With summer upon us, nothing enhances your home's appeal more than a flourishing, well-kept yard.

Easier said than done, however. Creating and maintaining a healthy garden requires consistent care and upkeep. Let too many days go by without weeding or watering, for example, and you can quickly have an eyesore on your hands. 

Fortunately, there are ways to make gardening easier and less time consuming. Try a few of these ideas, which help simplify yard maintenance so that you can spend more time enjoying your outdoor environs with family and friends.

Try container gardening. Whether you're planting perennials, annuals or vegetables, using an assortment of containers to house them is a simple way to get started. Doing so will save you strenuous digging time and make weeds a non-issue. Container gardening also allows you to create a moveable garden, putting plants on display in key areas of your yard when they're in full bloom, or moving something into a shadier area if it's wilting from too much sun. One downside of container gardening is that your plants will dry out more quickly, so expect to have to water more. Try placing stones in the bottom of containers before planting to help retain water.

Pull 100 weeds a day. Nothing can put a damper on both the look of your garden and the enjoyment of gardening faster than weeds that have run amuck. Instead of lamenting over the ruined beauty of your garden or spending an entire weekend on a back-breaking weeding intervention, pick 100 weeds a day (or whatever number feels right to you). This can quickly be done when you grab the newspaper in the morning, when you head out to empty the garbage, or as you unwind after dinner. Picking 100 weeds takes only a few minutes, can be very therapeutic and will help prevent weeds from taking over.

Fill your garden with native plants. One of the easiest ways to simplify gardening and create long-lasting, low-maintenance beauty is to plant species that are native to your area. Native plants thrive with little care and are likely to grow and spread quickly. Your local garden center can help point you in the right direction.

Make it a family affair. Gardening is a great way to educate kids about nature and helps instill a sense of pride in their home. Get all of your children involved with age-appropriate tasks, from deadheading flowers to watering containers to pulling weeds. If your kids are less than enthusiastic about gardening tasks, tie it into their allowance or let them choose something to plant and care for all on their own.

Overall, the best way to make gardening more manageable and maintain a beautiful outdoor space year-round is to do a little each day. This will help you stay ahead of the game and avoid strenuous and time-consuming projects.