geranium
I’m not lazy and I don’t think you are either. But this doesn’t mean we want to spend all our time working in the garden and zero time enjoying it. Book and lemonade in hand please! So as I get…ahem…older, I’m working on creating a space that I spend less time slaving over and more time savoring. This means incorporating plants and shrubs that don’t fuss too much. But first, you have to consider the location. Is the spot you are filling full-sun, shade and/or have dry or wet soil? Once you’ve answered that, you are golden. Here are sixteen plants that fit the bill for each location that are easy peasy. And now is a fantastic time to start collecting many of these perennials cheap as nurseries and big box stores alike are purging plants like it’s their job…because it is. And sure, I know the above picture is an annual geranium, but then again, I’ve had many survive our harsh Buffalo winters in my basement. So they’re hardy to say the least!
I. Full-sun low-maintenance plants
1.) Russian Sage
I love my Russian Sage and always keep my eyes peeled for roadside stands selling it cheaply. It adores my sunny perennial bed and never complains about water, doesn’t need to get pruned and flowers for an extended period of time in mid to late summer. Even better, it comes back year after year like a charm. What more could I ask for?
- Lavender flowers in summer; gray-green leaves; grows 3-5 feet; zones 4-9
2.) Rosa Rugosa
Pretty without the usual fuss and thorns of the typical rose. And it grows in just about every zone so it’s a good fit no matter where you live!
- Pink, white or red blooms in summer and autumn; 4-5 feet; zones 3-10
3.) Fulvous Day lily
Impossible to kill. That’s how I’d best describe a daylily. In fact, once you plant, you’ll never be rid of them. I just bought two pots of them this past summer from a guy digging them up in in front yard. At $2 a piece what a nice and easy addition to my perennial bed.
- Trumpet-shaped summer flowers in tawny orange; 3-4 feet in stature; zones 3-9
4.) Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’ or Black-Eyed Susan
Every perennial bed has a few black-eyed Susan’s taking over. Still, they are pretty and make a wonderful picking flower. Their vibrant color will attract birds and butterflies.
- Brown-centered, gold daisy-like blooms in summer; 2 feet tall; zones 3-9
II. Shade low-maintenance plants
1.) Hosta Crispula
I love hostas for the ease at which they come back year after year. That is if the deer or rabbits don’t eat them first. Still, they are lush and gorgeous and give any garden a relaxed and exotic feel. I like to space mine out in the garden. The green backdrop of the hostas make just about every other flower pop next to them.
- Emerald, white-edged leaves; lilac blooms in summer; 2 1/2 feet; zones 3-8
2.) Epimedium
These are new for me! Pretty in a delicate way, don’t you think? I saw my first epimediums at the Buffalo Plantasia show. Fragile and feminine, I was impressed and wanted some in my garden.
- Yellow, white or pink spring blooms; groundcover; 1 foot; zones 4-8
3.) Lenten Rose
Again, so pretty without the usual fuss and frustration your typical disease attracting rose causes.
- Cream or purple flowers in late winter; perennial; 1 1/2 feet; zones 4-9
4.) Bottlebrush Buckeye
It’s always a good idea to include native shrubs that are low-maintanence “filling in” those garden gaps. I like to plant super close so that my flowers will out-compete weeds. Saw these at Plantasia as well and was favorably impressed.
- Spreading shrub with white blooms in summer; 8-12 feet; zones 4-9
III. Dry soil low-maintenence plants
1.) Hens-And-Chicks
What’s not to love about this intriguing succulent that comes back year after year? Go ahead, grow these on a rock or a log for some real fun! They multiply and are some of the most fascinating plants on the planet.
- Starry rosettes of leaves, green, burgundy, or silver, 4 inches tall; zones 5-9
2.) Lavender ‘Munstead’
If nothing else, you have to love lavender for its smell. Whole garden beds could and should be built around lavender. And it dries so well for a plethora of crafting projects including lavender wreaths and sachets.
- Lavender flowers in summer and gray-green leaves; 2-3 feet; zones 5-9
3.) Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
Sedum is as easygoing as it gets. In Latin, sedum means “to sit” which is logical considering sedums low stature to the ground. Although they spread rapidly, they are not invasive. Nestle them against a few rocks for even more visual appeal.
- Pink flowers in autumn that turn bronze in winter; 2 feet; zones 3-9
4.) St. John’s Wort
St. John’s wort is the new go-to plant for their vibrant yellow color! This tough little perennial shrub thrives with very little care. Sounds like my kind of plant.
- Summer-blooming shrub with bright yellow flowers; 1-4 feet; zones 3-8
IV. Wet soil low-maintenance plants
1.) Astilbe
I love the furry tops of astilbes. Their bold color always calls my name at the garden center. Plus, I have some areas of my perennial bed that are super wet next to the gutter and my astilbe tolerates it well.
- White, rose or red summer flowers; glossy foliage; 3 feet; zones 3-9
2.) Helenium Autumnale
When your husband brings you home those half-dead artificially colored flowers from the grocery store, don’t you yearn for a handful of these instead? Not only do they make wonderful picking flowers, they give your garden that needed pop of orange and yellow. Great for attracting birds and butterflies.
