Owning a second home can feel like a dream come true—a retreat from everyday life, nestled in a scenic locale. But when it comes to landscape and garden maintenance, that dream can quickly turn into a second home landscape headache.
The reasons for owning a second home usually fall into one of these categories:
- Weekend get away or vacation home. You may have a long term vision of perhaps retiring in the second home or treating it as an investment property which leads to the question of whether to rent it out.
- Rental Property. As a rental, you have many tax benefits that could even produce a positive cash flow if the purchase price was low enough.
- Short Term Rental (STR) less than 30 day rental term. Often for a few days or a week. If you are going to rent it on a short term basis, you will be actively managing the prospective tenants and handling maintenance or conversely, passively managing it by sourcing out all of the oversight to a management company and paying a fee. In either case, the landscaping still needs to be maintained.
- Long Term Rental. A long term rental is an investment property and you don’t intend to use it as a week end get away. Tenants renting for an extended period of time say a year or more, tend not to perform any kind of landscape maintenance. If something leaks or needs a repair, you or a management company gets a phone call from the tenant if you’re lucky.
One of the biggest challenges of having a second home landscape is the regular upkeep. Without consistent attention, gardens become overgrown, invasive species take root, and lawns lose their lush appeal. Weeds thrive in the absence of human presence, and what was once a charming flower bed can become a tangled mess in just a few weeks. These are the main issues that need to be on a maintenance check list:
- Overgrown weeds
- Overgrown shrubs
- Lawn needs mowing
- Dust, debris, pine cones, etc. need to be blown away and the patios kept clean
- Irrigation leaks need to be fixed
- Insects need to be kept in check to prevent infestation and loss of plants
- Trees need to be pruned every so often or dead ones removed
- Plants need to be fertilized for optimum appearance and growth
Pests and wildlife also tend to take liberties when the humans are away. Deer nibble at hedges, raccoons dig through mulch, and insects nest undisturbed. These disruptions not only damage the aesthetics but can also lead to long-term damage that’s costly to repair.
Seasonal changes introduce their own set of issues. Spring and summer bring growth spurts, while fall and winter demand cleanup and protection measures. Missing even one seasonal transition can leave the garden vulnerable. Fallen leaves clog gutters, frost damages unprotected plants, and pruned branches grow back haphazardly.
Hiring local help is often necessary but comes with its own challenges. Finding reliable landscapers, ensuring they understand your vision, and managing them from afar requires time and effort. Miscommunication or inattention can lead to unexpected results, like trimmed trees you wanted left alone.
Despite the headaches, there are solutions: drought-tolerant native plants, low-maintenance hardscaping, and smart irrigation systems can mitigate some of the hassle. A trustworthy local gardener or a neighbor willing to keep an eye on things can also make a world of difference.
In the end, maintaining a beautiful garden at a second home landscape is about balancing aspiration with realism. With thoughtful planning and a bit of help, it’s possible to enjoy the lush retreat you envisioned—without the seasonal stress.
If these challenges sound familiar, now may be the perfect time to bring in a professional landscape designer. An experienced designer can craft a low-maintenance, visually cohesive outdoor space that thrives with minimal intervention. They can also coordinate reliable maintenance crews, ensure seasonal needs are met, and transform your second home’s exterior into a stress-free sanctuary.
Don’t let your second home landscape become a burden. Contact a landscape designer today to reclaim your retreat and make every visit as relaxing as it should be.
Tags: second home, garden maintenance, landscaping issues, seasonal upkeep, smart irrigation