How to Cultivate an Easy, Low-maintenance Garden in the UAE
Want a lush garden, but don’t have the time to do any actual gardening? Or maybe it's a balcony brimming with flower-filled pots you're after, but lack the know-how needed to cultivate them? And then there's the business of keeping plants alive.
Create a lush, low maintenance garden in the UAE by choosing native and drought-tolerant species like ghaf, neem, bougainvillea, agave and succulents. Design with raised beds or pots, plant in layers, leave gaps for growth — all for easy care plants for UAE climate.
What you need is an easy-to-care-for garden that’s filled with low-maintenance plants that pretty much take care of themselves and can thrive in the UAE climate.
“The first thing is to get clear on is - what does minimal effort mean for you?” says Will Bennett, founder of Wilden Design. “Is it about time, money, or just mental headspace? Read More : The Ultimate Guide to Gardening Tools - Types and How to Use Them A garden that’s truly zero-maintenance is usually a dull one [think plastic grass and extensive porcelain tiles]. Instead, I suggest aiming for low-stress – the kind of planting and layout that looks after itself, while not being boring or too sparse.”
While there are ways to minimise the time and attention needed, Bennett warns: “If you want a garden that’s vibrant, alive and humming, then it’s going to require some caring for, like any other living thing that you love. For some, this requires more adjustment than others.”
The best plants and trees for minimum effort
When choosing greenery for your low-maintenance garden, look for species that are native to the UAE for their ability to thrive in arid climates.
When it comes to trees, Prity Bhattacharya, owner of Nirvana Gardening Dubai, suggests neem, albizia, tabebuia, yellow poinciana, millington, golden shower, tulip tree, vitex agnus-castus, also known as the chaste tree, sapota, pomegranate and mulberry.
These options are well-adapted to the local climate, heat and sandy soil, thriving under the sun without risk of scorching and requiring minimal watering.
“Ghaf is always a joy, if you have the space, and is practically care-free,” says Bennett. “For something more lush but exotic, try Pongamia; it’s a great multi-purpose tree, and its shade canopy is hard to beat.”
For plants, Bennett suggests agaves, pachycereus cacti, yucca varieties and the local favourite, caralluma arabica.
“Stick to plants that already thrive in the UAE, because nature does most of the heavy lifting,” he says. “That might mean hardy natives or well-adapted arid plants from regions in Central America, Australia, East Africa and the Mediterranean. For small gardens, try dodonaea viscosa as a hedge or small tree, convolvulus virgatus for its effortless sprawling and hanging foliage and white flowers, or senna italica for its spreading and floating foliage and yellow flowers, which are great for pollinators too.”
Are pots or raised flower beds an easier option?
Many gardens feature raised planters or you can opt for an array of potted plants as opposed to ground-level borders. Having raised beds means you can fill them with high-quality soil and plants can enjoy better drainage.
“If the soil is really bad or if there is no soil area, you can make your own mix and still start gardening,” says Bhattacharya of the benefits of raised beds. “You can also protect any produce you’re growing better from your pets.”
Bennett adds that raised beds can be easier on your back, and that they can also provide better soil control. "Which is a win if you’re dealing with tough ground or want to manage the conditions for sensitive herbs and vegetables," he adds. "Raised beds are also great for adding height, drama and architecture to a design, so they serve multiple purposes.”
How to plant for easier gardening
Once you have your plants, trees and flowers selected, it’s important not to plant them randomly. When planting young trees, be aware of how big they will grow and how much shade they will eventually provide before deciding what to plant around them, as this will affect access to sunlight.
“Think groups, not scatter-shot,” says Bennett. “Planting in blocks or layers – tall at the back, groundcover up front – means the plants can support each other, shade the soil and reduce weeding and watering. Design tactical gaps in planting wider than two or three metres to allow the gardener to get in there and do their work, and if you’re planting densely along a boundary wall or villa, leave a decent gap so the plants have space to grow.”
The rule is to plant in layers – trees, shrubs, plants, low-growing ground covers and then ground-trailing plants to allow all greenery to get enough light.
“As they grow together, the need to tend to individual plants reduces as plants take care of each other and communicate via roots," says Bhattacharya. "But one needs to remember to plant compatible ones together. Most gardens eventually require less and less effort once it is settled. It takes at least two years for plants or trees to settle, so from that perspective, one will need to put a little effort into a new garden at the start," she adds.
Adding interesting touches to your stress-free garden
There are plenty of ways to add interest to your garden, especially when it comes to keeping things low maintenance and low cost. Consider the area you have to work with, along with the height of your garden walls or overall balcony space and take careful measurements before you buy.
“Water plants and water lilies in planters look very pretty,” says Bhattacharya. “Also, rocks, rock gardening or the addition of a small natural-looking water feature all add low-maintenance interest.”
Bennett, meanwhile, suggests climbers, as they can give height and dimension without eating up ground space. "Other simple tricks include using bold pots, contrasting gravel colours and textures, or even a feature bench tucked into planting, so it feels like a hidden spot. Even with low effort you can create those moments that make you smile and want to spend time outdoors.”
Source: www.thenationalnews.com