- Yellow or orange, Daisy-like flowers in autumn; 3-5 feet; zones 3-8
3.) Trollius ‘Alabaster’
Trollius just scream spring to me. They are delicate and wakeful. They are pretty and fun. Treat yourself to a new addition this year and add trollius to your garden bed.
- Round, yellowish-white flowers in spring; 2 feet; zones 5-8
4.) Japanese Iris
My Japanese iris just might be my favorite plant in my garden. Tall, striking and stunning in appearance they grace me with their presence year-after-year. They bloom even after the turtle sandbox gets moved on top of them to make way for the grill. Now that’s being flexible! I always allow myself to pick one or two for an indoor hanging vase so I can enjoy them both indoors and out. And they are disease resistant!
- Blue, purple, pink or white spring flowers; 2 1/2 feet; zones 4-9
What’s your favorite perennial?
Just love the fact that my hydrangeas come back better and fuller each year on all the different varieties in my garden. Another all time favorite are Coneflowers. Most of mine are pink, red and orange. Green coneflowers with pink with centers were added newly this year.
I love Shasta daisies, I look forward to getting some to plant this year. We moved into a new home last year so This spring I am d=starting my flower gardens from scratch, so many flowers to buy and plant.
Beautiful
flowers
Thx for the giveaway
And they are still beautiful!
I love my ginger orchaids. come back every year. bring more with them. easy care and amazing color
I Love the Japanese Iris’, I love all flowers they beautify everything!
I’m in zone 3 and also mostly partly sunny but some of these stand bys would work.
Perrenial pansies, when i can find them, are my favorite
Love this list. I’ll have to check to see which ones the deer and rabbits won’t eat.
They are lively
lavender
My favorite perennial is peonies… my yard is full of them!
We love hydrangeas and they do well here in shade in the Florida heat. I love expwrimenting with my kids and playing with things that adjust the ph of the soil to change the blue or purple hies of them.
So many beautiful plants. I think I’ll add several to a new section of my flower garden this year.
Some beautiful choices!
Thank you for sharing. I have been trying to plant mostly flowers that I can count on coming up year after year as it is getting harder for me to garden with my RA. I just love some of the great ideas you have given me to add to my flower beds.
Russian Sage and Sedum are two of my favorites. No maintenance but so pretty and perform every year!
You’ve given me lots of ideas for additions to my garden. Thanks!
thanks for the great suggestions
Bougainvillea – Easy Peasy and very colorful
Love peonies
love them all, but right now irises seem to be doing well in my garden. I used to love lily of the valley when I lived in the northeast.
I would love to be able to be a successful green thumb lady.
great choices to spread around with variety of color
Thank you for the Butter Yellow Desert Steel Solar Lights Giveaway. These are my favorite so far
All of these are so pretty, how can one choose their favorite? Thank you for sharing 🙂
Beautiful flowers.
My favorite perennials for SE Texas are Salvia and Dianthus, which each bloom 365 days a year in my borders. And I’ve removed most shrubs over 3′ tall near our home to minimalize pruning, which is more effort as I’ve aged. DWARF Shrubs/Bushes have become my plants of choice, with some reblooming and extended blooming Azaleas and Pugster Butterfly Bushes being added recently. And they look great with the miniature encore roses, hardy ground orchids, hostas. calla lilies, dwarf azaleas, etc. already present. I have 3 cultivars of daylilies, which I may replace with reblooming daylilies to get more blooms for the buck. I’d added a big reblooming iris bed in the past and realized rebloomers were well worth having. Now, I must look up some of your suggestions, as I have a penchant for trying out plants you mention. I’m also thrilled to learn annual geraniums have come back for you in NY. I had bad luck with geraniums in Missouri and must try them out here in Texas. (I just realized dianthus are annuals most places; but mine bloom all year.) Plants are fun & sure can give unexpected results! Thanks for feeding my imagination and motivating my garden’s plantings.
I plant lots of milkweed plants and enjoying watching the butterflies come and have lots of baby butterflies. The Monarch butterfly is so beautiful.
I love the low maintenance effort of perennials!
Informative post my personal favorite is the Helenium Autumnale
They are all so tantalizing!
All of these flowers and plants are lovely! I would be happy to have geraniums in my yard.
My favorite are irises!
My favorite perennial is the Japanese Iris as well as Azaleas! I an excited to plant some of these other great ideas in my garden this Spring! I love all the different colors.
My favorite would have to be Irises.
I love all things green and blooms. There are so many choices that it’s hard to have a favorite but I love Poppies and wildflowers.
lots of interesting plants
I love Black Eyed Susans. I have them mixed in with my purple coneflowers and the contrast of colors is just beautiful. And they bloom all summer!
Great information, thank you 😊
So colorful. Wish I had a green thumb. I keep trying and maybe some day I’ll have a flower garden.
Gardening and flowers are my passion. I have some of the varieties you mention. They are gorgeous!
I don’t have a favorite, they are all pretty in their own way.
I have a lot of iris plants in my yard and rock garden. They are beautiful!
