Just because you don’t have the time to be out in your garden constantly working on it, doesn’t mean you can’t have an impressive garden full of flowers. If you are short of time what you need are low maintenance plants.
A low maintenance garden doesn’t have to be a boring garden; it can still add colour and interest to your outdoor space throughout the year, you just don’t have to spend as much time looking after it.
There are some plants that are high maintenance– roses for example, need pruning, deadheading and feeding regularly and can be prone to disease. Low maintenance plants, however, will save you time once they are established, but you do need to prepare the soil properly first and keep them watered until they start to grow.
1. Daffodils
These perennials are easy to look after and add splashes of bright colour to the garden. Ideally they need to be planted to receive morning sunlight and afternoon shade and the soil needs to be well prepared. But once this is done they are very low maintenance and will just need watering once a week during growing season.
If you want a couple of plants to start with that will really brighten up your garden, check out daffodils and narcissi and start your low maintenance garden.
2. Coneflower
Coneflower is extremely low maintenance and comes in a variety of colours; from purples and pinks to yellows and greens. It requires well-drained soil, but will thrive whether in bright sunlight or a shaded corner.
As well as being easy to look after, they are known for attracting birds, bees and butterflies.
3. Heathers
Heathers are low growing evergreen shrubs – miniature forms will grow only a few centimetres, whilst others can reach heights of 3-4 metres. They will grow well whether in direct sunlight or a shaded corner, and although they can cope in most soil, a moist but free draining site is best.
It adds low-maintenance colour and interest to the landscape, regardless of the season. Although only a little maintenance is required, that little is quite essential to get the best results from it.
They will need a light trim after flowering and although they can grow without additional feeding, a light feed once or twice during the first half of the year will help it perform well.
4. Lavender
According to gardener extraordinaire Alan Titchmarsh – ‘for a low-maintenance plant that looks good all year round, it’s hard to beat lavender.’
They don’t only look great in gardens they also smell great! Although it will take little care after it is planted, it will need to be in a sunny spot and in soil that is reasonably well drained.
In the late summer give them a trim – what you cut back can be placed in the house, so you get the benefit of their smell inside as well as out.
5. Sedum
There are few plants more forgiving of sun and bad soil than the sedum plant; they will thrive in any conditions (even in areas where no other plants will grow) and need very little care and attention.
Sedum is also one of the most reliable growers around – and is guaranteed to come back time and time again, with little effort from yourself.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored guest post.