Flowers are one of my favorite things in the world and I dream of having a colorful, thriving garden one day. Full disclosure though, over the years we’ve had quite a few plants and flowers fail to flourish. But the list I’m sharing today is only our successes and those that don’t require a lot of work. Low-maintenance is key these days!
I know once the kids are older and I have a bit of extra time, gardening is going to a hobby that I will full heartedly enjoy. For now, I’m sticking to the easy to care for plants and flowers.
If you travel often or are always on the go and want a pretty garden here are my recommendations on what to invest in. Also, since fall and spring are the two seasons that are best to plant, this may be a good time to start planning your planting!
Lilac
We planted one small lilac last fall in our backyard and early this summer, it bloomed beautifully! We were so impressed with its growth. Lilacs are definitely a great option for low-maintenance care. Plus they smell amazing.
Peonies
Peonies are one my favorite flowers. We also planted two peony bushes in the fall and already had flowers bloom late Spring. These are a little more maintenance but soooo worth it to see them bloom. We water them a little extra on the very hot days but for the most part, they are pretty easy to care for. We also had huge peony bushes in our rental house a couple years ago that were gorgeous. Again, just extra water on very hot days, a little pruning in late fall and you should be good! This photo was taken three years ago and is at the top of my list for all time favorite photos 🙂
Hardy Hibiscus
We don’t have any this year (bunnies) but next season I’m hoping to fence over a small area and grow them. They are so tall and stunning when they bloom. From what I’ve read and heard, they are easy to care for too. I saw hardy hibiscus blooming everywhere on our recent trip to Door County, Wisconsin and was inspired!
Hydrangeas
I swear our hydrangeas have doubled in size from last year and we haven’t done a thing! Some get the harsh afternoon sun so they did get a little burned but overall our hydrangea is thriving. My mother-in-law helps with pruning at the end of summer. It is often debated whether or not this is necessary to do so overall hydrangeas are pretty low-maintenance to grow.
Ferns
We also put ferns in our planters this year in front. We’ve had back to back family getaways lately and almost everything in other planters died but the ferns are still going strong! You can also plant ferns in ground which I plan to do in the fall. We actually just left them in the containers they came in, added bricks to the bottom of the planters and set them on top. So easy. Plus these are from Walmart (only $8 each!).
We usually go to our local garden center but sometimes you can get lucky with quality plants at Walmart too! Who knew? I’ve had another plant for a year that was $13 (not sure what it’s called) in our home office makeover. I need to find the name of this one because its great for a space that doesn’t get a lot of sunlight.
Note the most important step before you dig! We just learned how important this step is…. CALL 811 a few days before you start digging. There can be utility lines in the ground that you don’t want to hit.
We’re in the Chicago suburbs and can call JULIE (Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators) to come check – 1-800-892-0123.
Please share your recommendations on favorite low-maintenance plants and flowers too! I’d love to hear in the comments. Thanks!
