Yard maintenance is the last thing you want to do when it’s hot and humid outside. Thanks to these 11 low-maintenance landscaping ideas for Ocala, your friends and neighbors will be amazed at how you keep your yard looking so good even though they never see you working in it.
- 1. Escape with Xeriscaping
- 2. Opt for Native Plants
- 3. Protect and Beautify with Trees
- 4. Mulch Your Trees and Flower Beds
- 5. Reduce Your Mowing
- 6. Build a Container Garden
- 7. Improve Your Yard’s Drainage
- 8. Plant a Rain Garden
- 9. Add a Retaining Wall
- 10. Install an Irrigation System
- 11. Invest in Hardscapes
- Prepare Your Landscaping for Hurricane Season
- FAQ: Low-Maintenance Landscaping
1. Escape with Xeriscaping
Xeriscaping does not mean that there is no landscaping. Despite its complicated sound, the term xeriscaping (the “x” is pronounced with a “z” sound) is quite simple. It’s a smart way to save water by using drought-tolerant plants and grasses.
While droughts are uncommon in Ocala, xeriscapes are low-maintenance landscapes that can significantly reduce your water cost, boost your property value, and reduce the need for mowing, herbicides, and fertilizers.
Cost of xeriscaping: Depending on the design, homeowners often pay between $5 and $20 per square foot. Location, rocks (although soft mulch is preferable for Florida’s tropical storms), and plants chosen will affect the final cost of a xeriscape.
2. Opt for Native Plants
The University of Florida Extension service (UF/IFAS) advocates using native plants in residential landscapes because of the benefits to the local ecosystem. They provide food and shelter to Ocala wildlife and have developed over time to resist the extreme weather.
It is easier to care for native plants, as they require less water, fertilizer, and pesticides. These low-maintenance plants are recommended for the Ocala area.
- Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
- Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
- Coontie (Zamia integrifolia)
- Firebush (Hamelia patens)
- Powderpuff mimosa (Mimosa strigillosa)
Cost of native plants: Professionally installed flower gardens can cost anywhere from $650 to $3,000, depending on the size of the bed and the plants used.
3. Protect and Beautify with Trees
Photo Credit: Syrio / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
There are perks to adding trees to your Ocala landscape, and Florida natives are a safe bet. Well-chosen and planted trees will shield your home from hurricane-force winds and reduce pollution by soaking up the runoff through their roots. Also, they boost curb appeal and property value while giving buildings summertime shade that may lower energy costs.
Consider replacing damaged trees or adding new ones from the UF/IFAS list of recommended species. When you create your design, these wind-resistant evergreens and flowering trees can help create a low-maintenance, functional, and stunning landscape.
Evergreen
- Sand live oak (Quercus geminata)
- Sabal palm (Sabal palmetto)
- Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
Flowering
- Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
- Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)
- American holly (Ilex opaca) (also evergreen)
Cost of planting a tree: Homeowners pay $150 to $1,850 to plant a tree, depending on the type, size, condition, and location of the tree.
4. Mulch Your Trees and Flower Beds
By retaining moisture in the soil, reducing erosion, and, if made of organic materials, even improving the soil’s nutrient content, mulch promotes healthy plant growth. Soft mulches, such as shredded leaves, bark, and pine needles, are less dangerous than pea gravel in locations with high winds.
Consider putting landscaping fabric under your mulch to reduce maintenance further and increase weed resistance. You can prevent the growth of weeds in your garden beds if you use landscape cloth properly. It encourages soil stability, retains moisture, and discourages weed growth.
Cost of mulch and landscape fabric: The type and how you use it influences your overall costs. Landscape fabric costs between $20 and $80 per roll. Pine bark is the most cost-effective type of mulch available, with an average cost of $28 per cubic yard. But for those of us in Marion County, you can get wood mulch for free, and they deliver.
5. Reduce Your Mowing
Mowing the grass is a major chore for many Ocala residents, especially in the summer when temperatures are high, and the humidity is higher. One of the best grasses to use in Ocala is Bahiagrass. It has many similarities to Bermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass but needs less upkeep and thrives in Florida.
Consider replacing your grass with ground cover plants if you’re sick of mowing it. You can maintain a beautiful, healthy landscape without doing all the work using ground covers. Notable ground covers that require minimal irrigation and very little fertilizer to look their best include:
- Powderpuff mimosa (Mimosa strigillos)
- Asiatic jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum)
- Perennial peanut (Arachis glabrata)
Cost of grasses and ground cover: Seeding your lawn costs between $0.10 and $0.19 per square foot. If you want an “instant lawn,” it costs between $0.87 and $1.76 per square foot to install sod. Ground cover costs will vary depending on if you use live plants or seeds and how many you buy. Plants can cost $5 per plant up to $200 for a pack of 60.
6. Build a Container Garden
You can create an outdoor container garden on your porch, patio, or yard instead of a traditional plant bed. Plants in pots can be kept outside and require less care than plants in the ground. Container gardens provide color, texture and prevent diseases, weeds, and pests from invading your landscape.
Container gardens are ideal for people of all ages and abilities and a fun way to include kids in gardening. You won’t have to bend over or crawl on your knees to care for these plants. Since you can bring plants inside, you have more options for your landscape because you are not limited to plants that can withstand Florida’s weather.
Cost of container garden: While the container and plant costs vary greatly from $5 to over $100 depending on variety and size, container gardens are easy to build. Potting soil will only run you $16 per bag (about 2 cubic feet) on average.
