When you envision spending time in your new outdoor living space, you probably imagine lounging and relaxing or maybe playing yard games with friends or swimming in the pool. What you don’t likely picture is tending to your plants. While there’s no question that the landscaping around your outdoor living area is important to its overall look and appeal, choosing landscape plants that aren’t going to be a ton of extra work—or even worse, create hassles and headaches for you to deal with—will be important.
That’s why we’re talking about high-maintenance plants to avoid in your Northern Virginia landscape. By making wise plant selections, you can help ensure that you get the most out of your space.
High-Maintenance Plants Category #1: Messy Trees and Shrubs
Plants that drop a lot of debris like flower petals, fruit, leaves, or twigs can be problematic if you constantly need to clean up after them. It’s not that you can’t have these types of plants on your landscape, it’s more that you need to be strategic about where you place them.
For instance, the Crape Myrtle is a well-loved tree here in Virginia. But when situated right over a pool, you’re going to be constantly skimming the petals out. The key would be to place a Crape Myrtle in a location where you can see and enjoy its beauty from the pool area but not in a place you’ll be cleaning up after it. Even if you don’t have a pool, you’ll want to think about what a tree might drop on your patio. You don’t want to be constantly having to sweep it off. Plus, fruit-bearing trees (even if just berries) can drop and splatter debris on your patio which can cause stains.
You’ll also want to keep in mind that birds love trees with berries. By attracting more birds to your patio area you might be cleaning up after their mess, too! We know you don’t want to be cleaning up bird droppings from your brand-new patio.
Some potentially messy trees include the Female Gingko Tree (known by the common name “Maidenhair”), which has fleshy golden berries that smell bad, too; the Sweetgum Tree, which has seed pods or “gumballs” that drop; and the Magnolia, which has large petals that will constantly need to be swept up.
Again, it will all be about strategic placement. Many of the prettiest trees in a landscape can be messy. As long as you take into account which way the wind blows on your property, you can potentially install these trees in a location that won’t cause you hassles and headaches.
High-Maintenance Plants Category #2: Invasive Plants
Another category of high-maintenance plants to avoid are invasive species. These are plants that are such aggressive growers that they can get out of control and become problematic rather than enjoyable.
A great example is bamboo. 
Once thought of as a great choice for a fast-growing privacy screen, bamboo is now thought of as a poor choice for landscaping because of its aggressive and invasive nature. Some bamboo species can grow as much as three feet per day! As it grows, it will also spread with no respect to property lines or even fences. Unfortunately, getting rid of bamboo can take years and cause major problems in the process.
Another example is English Ivy, a woody vine and groundcover from Europe. English Ivy is easy to grow, even in shade, but it can completely outcompete the rest of your landscape. Once established, it can be costly and labor intensive to get rid of.
Actually, many groundcovers and grasses can also become invasive if not tended to and allowed to run rampant. However, cutbacks can be part of your regular landscape maintenance routine to keep these plants in check. Any plant, when allowed to grow without care can become too large or unattractive to the space. There is no such thing as an entirely “maintenance free” landscape and some upkeep and care is always key.
High-Maintenance Plants Category #3: Plants that Require Constant TLC
In general, any plant that needs a lot of water or care (like frequent pruning or fertilization) might be considered a high maintenance choice.
We find that even when homeowners have hired a professional to handle their landscape maintenance, that they don’t want to feel like they’re spending a fortune on these services because of high maintenance landscape choices. The fact is, the plant chosen for the landscape will play a huge role in how much maintenance is needed. You want plants that look great but that don’t require tons of upkeep and care.
All of this boils down to choosing low maintenance trees, shrubs, and plants for your Haymarket, Gainesville, or Bristow landscape.
Native plants make a low maintenance choice as these are plants which are already naturally adapted to the region. Native plants can typically tolerate drought-like conditions making them a hardy option.
Here are 5 Great Low Maintenance Plants For Virginia Landscapes:
Cryptomeria
A tree that requires little to no maintenance and can make a great foundation or hedge planting.
Nandina
An evergreen or semi-evergreen broadleaf shrub that is well-known for being drought-tolerant and easy to care for.
Boxwood
A shade-tolerant shrub that will give you year-round greenery without lots of upkeep.
Purple Coneflower
A native plant choice that is adaptable to a variety of conditions. It can add color but won't require lots of care.
American Holly
A tree that is known to be fast-growing and resistant to deer damage.
Working with a Pro on Choosing Landscape Plants (and Installing Them, Too!)
At the end of the day, you shouldn’t be expected to have a vast wealth of horticultural knowledge so that you can make smart plant choices for your property. That’s why you rely on a pro!
It’s also important to mention that even plants that are meant to be low maintenance can become high maintenance plants if they are not installed properly. You still need to install plants in a location where they will perform best. Simple mistakes, such as planting a low-maintenance, shade-loving plant in the full sun will ultimately cause major problems. In addition, taking care to ensure the installation process is performed properly (such as proper depth), will also be key to your success.
Again, this is where a pro can help.
On top of knowing how and where to install plant materials, a professional landscaper will also bring an “eye for design” to the landscape installation. After all, knowing which plants to choose is important but arranging them in a meaningful way is also critical. If you just randomly choose some of the plants on this list but don’t install them in a thoughtful way, then your landscape design may become a source of frustration.
We believe you deserve to be able to enjoy your landscape to the fullest. It should not add stress to your life in any way!
At Rock Water Farm, we have the horticultural knowledge and expertise to guide you toward smart plant choices. We can also help you care for them properly so that you’ll be able to get the most possible enjoyment out of your landscape. We’re focused on using the best practices as well as top-quality materials so that we can help design, build, and maintain landscapes that homeowners love.
By choosing a professional who knows what’s needed on your property, you’re investing in ensuring that it will continue to look and perform its best for years to come!
If you’re ready to get a low maintenance landscape that you love at your Haymarket, Gainesville, or Bristow, VA home, talk to an expert, choose a solution that rocks, and get ready to see your landscape dreams take shape.
Image Sources: Crape Myrtle, Sweet Gum Tree Seeds, Bamboo, Cryptomeria, Nandina, Boxwood, Purple Coneflower, American Holly
