10 easy to maintain outdoor plants
Every beginner gardener needs easy-to-maintain, easy-to-grow plants that will give them the impetus to take on bigger gardening challenges.
We bring you 10 plants that will survive with minimal effort and investment of time.
1. CORAL BELL
Once planted, coral bells (lat. Heuchera) require very little maintenance, and will return year after year. Flowers come in red, green, yellow, orange, purple and even variegated colors. The plant begins to bloom in June with small spikes of petals, but its foliage will impress you from early spring until frost.
2. HEAVENLY BAMBOO
Heavenly bamboo (lat. Nandina domestica), usually known by the name “Nandina” is a simple evergreen shrub that will give your garden a “lush” look. White flowers that bloom in spring until winter turn into bright red berries that make a great decoration for Christmas wreaths and flower arrangements. Nandina is self-seeding, but this beauty can be easily maintained without much care.
3. AUKUBA
Like other laurels, Aukuba (Latin: Aucuba Japonica) is a drooping evergreen shrub that works well as a foundation for a hedge. Its showy foliage is mottled with green and gold, and its growth habit is quite slow, so pruning is rarely necessary.
4. VELVET
As far as seasonal flowers go, marigolds are a flower that will get you a lot for your money. After you put it in the ground, you can leave them alone and they will bloom until autumn. They tolerate any soil condition and will even recover if you accidentally cut them with a lawnmower. The plants can self-seed, so depending on where you are, you may find new velvets sprouting next spring. If you don’t want them to spread around your yard, dig them up and move them to the place where they suit you best and enjoy them next season as well.
5. KANA
For impressive colors in your garden, Canna lilies will not disappoint you. Bright red, orange or yellow flowers atop a tall stem wrapped in lush foliage is easy to maintain. These plants will multiply every year and are easy to divide and share with friends and family.
6. ROSEMARY
Rosemary is a perennial plant that remains evergreen in many climates. Its woody stems and fragrant leaves serve perfectly as a complement to places and other plants in your garden. Rosemary blooms in early spring and can be pruned throughout the year to ensure fresh herbs used as a spice in the kitchen.
>> Growing and planting rosemary
7. SAGE
This deer-resistant perennial is easy to care for and maintain, and rewards any beginner with long blooms of purple flowers. It is one of the favorites of hummingbirds and bees, and will become your favorite as it grows year after year.
>> Cultivation and planting of sage
8. CATNIP
This non-culinary variety of mint is a showy perennial that will bring pleasure to you and your cat for years to come. It blooms in early spring, grows quickly and tolerates everything except extreme heat and drought. You don’t have to do anything about it, although if you prune the flowers after they are spent, you can get another bloom in the season.
9. FORSYTHIA
This brilliant yellow bush is one of the first (always welcome) signs of spring. After winter is over, the forsythia begins to shed its attractive green leaves. Forsythia can be pruned into a hedge or left to grow naturally, which is sure to bring joy to your yard every spring.
>> Cultivation and planting of forsythia
10. CREEPING FLAME
Easy to grow on rocks and difficult soil conditions, creeping flame is a carpet-like perennial with luscious flowers in early spring. The flowers come in white, pastel and muted colors, and even with stripes. It is not an invasive plant and is ideal for easy maintenance.
