April 07, 2026

DIY Landscaping: Expert Tips for a Beautiful, Low-Maintenance Yard

DIY Landscaping in 2026

This post is a 2026 update of our popular DIY Landscaping post.

Creating a landscape you love doesn't have to mean hiring a full crew or breaking the bank. With the right approach — and advice from people who do this every day — a DIY landscaping project can transform your outdoor space into something you're genuinely proud of. We asked six professional landscape designers from across North America to share their best practical advice on the questions homeowners ask most. Here's what they told us.

Working With a Limited Budget

The most common landscaping challenge is also the most universal: how do you create something beautiful without overspending? Our experts had consistent, practical advice.

Chase Greene of Broward Landscape in Coral Springs, FL puts it simply: "Focus the budget on big impact items versus spreading it thin to cover more area. Use inexpensive materials like gravel and river rock to bring down the scale of planting areas — it's a great way to reduce plant costs while creating a visually interesting landscape."

Ben Bowen, Landscape Designer at Ross NW Watergardens, recommends a smarter approach to plant buying: "Many nurseries have clearance sections tucked away in dark corners. The plants may be slightly damaged but will be wonderful long term. Also keep in mind how large a plant will get. Many DIY gardens get over-planted. Don't waste budget on buying more plants than your garden can actually sustain."

Jill Davis of Jill Davis Design offers a strategy that can cut project costs by half: "Hire a designer to create a beautiful landscape plan you love, then do the labor yourself. This can sometimes save you 50% or more." She also recommends asking your designer about mulch selection upfront; the right ground cover protects new plants, defends against weeds, and gives beds a polished, finished look from day one.

A note on mulch and budget: This is where rubber mulch makes a compelling case. While the upfront cost is higher than wood mulch, rubber mulch lasts 10 years or more — eliminating the annual replacement cost that quietly adds up with wood-based alternatives. For budget-conscious DIYers playing a long game, it's often the more economical choice over time. See our full breakdown of rubber mulch pros and cons →

Creating a Low-Maintenance Landscape

For busy homeowners, the goal isn't just a beautiful yard — it's a yard that stays beautiful without consuming every weekend.

The team at Native Edge Landscape in Austin, TX has one consistent answer: "Go native! A native landscape will always require less maintenance — less watering, less pruning, less fertilizing. Any local garden center should be able to help you find native plant materials for your area."

Take Root Gardens in Vancouver, BC takes a systems approach: "Plant selection is key, so focus on plants that provide foliage interest instead of showy flowers to reduce maintenance time. Utilizing mulch as a ground cover helps prevent weeds, and adding areas of hardscape with landscape fabric underneath creates a near zero-maintenance part of the garden. Investing in an irrigation system, even a simple low-flow system connected to the hose bib, keeps plants thriving and reduces the need for manual watering through the hot summer months."

John Hayden of JJ Hayden Inc. in Woodstock, IL adds a smart planting tip: "Consider how you place your plants. Group similar plants together instead of spacing them evenly through the garden. This allows you to maintain an area rather than a bunch of individual plantings, and as a bonus, your mass planting layout will look the most contemporary on the block."

Rubber mulch and low maintenance go hand in hand. It doesn't decompose, doesn't need topping up, resists weed growth, and holds its color season after season. For homeowners who want results without constant upkeep, it's one of the most practical ground cover choices available. Read our maintenance guide →

Choosing a Color Scheme

Chase Greene offers a simple rule of thumb: "Color scheme really depends on the overall scale of the space. Larger areas can handle a broader color spectrum without feeling too busy, whereas smaller areas tend to look better with only three to four colors."

This applies to your hardscape and ground cover choices as well. Rubber mulch is available in a range of colors from natural cedar and cocoa brown to bold red, black, and green, giving you a design-forward option that complements your plant palette rather than competing with it.

Plants for Hot and Warm Climates

For hot, dry climates, Native Edge Landscape keeps the advice consistent: "When in doubt, always go native. In dry hot climates, cacti tend to do best but there is always a wide variety of herbaceous natives that will look great when used properly."

Take Root Gardens adds some specific plant recommendations for hot sites: "Mediterranean plants such as lavender and rosemary are useful structural additions that require very little attention. Ornamental grasses like miscanthus and blue oat grass provide great contrast and hold up on the hottest sites. Groundcovers such as hens and chicks and woolly thyme can create a beautiful carpeting effect around perennials and between flagstones."

For warm climate gardeners, pairing drought-tolerant natives with rubber mulch is a particularly effective combination; the mulch retains soil moisture and regulates temperature, reducing stress on plants during dry spells.

Landscaping Around a Pool

Pool surrounds require a little extra thought, both for aesthetics and practicality.

Take Root Gardens advises: "Always choose plant materials that will do well with chemicals that can be splashed from the pool itself and avoid plants that drop excessive foliage or seeds into the water. That creates additional pool maintenance that will quickly become tedious."

