How to Keep Native Gardens Looking Neat During Peak Bloom
Low-Maintenance Landscaping Ideas Using Native Plants for Main Line Gardens
It’s midsummer on the Main Line and native gardens are bursting with color. Coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and bee balm are in full bloom, and pollinators are loving it.
If you’ve embraced native planting this year, you're probably seeing fewer weeds, more butterflies, and a garden that thrives without constant care.
But if you're asking yourself: “How do I keep this looking low maintenance and tidy, not wild or messy?” You're not alone, and you're in the right place.
Low Maintenance Landscaping with Native Plants
Using native plants is one of the best ways to create a landscape that looks great year-round with minimal upkeep. But thoughtful layout and plant choice make all the difference between a garden that feels overgrown and one that looks clean, curated, and easy to live with.
1. Choose Plants That Thrive in Local Conditions
Native plants are built for Philadelphia’s climate, which means less watering, fewer pests, and no need for constant fertilizer.
Some of our favorite low maintenance, drought tolerant picks include:
Amsonia hubrichtii – feathery texture, golden fall color
Asclepias tuberosa – bright orange blooms, pollinator magnet
Panicum Northwind – upright grass, adds structure
Phlox subulata – evergreen groundcover, great for borders
These plants are tough, beautiful, and require very little once established.
2. Keep the Design Simple
One of the best low maintenance landscaping ideas is to avoid overcomplicating the plant palette. Group your plants in generous drifts and repeat them throughout the garden.
This keeps things visually clean and makes weeding, mulching, and seasonal maintenance easier.
3. Use Clean Edges to Define Space
Even a naturalistic pollinator-friendly garden feels intentional when it’s framed well. mulched edges, paths that define spaces or natural stone borders help give structure and polish to your plantings.
This is especially important in front yards where curb appeal matters most.
4. Plan for Four Seasons of Interest
A true low maintenance native garden isn’t just about summer blooms.
Grasses, seed heads, and hardy shrubs like Viburnum nudum or Red Twig Dogwood provide year-round interest with very little upkeep.
Let your landscape thrive with the seasons instead of fighting them.
Designed for Beauty. Built for Ease.
At Union Landscape Design we specialize in low maintenance native landscaping that feels tailored, modern, and beautiful. Whether you want a pollinator garden, deer resistant planting, or just a yard that thrives with less effort, we’re here to help.
Let’s Create a Landscape That Works for You
If you’ve been searching for the best landscape designers near me who understand both style and sustainability, we’d love to talk.
