Best Low-Maintenance Landscaping Ideas with Bark Mulch | George Davies

Bark mulch is one of the most versatile and visually appealing materials for landscapers, homeowners, and garden designers. Not only does it enhance the aesthetic appeal of outdoor spaces, but it also serves practical purposes that improve soil health and garden longevity. Whether working on a small home garden or designing a large-scale landscape, bark mulch can elevate your project in numerous ways. Here’s how: 

The Benefits Of Bark Mulch 

• An eco-friendly and biodegradable product 

• Regulates soil temperature 

• Helps with water drainage and retention 

• Protects soil and plant roots 

• Improves soil structure and soil fertility 

• Suppresses weed growth 

• Safe for pets and kids 

• Extremely low-maintenance  

• A cost-effective ground cover option 

The Most Popular Places for Bark Mulch 

• As ground coverage for play areas 

• Walkways and garden paths 

• Flowerbed coverage 

• General ground cover 

• Along borders or to section garden areas 

The Best Types of Bark for Landscaping 

What Is Bark Mulch? 

Bark mulch is a common and popular landscaping material for many reasons, and it’s why you’ll often find it across landscaping projects. Bark is the bi-product of timber, making it an eco-friendly landscaping option. It consists of small individual ‘chips’ of bark that are trimmed to create a smooth edge. Available in different shades of brown and sized chips, they add a natural textural element to your garden design.  

View Our Bark Products 

6 Effective Ways To Use Bark Mulch 

1. Cost-effective ground cover 

If you have a large area to cover or a section of your garden that you are unsure what to do with, bark mulch creates a beautiful, rustic outdoor carpet. This can sometimes be a more cost-effective option as well as a low-maintenance solution, as once it’s laid, it can be left. Better yet, bark is a fantastic weed suppressant, meaning minimal weeding or the need for chemical products – making your bark safe for children and pets to use. 

1. Garden paths and trails 

Bark is a naturally soft landscaping material, which makes it incredibly comfortable to walk across. When compacted, bark can create a sturdy and weight-bearing walkway. Alternatively, you can create a lighter garden trail with scattered bark to provide a guided route. Either way, bark paths add contrast and shape to your garden design in a colourful and natural way.  

1. Plant beds and borders 

If you don’t like the look of bare soil or don’t want to overfill your flowerbeds with more plants to care for, bark mulch can be the perfect solution. Providing a rugged look to your flowerbeds, it creates a natural finish – giving your flowerbeds a professionally planted appearance rather than a ‘not quite finished’ look. The bonus of using bark within your flowerbeds is its protective properties. Bark not only helps water drain into your soil, but it also increases water retention – ideal for hot weather and summer droughts.  

1. Create contrasting sections 

Landscapers and garden designers love to optimise bark mulch to strategically create shape, depth and visual interest within their landscaping. Bark mulch is highly versatile, so it can be used as large ground cover, flowerbed fillers, garden features such as walkways or seating areas, or to create practical areas, including BBQ areas, viewing spots or children’s play areas.  

1. Frame shrubs and trees 

If the un-turfed areas around the bottom of your tree or the exposed ground under shrubs bother you, then bark is a simple way to solve the problem. A layer of high-quality bark mulch around your trees and shrubs creates a neat and tidy appearance. As well as enhancing the soil’s fertility and moisture around your plant, it also draws people’s attention to these beautiful features within your garden. 

1. Children’s Play Areas 

Bark mulch is not just for gardens – it also works as a cushiony surface for playgrounds. As we mentioned, bark is incredibly soft, making it the ideal surface for your kids to play on – any bumps or bruises are minimised by the bark’s soft landing. Most bark products should be natural, chemical-free products, too, so they are safe for your children. Furthermore, individual bark pieces are shaped to avoid any sharp edges.  

How To Apply Bark Mulch 

First, you’ll need the right gardening kit to lay your bark mulch:  

• Garden gloves 

• A wheelbarrow to move mulch to the right area 

• A spade to shovel bark into place 

• A rake to spread your bark mulch (use your hands for small, intricate areas) 

Now you have everything to lay your bark, follow these easy steps: 

• Apply a minimum layer of 5cms (2 inches) – this makes it thick enough to suppress weeds and avoid any bald patches. 

• Use a rake or your hands to evenly spread it out – make sure all areas are covered, including under plants and shrubs. 

• Leave a 10cm space around stems – you don’t want to pile up too much around the stems of plants as the bark could cause them to rot.  

When’s The Best Time To Lay Bark Down? 

Bark can be laid any time of year, but early spring and late winter are popular. It’s best to lay bark in your garden when the soil is thoroughly wet. This will help the bark settle in and help retain moisture within the soil. Avoid windy conditions – it just makes your life easier!  

Speak to the Experts 

Bark mulch is an affordable, eco-friendly solution for improving soil health, controlling weeds, and adding the perfect finishing touch to any garden design. Whether you’re a professional landscaper or a homeowner, incorporating bark mulch into your project will ensure long-lasting beauty. You can order your bark online, or if you need any advice, just contact our customer services team. 

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