Thanks for the list
These are the most Beautiful Solar Light’s, Hope i will be a lucky winner.
These flowers are so pretty and I will add some of these to our garden.
Love the flowers! Can’t wait to get started in my back yard.
Azaleas are one of my favorite perennials. Mine have grown so big and beautiful over the years. Always look forward to the brightly and multi colored blooms!
That’s a great collection of plants to consider.
We plant a huge 1/2 acre vegetable garden with the help of my greenhouse! I have to say that I always end up planting tons of flowers and probably have more flower seeds than anything else!
I’m all for low maintenance, especially if anytihing wants to survive! I sometimes remember to water plants. In my mind, I’m a much better gardener than I an in real life! lol
Beautiful
I love this site so happy to have found it in the Spring!
I love this site I love the contest for the solar lights and garden weasel!❤🙂
Great ideas and such beautiful flowers
Thanks for posting all these plants for a low maintenance garden. You gave me some good ideas.
This is perfect for me
I love French Lavender! Beautiful year after year, no maintenance, and low water requirements. But I’m intrigued with the Russian Sage shown above, which I’ve not seen before! Looks similar to Lavender but more blooms. Will definitely try to find some Russian Sage for planting!
I love Black Eyed Susans.
Awesome information….great ideas and lots of inspiration! ❤️
I love all of these flowers. I have several of them in my garden.
I love flowers! Daises are my favorite!
Hard to decide a favorite. Japanese Iris is so pretty!
I love flowers and finding out new things about them.
This is a wonderful addition to our garden!
My wife would love this!!!
Are all these actual pictures from your garden? Good job, if so.
So many beautiful flowers- just love color in the gardens
My garden is full of perennials and wildflowers. I love your choices
I got so many good ideas from this post. My yard ia about an acre and it’s a lot to maintaine when it’s just me and my husband.
Thank you for sharing! I got some great ideas.
Lilly of the Valley is hardy and the smell is intoxicating .. but please note they are also toxic to pets
My favorite perennial is the deep reddish orange marigold’s that self seed every year!
Lots of pretty choices. May have to add to my gardens.
I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for the informative article!
These days, if it is low maintenance, it’s for me. With my back injury, I am no longer capable of much.
I love hostas, they remind me of my grandmother
Great gardening blog!
I love flowers as they bring back wonderful memories of my My
So many beautiful flowers!
Thank you!! Low maintenance is my kind of garden! I get so busy with the kids in the summer months. They are all so beautiful!
Thank you, for sharing and introducing me to some new flowers. I am pinning this so I can find it, when I am buying some new plants.
What a mix of beautiful flowers. I would love to have a garden big enough to have all these flowers. I can never pick a favorite of summer flowers I like so many of them.
I don’t have a very green thumb so these are good to know about thank you for the information.
I need to learn the plants that are easy for indoors too.
Those are awesome , my wife would love these in her yard.
Thank you so much for providing helpful hints!
I just started my gardening hobby and these are great ideas!
I love sage as a low maintenance plant, we planted it a few years ago and so many sprouts have popped up from the original plant. It’s very lovely.
Thank you for the great ideas. My favorite is the Astilbe.
Beautiful!
Great list! I love my daylillies because they are super easy to grow and maintain.
Love peonies!
Beautiful article and beautiful flowers. That Iris is not a Japanese Iris, but a Siberian Iris. They self seed for me.
I appreciate all your good advice (and the way you “spell it out”). You have some super giveaways as well. Thanks!
I live in Zone 10b so I have tropical plants like liriope, jatropha, palms, zamias and coontie cycads.
There are some in this list that I need to try. I have a very long area that I am trying to fill in. As I get more broken, working in the garden is getting tougher. Thank you for some great ideas!
I am so glad it is Spring!! I love to plant a garden and work in my flower beds!
I love the heavenly smell of my gardenias! I also love this site! Thanks!
My husband taught Horticulture in HS so our yard is always in bloom with something!
Beautiful pictures!
I love working outside in the garden and flower beds. This was a very helpful blog post. Thanks!
I like the colors of the day lilly. My nanny always had hens and chicks.
I only have two of these in my garden now, so lots of new ideas, thank you!
I LOVE all of these stunningly gorgeous flowers 💐 I have always been particularly partial to Lilies! I pray us humans don’t ruin these live beauties!! I would stock up on gorgeous steel flowers like in this giveaway 🌻. Thank you for the opportunity!!
I love my daylilies! They’re so easy to plant and they take care of themselves. I pick a new color each year to add to my flower bed. Soon, it will be full.
So glad I found your blog! I love gardening!
I love my flower garden. It gives me some sense of peace to work out in it. I would love to win your giveaway! Thank you for the chance!
I’m saving this page. Perfect for me.
I would love to have more color in my yard with flowers but my son tends to be over zealous with the lawn mower and keeps cutting them down. So I’ve been relying more on window boxes.
these are beautiful flowers and great information! thank you so much for the giveaway and the chance to enter!
I can’t really have a flower garden, but I do have some geraniums and a few others in pots. They really do brighten things up!