Chase Greene adds a safety note many homeowners overlook: "Be aware of bees; many pretty flowering plants will attract them, which can disrupt pool time. Also be careful selecting plants placed close to the water, as evaporating chlorine can damage delicate plants."

For pool surrounds, rubber mulch is worth serious consideration. Unlike wood mulch, it won't wash out of landscape beds into the pool, it doesn't attract insects, and it stays put in the wind. Its clean, consistent appearance also complements the manicured look most pool areas call for.

Curb Appeal: Making a Strong First Impression

This is where our experts had the most to say, and with the most passion.

Jill Davis starts with a diagnostic exercise: "Walk out to your curb with a notebook and a camera, and look at your house as objectively as possible. What do you like? What do you hate? What attractive architectural features are hidden by overgrown greenery? Write it all down and take a few photos. Look at the pictures. The answers will be there in living color."

Her core philosophy: "Less is always more. A great landscape plan breathes. Remember, it's no longer in style to hide your house behind a monotonous wall of evergreens. Select a few plants you love and repeat them throughout the design for continuity and eye-catching appeal."

John Hayden offers a bold, high-impact tip: "Take that boring bed in the front yard, carefully remove the shrubs, place one or two large boulders, then put the plants back — with their placement guided by the boulders. You now have a bed that looks completely transformed. Boulders lend weight and age to a landscape. Don't underestimate how dramatically they can boost curb appeal."

Ben Bowen keeps it simple: "Less clutter. Make the investment in a signature piece or unique specimen. Focus on odd numbers of plantings and create mass plantings for large impact."

Rubber mulch contributes meaningfully to curb appeal; its rich, consistent color and clean edges give garden beds a polished, intentional look that wood mulch, which fades and breaks down, struggles to maintain over time.

🛒 Ready to Give Your Landscape a Professional Finish?

The right ground cover ties a landscape together — protecting your plants, suppressing weeds, and looking great year after year. Browse Playsafer™ rubber mulch colors and find the perfect match for your outdoor space.
Shop Rubber Mulch Now →

A Note on Safety

If rubber mulch is new to you, you may have questions about whether it's safe for children, pets, and plants. The science on this is now very clear. In March 2026, California's OEHHA published a landmark study confirming no significant health risk from recycled tire rubber — even for young children in intensive contact scenarios. This followed a joint 2024 study by the EPA and CDC reaching the same conclusion.

Read the full safety breakdown here →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start a DIY landscaping project on a tight budget?
Start with a plan — even a simple sketch — before spending anything. Focus your budget on a few high-impact items rather than spreading it thin. Use inexpensive materials like gravel or river rock to fill space, and consider hiring a designer just for the plan while doing the labor yourself. That combination can cut costs by 50% or more according to our experts.

What is the lowest maintenance landscaping option?
Native plants paired with a quality ground cover like rubber mulch come closest to a truly low-maintenance landscape. Native plants need less watering, pruning, and fertilizing. Rubber mulch suppresses weeds, retains moisture, and requires no annual replacement — making the combination exceptionally practical for busy homeowners.

What mulch is best for landscaping beds?
For ornamental beds, rubber mulch offers the best combination of longevity, weed suppression, and appearance. It lasts 10+ years, doesn't decompose or attract insects, and holds its color far longer than wood alternatives. For vegetable or edible plant beds, organic mulches are the better choice.

How do I improve curb appeal quickly?
Our experts agree: remove overgrown or tired plants first, then work with what's left. Group plants in odd numbers, choose a simple color palette, add one strong focal point, and finish beds with a clean, consistent ground cover. The difference a tidy, well-mulched bed makes to a home's exterior is immediate and dramatic.

Is rubber mulch safe for children and pets?
Yes. Two major government studies — from California's OEHHA (March 2026) and the joint EPA/CDC Federal Research Action Plan (April 2024) — have both independently confirmed that recycled tire rubber poses no significant health risk to children, adults, or pets. Read the full research summary →

How do I choose plants for a hot climate?
Native plants are always the safest starting point — they're adapted to local conditions and require far less water and maintenance. Mediterranean varieties like lavender and rosemary are excellent structural choices for hot, dry sites. Pair them with a moisture-retaining ground cover like rubber mulch to reduce stress on plants during dry periods.

Our Expert Panel

We're grateful to the following landscape professionals for generously sharing their expertise:

Chase Greene: Broward Landscape, Coral Springs, FL
Native Edge Landscape: nativeedgelandscape.com, Austin, TX
Take Root Gardens: takerootgardens.com, Vancouver, BC
Ben Bowen, Landscape Designer: Ross NW Watergardens, Pacific Northwest
John Hayden: JJ Hayden Inc., Woodstock, IL
Jill Davis: Jill Davis Design, Chicago area, IL

🛒 Your Landscape Deserves a Great Finish

From backyard playgrounds to front-yard curb appeal, Playsafer™ rubber mulch delivers lasting color, reliable weed protection, and peace of mind — trusted by homeowners and landscape professionals across the country.
Shop Rubber Mulch Now →