in our landscape that can cover most requirements of the gardens in terms of shapes, textures, freight, times and color of the blooms, adapted to our climate and soil. The possible combination of these species with plants from other regions with Mediterranean climate and therefore adaptable to our conditions of its proper place, gardens can provide low maintenance landscaping extremely rich.

As we have mentioned before, would be a mistake to assimilate this type of gardening to a few species of aromatic plants, some trees such as olive and succulents. The monotony caused by the repetition of the same species in the gardens may eventually be harmful because it can lead to gardening of low maintenance as a fashion and aesthetics in gardening interperte, when in fact it is a set of agronomic criteria.

The same can happen to us with the concept of native plant. A general lack for lack of adequate information leads to equate this group of plants with aromatic, when in fact they are a fraction of native plants.

We can set a number of groups based almost endless potential uses in green spaces (and which in part may overlap), from native plants of our environment, thanks to the great diversity of natural habitats. We mention the following examples, its most frequent use gardening:

• Plants Dry and sunny areas: Anthyllis cytisoides, Atriplex halimus, Chamaerops humilis, Cistus albidus, Cistus clusii, Cistus crispus, salviifolius Cistus, Cistus laurifolius, Cneorum tricoccon, Coronilla valentina, nebrodensis Ephedra, Erica multiflora, Halimium atriplicifolium, Juniperus phoenicea, Juniperus sabina, Lavandula stoechas, Phillyrea angustifolia, purpurea Phlomis, Pistacia, Quercus coccifera, Retama monospermous, sphaerocarpa Retama, Rosa canina, Rosmarinus officinalis, Sarothamnus scoparius, spartium, etc.


• Plants suitable for areas of shade or partial shade: Arbutus unedo, Buxus sempervirens, Cornus sanguinea, Crataegus monogyna, Erica arborea, Hippocrepis balearica, Ilex aquifolium, Laurus nobilis, Ligustrum vulgare, Phillyrea latifolia, Ruscus aculeatus, lantana Viburnum, Viburnum tinus, etc.


• Plants suitable for wet areas: Carex pendula, Cornus sanguinea, Fraxinus angustifolia, Iris pseudacorus, Juncus effusus, eleagnos Salix, Salix purpurea, Salix fragilis, Sambucus nigra, African Tamarix, Vitex agnus-castus, etc.


• water-plants: Cladium mariscus, Iris pseudacorus, Lythrum salicaria, Phragmites australis, Typha latifolia, etc.


• Plants Tapizantes: Asteriscus maritimus ATRIPLEX portulacoides, Cistus Salviifolius, Frankenia laevis, Hedera helix, Juniperus Sabina, Rosmarinus officinalis var. Palau, Saponaria ocymoides, Thymus zygis, Teucrium chamaedrys, Thymus serpyllum, Thymus vulgaris ssp. palearensis, Vinca difformis, etc.


• Gramíneas: Marram grass, Ampelodesmos Mauritania hyparrhenia hirta, Lygeum spartum, Sacccharum ravennae, etc.


• Plants Aromatic: Helichrysum stoechas, Lavandula angustifolia, Lavandula latifolia, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis ssp. lavandulifolia, Santolina chamaecyparissus ssp. Pecten, Thymus vulgaris ssp. aestivus, etc.


• Plants Adapted to coastal areas: Anthyllis cytisoides, Asteriscus maritimus crithmum, Cistus clusii, Ephedra fragilis, Limoniastrum monopetalum, Lotus creticus, Nerium oleander, Olea europaea var. sylvestris, stone pine, mastic, Santolina chamaecyparissus ssp. Magon, Tetraclinis articulate, etc.


• Plants Climbers: Clematis cirrhosa, Clematis flammula, Etruscan honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum, Rosa sempervirens, Smilax aspera, etc.


• Plants Useful in rock: Asteriscus maritimus, Centranthus ruber, hyparrhenia hirta, Iris foetidissima, Frankenia laevis, Limonium vulgare, Phlomis italica, Salvia officinalis ssp. lavandulifolia, Thymus serpyllum, etc.

Why are fewer used all of these species in the development of our green spaces and actually almost could meet our expectations?

There is currently a growing technical and scientific activities on water management, eco-physiology of the drought, the requirements of the plants likely to be used in Low maintenance landscaping gardening and plant species potentially suitable for this crop, among them is the wide range of native plants. However does not occur properly transfer this information to potential users of these products.

Clearly, on the one hand, a majority part of the administration technicians and landscapers and designers do not have the structured counseling necessary to incorporate these plants or their projects, or in the creation of public green areas, such as Furthermore commercial and responsible outlets (garden centers, etc.) have no access to information needed to advise and recommend to their customers, gardeners and even their own private users.

To address this gap must meet the strategic considerations:

On the one hand the native plants are a product because of their ignorance generally should be associated to an information and technical advice. This information, which is treated as an integral part of the product itself, should reach the technicians and designers in one hand and the garden centers of another, with a character more academic or more informative, according to the policy areas.

In turn, there should be a network of product distribution sufficiently flexibly and effectively so that it is easily available in retail outlets.

There are companies such as Bioriza Ltd., specializing in the production of native plants, such as the nursery But Vicente, sensitized about and preoccupied in getting their clients (garden centers) in these products and transfer them to the documentation required to have the ability to advise on its correct use.

On the other hand, to the concept of Low maintenance landscaping is incorporated by society at large and be seen as an application of horticultural rational methodologies for obtaining quality garden, resulting in conservation and protection of natural resources the administration should conduct an educational task in society. This requires effective planning by the administration, but this control can not be performed without providing practical solutions.

And one of these practical solutions and easy implementation is the development of public gardens based on the basics of Low maintenance landscaping, which undoubtedly determines a reflex action in society. Thus, potential customers, gardeners and individuals, go to assume, understand and visualize the result of these practices and to create a demand for this type of product (native plants and plants adapted to gardening low consumption).

The simple use of these plants in the public gardens promotes social awareness in the preservation of wild vegetation and the environment, which implies already an extraordinary achievement.

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Low maintenance landscaping

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