If you have been putting extra hours into the garden over summer, you may be feeling it in your back.

Awapuni gardening guru, Tod Palenski, says there are lots of ways to make gardening easier on the joints and less time consuming.

"If you find you can no longer spend hours in the garden, try planting low-maintenance plants," Tod says.

"Awapuni's Pop'n'Grow range has a wide range of easy to grow plants that are easy to look after and great for filling in those bare patches around your garden."

Tod recommends lobelia and impatiens for quick and easy summer blooms.

"By filling in gaps you will suppress the weeds, which means less time in the garden for you. As lobelia and impatiens only require basic care, your garden will be a breeze to look after."

Lobelia, with its small but numerous flowers, provides a colourful coverage and its bushy shape suits most garden types.

Impatiens have thick, dark foliage and traditional looking flowers.

"They're perfect for cheering up a tired looking garden and will bloom for the rest of summer, with very little effort."

For a green, leafy alternative Tod says you can't go past lettuce.

"While it may seem a bit strange to put vegetables in a flower garden, lettuce leaves look great and, of course, you can eat them.

"For variety, plant several different types of lettuce, like those in Awapuni's Pop'n'Grow Hearting Mix. The different textures make for an interesting addition to your garden."

If your vegetable garden is looking a little bare Tod says now's the time to plant leeks.

"By planting them now they will be ready in time for winter stews and soups.

"The best way to grow leeks is to plant them at the bottom of a ditch and as they grow mound soil around the stems. By doing this the white parts will grow longer, giving you more vegetable to eat."

If you are struggling with back and joint aches from gardening, Tod has some easy tips to reduce the pain.

"Think of gardening like you would most forms of exercise and don't over do it. Make sure you have plenty of rest breaks to stretch out and keep yourself hydrated, especially if it's hot."

The New Zealand Chiropractors' Association recommends adjusting your gardening technique. By making a few changes you can reduce the pressure on your body significantly.

"When lifting heavy objects make sure you bend at the knees and not at your hips," says NZCA spokesperson, Dr Simon Kelly. "By bending at the knees you'll be using bigger muscles and will reduce the pressure on your spine."

He says bending or sitting in one place for too long can cause damage and create pressure on your joints.

"Split up repetitive tasks so you are not stuck in the same position. If you spend a great deal of time crouching forward weeding for example, do regular lunging stretches of your hip flexors through the day or at the end of your gardening to ease the pressure created on your lower spine."

One way to eliminate bending all together is to build a raised bed garden. They are easy to make yourself or can be bought from most garden stores.

"When choosing timber for your raised bed garden, make sure you use ground treated timber, line with plastic and add soil," says Tod.

"Raised beds are great for planting flowers, herbs and vegetables. They can be as small or large as you like and because you don't have to bend over all the time, you can say goodbye to back pain."