What are some of the best and prettiest plants and flowers that require little maintenance and up keep?

I am a very busy woman and have little time for pruning and trimming but I like for my yard to look good and I don%26#039;t want to use fake plants.





Thanks!

FlowersBirthday FlowersSympathy FlowersIt really depends on where you live. For example, cactus and succulents are beautiful and require just about no maintenance, but they generally don%26#039;t grow well in places like Minnesota or Scotland or Norway. As another example, dwarf connifers are also extremely beautiful and no-care, but they struggle to survive in the low deserts of Arizona and California. Honestly, you will get much better suggestions by telling us (in a general way) where you live, because climate matters.





I can give you a very helpful website to look further at: try the forums at gardenweb.com. There are regional/state forums, others that specialize in specific types of plants, and so on. Plenty of help and information.





If you don%26#039;t have time to do more research, visit a good local nursery that employs people with gardening skill (not a %26quot;big box%26quot; store where people may not have much experience) and ask them for help.
Reply:daylilies and geraniums - easy to grow, easy to propagate, low maintenance, nice flowers
Reply:try HOSTA, excellent weed-supressing groundcover. varieties from 10%26quot; to 3%26#039; in height. leaves vary from golden-yellow to the darkest blue-green. this is a very bold and substantial plant. prefers shade or partial shade. beautiful spikes of fragrant blooms in mid-summer. blooms are either white or pale lavender.once this plant is established, it needs very little if any care. it NEVER needs to be divided or pruned. if you grow it in more sun than shade, then it will need frequent watering. best in full to 3/4 day shade. i have three Hostas in my back yard they are the variety %26quot; big daddy%26quot;. they are about 5 years old and are around 3 feet tall and wide, and have very large paddle shaped leaves in a dark blue color. gets spectacular spikes of white flowers in mid-summer that rise up about 4 1/2 feet. I never do anything to it or for it and it thrives in the shade of my big ash trees. hardy to -40 degrees. some of the hostas have leaves with white or yellow variegations and edges. leaves can be spoon shaped, heart shaped, paddle shaped, strap shaped.
Reply:zinnias, and buy a sprinkler, they grow every year, and the seeds fall out and regrow..it rocks
Reply:Indian Hawthorne for evergreen shrub. It grows in a mound little trimming needed. great for formal plantings.Daylillies low maintenance and bloom summer and die back in winter. Plant in clusters in front of or between Hawthorne. Giant border grass nice accent plant no trimming needed.Also great in pots. English Ivy is a great ground cover. Phlox is also great accent plant. Blooms all summer and dies back in winter and lots of color and also different color choices. Amaryllis bulbs bloom ever spring and come back also.
Reply:I have had very good luck with purple coneflowers. The foliage is a dark green and bugs don%26#039;t seem to munch on them. Midsummer they bloom until frost then they look cool in the winter too. I trim the dead stems back in the spring. They reseed themselves and so I have to thin them out. One package of seeds has given my yard many years of compliments and enjoyment. It looks like I put alot of effort in, but I%26#039;m busy too so they only get watered on the weekends.
Reply:I would say impatients are great for shady spots in your landscaping and Hostas are good for both sunny and shade as well as daylilies and begonias and verbenia. polka dot plants are easy and coleous. I also like Dianthus.computer