How to plan for maintenance during the design

Maintenance is shaped by decisions taken before construction. Density, species, forms, access, irrigation and materials determine much of the work to come.

‘Low maintenance’ is neither a style nor a fixed list of plants. It is the result of a garden that is compatible with the site and with the resources available.

The design should explain which operations will be needed and what the space will look like at different times of year.

A formal garden, a naturalistic composition and a meadow are not maintained in the same way.

The client needs to know whether they expect geometric outlines, free development, extended flowering or winter structure.

Without this definition, the team may cut back perennials early, turn shrubs into balls and remove material that was part of the design.

The level of intervention also affects cost and frequency.

Species suited to the soil, the aspect and the water available need fewer corrections.

That does not mean no watering in the first years.

A plant placed in an unsuitable environment will be pruned, fed or replaced continually.

The eventual size must fit the space. Maintenance should not serve as a permanent tool for reducing a species that is too big.

Roof-trained crowns, espaliers, topiary and formal hedges call for regular cutting.

They can provide shade, privacy and geometry with precision, but the work is part of the choice.

Access, height and safety are planned for.

If there is no capacity to maintain them, a free-growing form that fulfils a similar function should be chosen.

Planting that is too open leaves soil exposed and increases weeding for several years.

Excessive density creates competition, smothering and the need to take plants out.

Spacing takes account of mature size and the time it takes to close up.

In perennials, density can vary with vigour and strategy. In shrubs, it needs to allow form without continual pruning.

Organic mulch, aggregates or ground-cover plants reduce exposed soil.

The choice affects topping up, cleaning, temperature and weeds.

Next to deciduous trees, pale gravel may need more cleaning than woodchip.

The cover should be planned in the drawings and the budget, not added at the end with no relation to the rest.

Zones are organised by need and aspect.

Chambers, valves and emitters need access for inspection.

Trees should not depend on the same programme as the lawn.

An automatic system reduces manual work, but it still needs adjustment and maintenance.

Sensors and remote management help when there are people responsible and clear criteria.

Banks, wide beds, plant rooms and trees need access.

A team should be able to get there without treading on all the planting or dismantling elements.

Maintenance routes can be discreet and form part of the design.

Heavy equipment should not cross root zones or paving that cannot bear it.

Wide joints, porous materials, poorly resolved junctions and wrong levels increase weeding and cleaning.

Drainage prevents staining, moss and deterioration.

Edging next to lawn allows mowing without damaging the borders.

The choice of material takes account of ageing and the availability of repairs.

Trees and shrubs produce material.

Leaf litter on soil can be a resource; on a pool or in a gutter it means cleaning.

Fruits, petals and seeds have concentrated seasons.

The design positions species according to what the use will tolerate and informs the client.

No tree is completely clean.

Pools, ponds and natural swimming pools have their own maintenance.

Pumps, filters, lighting and irrigation need plant rooms that are accessible and ventilated.

Hiding the equipment completely can make servicing harder and increase cost.

The design should integrate it without blocking access.

Gardens produce leaves, prunings and grass clippings.

A composting or storage area reduces transport and can return material to the soil.

On large properties, machine access and waste separation are planned.

The system should be compatible with the space, the neighbours and the team.

The first two years call for more work.

Watering, weeding, staking and replacements are part of the initial investment.

After that, the plants close up and some tasks decrease. Others, such as pruning trained forms, continue.

The maintenance estimate should distinguish between establishment and the mature regime.

The design delivers criteria, a calendar and responsibilities.

The plan says what to look for and when to adjust, rather than ordering everything to be cut on a fixed date.

Photographs and maps help to identify species.

The document is reviewed after the first year.

If a plant has to be reduced several times a year, if the irrigation cannot be inspected or if a bank cannot be reached, the problem may lie in the design.

The team should be free to propose a correction, and not repeat a task indefinitely.

Thinking about maintenance during the design does not eliminate work. It makes it predictable, useful and compatible with the garden you want to keep.

• Maintenance plan
• Organic mulch or aggregates
• How to programme irrigation

1. Principles of maintenance-led design.
2. Diaplant’s method for design, construction and maintenance.