7. Improve Your Yard’s Drainage
Flooding and drainage problems are common in Ocala, especially after heavy rains. If your landscape slope has been impacted by erosion, low spots in your lawn might drain slowly, retaining water. A waterlogged landscape isn’t a healthy home for plants, and long-term damage can lead to more work down the road.
This flooding also raises local environmental issues. Stormwater runoff picks up contaminants as it flows across impermeable surfaces. These pollutants can enter our streams and even our drinking water, making it dangerous to use. There are several strategies to manage drainage in your yard.
- Grade your yard to eliminate low areas and increase slope.
- Manage drainage by aerating areas where the soil has become compacted.
- Buy a rain barrel to catch extra water for irrigation later.
- Install a French drain or swale to direct rainfall.
- Add a dry creek bed to the landscape.
- Keep your gutters and downspouts clean and in good shape.
Cost to manage drainage: Aerating your lawn can improve the drainage on your Ocala property for as little as $225, while a French drain can be installed for $10 to $100 per linear foot.
8. Plant a Rain Garden
A rain garden is a great way to manage excess water while saving time on lawn care. A rain garden is made up of native grasses, shrubs, and flowers that are planted at the base of a natural slope. It gathers and absorbs rainfall runoff from your lawn, roof, and gutters.
The purpose of rain gardens is to intercept rainwater and collect runoff. Its absorption helps to reduce erosion and prevents rainwater runoff from entering and contaminating storm drains and waterways. The UF/IFAS Extension even published a rain garden manual for Central Florida.
Cost of a rain garden: Most of the price depends on the materials needed, the size of your garden, and whether you hire a professional or build a rain garden yourself. On average, plants cost $5 to $20 each. Professional installation can cost you between $10 and $20 per square foot or between $1,500 and $3,000 for 150 square feet.
9. Add a Retaining Wall
A low fence called a retaining wall holds soil in place, raises the landscape’s height, and prevents erosion. When it rains, a retaining wall in your front yard may keep floodwaters from destroying your Ocala property, saving you time and money in the future.
Concrete and stone are often used to build retaining walls, which makes them durable. They improve curb appeal since they are both practical and appealing, and they can increase your home’s value by up to 15% while also lowering the amount of grass you have to mow and maintain.
Cost to install a retaining wall: The average cost is $33 per square foot for materials and labor for a retaining wall. Material choices impact the final price of the wall.
10. Install an Irrigation System
Several options are available for easy watering, including drip irrigation and rainwater collection systems. If you install an automated irrigation system, you will never have to worry about watering your lawn or garden again. Just setting a timer for your sprinklers will water your landscape for you.
The benefits include a vibrant, healthy landscape without lugging out the hose. Although installing a sprinkler system yourself is an option, using a professional will ensure your warranty and compliance with local and state laws.
Cost to install sprinkler system: The typical cost of an underground sprinkler system is roughly $0.60 per square foot, costing around $3,150 in total.
11. Invest in Hardscapes
Anything in your landscape that isn’t alive and growing is considered a hardscape. Examples include fences, patios, paver paths, and water features. Because hardscapes aren’t living things, they require little upkeep other than cleaning. A hardscape is a quick, one-time renovation that looks great and can increase the value of your home.
Outdoor living spaces for your backyard are both attractive and practical in Ocala’s climate. Keep in consideration the high winds of hurricane season when making landscape improvements. Stone or metal is more expensive than wood or vinyl but less prone to fly away. To keep your hardscapes in place, always anchor them using concrete.
Cost of hardscape installation: From pergolas to arbors to simple pathways, the cost will depend on the size and materials needed, like most landscaping projects. A professionally installed patio costs between $2,363 and $5,909. The price of a fire pit depends on the size and type of stone but ranges between $240 and $2,400 for a professional installation.
Prepare Your Landscaping for Hurricane Season
Low-maintenance landscaping leaves time for other things, like preparing for hurricane season. Despite being one of Florida’s hurricane-safest cities, Ocala nonetheless suffers the effects of storms. Some landscape designs better protect your property against hurricane-force winds and water. Try these 11 hurricane-resistant landscaping ideas to help protect your home.
Nothing is really hurricane-proof. Even the most wind-resistant trees can be brought down by a heavy storm. Although hurricanes are uncontrollable, you can take precautions to protect yourself and your family. Preparedness is critical, and the sooner you start, the better.
Check out How to Clean Up Your Yard After a Hurricane for information on potential post-hurricane issues, tasks you should leave to specialists, and why a severe storm is an excellent opportunity to improve your landscaping and drainage. Contact an Ocala landscaping pro if you need help with storm cleanup.
FAQ: Low-Maintenance Landscaping
A well-designed rain garden should drain within 48 hours, making it impossible for mosquito larvae to complete their 7-12 day life cycle. Dragonflies are also drawn to rain gardens and devour mosquitoes.
A typical Ocala landscape requires homeowners to mow, water, weed, fertilize, prune, control pests, and remove leaves and other yard waste. However, it is possible to minimize the time you spend on these lawn maintenance chores with careful landscaping and design.
Making your landscape more environmentally friendly and easier to maintain is part of Florida-Friendly landscaping™. There are nine principles, which include “right plant, right place,” efficient water use, and other environmentally friendly gardening techniques that benefit your local ecosystem and you.
Call in the Landscaping Pros
For the ultimate in low-maintenance landscaping for your Ocala yard, consider hiring a lawn service so you don’t have to deal with it. Mowing, lawn treatments, and bush trimming are all services provided by LawnStarter landscaping professionals, who can take lawn care off your to-do list.
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Main Image Credit: Ebyabe / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5
