7 Low-Maintenance Garden Design Ideas For The Peninsula

1. Choose Native and Drought-Tolerant Plants

The biggest mistake I see people make is fighting against nature instead of working with it.

Choosing the right plants for the right place means less work, less water, and more time actually enjoying your garden.

Some of my go-to low-maintenance plants for Mornington Peninsula gardens include:

• Coastal Banksia (Banksia integrifolia) – Hardy, resilient, and attracts local wildlife.
• Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos) – Striking colour with minimal watering needs.
• Lomandra (Lomandra longifolia) – Tough, evergreen, and thrives in almost any condition.
• Correa (Correa alba) – A hardy, salt-tolerant shrub with delicate white flowers.
• Ornamental grasses such as Poa labillardierei for texture and movement with minimal effort.
• Low-maintenance shrubs like Westringia for structured, year-round greenery.

These plants not only look awesome all year-round but also require minimal pruning and watering once established.

2. Smarter Watering with Drip Irrigation & Mulch

Watering doesn’t need to be a daily chore. Installing a drip irrigation system or soaker hoses ensures your plants get the right amount of moisture without waste.

Even better?

Smart irrigation systems with timers do the hard work for you, adjusting based on weather conditions.

I also recommend using mulch to lock in moisture, suppress weeds, and keep your garden beds looking sharp.

Organic mulches like wood chips and bark slowly break down, improving your soil moisture and reducing the need for fertilisers.

3. Less Lawn, Less Work

Traditional lawns can be a maintenance nightmare. If mowing every weekend isn’t your thing, here are some alternatives:

• Native ground cover plants like Creeping Boobialla (Myoporum parvifolium) for a lush, green look.
• Gravel gardens for a modern, Mediterranean aesthetic.
• Artificial turf for the look of grass without the upkeep.
• Expanding paved areas or decking to create more functional outdoor living spaces.



By reducing grassy areas, you’ll save hours of mowing, watering, and fertilising—without compromising on style.

4. Hardscaping for Effortless Outdoor Living Areas

Hardscaping is the secret to a truly low-maintenance landscape.

At Flo Landscapes, we use natural stone, decking, and retaining walls to add structure and visual interest while cutting down on garden maintenance.

A few smart choices include:

• Stepping stones with gravel pathways
• Timber or composite decking for long-lasting entertaining spaces
• Rock gardens with drought-tolerant plants
• Retaining walls to frame garden beds and eliminate soil erosion



With the right balance of softscape (plants) and hardscape (built elements), you can achieve a stylish, low-maintenance garden design with minimal effort.

5. Thoughtful Garden Bed Design

The key is to a low maintenance garden bed is to layer plants in a way that provides a full, lush look without needing constant pruning.

Try these simple tips that I use across my projects:

• Grouping plants with similar water and sunlight needs.
• Choosing slow-growing plants that hold their shape naturally.
• Using evergreen shrubs to maintain year-round interest.
• Adding perennial plants that come back each season without replanting.

A well-designed, low-maintenance landscape doesn’t just reduce work—it enhances the aesthetic look of your outdoor area.

6. Make Your Garden Work for You

Want a beautiful garden without the hassle? Incorporate smart features that reduce effort:

• Self-watering pots for low-maintenance container gardening.
• A fire pit for a functional, stylish focal point that requires no upkeep.
• Weather-resistant furniture so you’re not constantly covering and uncovering seating areas.
• Built-in garden lighting to highlight your space without needing constant adjustments.

7. Seasonal Touch-Ups, Not Constant Upkeep

A truly low-maintenance garden isn’t no maintenance, but with a little smart planning, you’ll only need to do a couple of seasonal touch-ups to keep everything looking fresh.

 Instead of weekly chores, think of it as two key refreshes a year—one in spring, one in autumn.

Spring Touch-Ups:

• Check soil moisture and top up with organic mulches to retain water through the summer.
• Prune back slow-growing plants to encourage healthy new growth.
• Inspect and adjust drip irrigation systems before the dry season starts.
• Refresh garden beds with a light layer of compost to nourish your plants.

Autumn Touch-Ups:

• Remove dead foliage and spent flowers to keep the garden tidy.
• Plant new perennials so they establish over winter with less water.
• Inspect pathways, stepping stones, and retaining walls for any wear and tear.
• Protect seating areas and outdoor living spaces with weather-resistant covers or treatments.

By following this seasonal approach, you avoid week to week high-maintenance garden tasks while keeping your outdoor space looking its best year-round.

Tired of Wasting Time on Garden Maintenance? The Importance of Landscape Design for a Low-Fuss Garden

A well-thought-out landscape design is the foundation of a truly low-maintenance garden.

Working with an experienced landscape designer ensures that every element of your garden—from plant selection to hardscaping—is planned to reduce ongoing maintenance while maximising beauty and function.

The Benefits of Professional Landscape Design:

• Ensures the right plants are placed in the right place for optimal growth and minimal upkeep.
• Incorporates drought-tolerant plants and organic mulches to improve soil moisture and reduce watering needs.
• Utilises hardscaping features like retaining walls, stepping stones, and rock gardens to structure your space with less maintenance.

Three Unique Techniques for the Mornington Peninsula:

1. Coastal Plant Buffering – Using native and salt-tolerant plants to protect gardens from strong coastal winds while maintaining an aesthetic appeal.
2. Water-Wise Design – Implementing drip irrigation, soaker hoses, and rainwater harvesting to create a water-wise garden that thrives with less water.
3. Layered Planting for Pest Control – Designing garden beds with companion planting techniques to naturally deter pests, reducing the need for chemical treatments.

At Flo Landscapes, we design gardens that work with your lifestyle, not against it.

Whether you want a lush cottage garden, a sleek contemporary garden, or a practical water-wise garden, we’ve got the expertise to bring it to life.

We use the best plants for easy maintenance.

Do you want expert advice on how to implement these garden landscaping ideas into your outdoor area?

Flo Landscapes provides a lush full-service landscape design & landscape construction service, catering to all of the beautiful Mornington Peninsula.

Reach out today to discuss your plans with Jay