No-fuss perennials make gardening a breeze
Whether you are new to gardening or just want a beautiful garden without spending a lot of time maintaining it, choose no muss, no fuss perennials. They give a lot while asking very little from their gardener.
These plants and flowers are attractive all season long but not tempting to deer or rabbits, and none of them require deadheading. Seed heads can be left standing in the garden for winter interest.
Alliums are an ideal choice for the front of sunny gardens. Tufts of grasslike foliage appear early in spring and look great until frost. Small globes of tiny flowers rise on slender but sturdy, 18-inch stems from mid to late summer. Summer Beauty sports lilac-colored flowers; Millennium shows off blooms of rosy-purple.
Plant alliums in a sunny spot with good drainage and they will be happy in your garden for many years.
Astilbes are a must have for shady gardens. There are many varieties, ranging in height from ground hugging to 3-feet or taller. Chinese astilbes (Astilbe chinensis) perform best in moist soil, but tolerate drier conditions better than other types.
Their fern-like foliage is pretty and their flower spikes add sparkling colors to the garden in summer. Pumila grows just 8 to 12 inches tall and flaunts mauve pink flowers. Maggie Daley grows 2 to 3 feet tall and has lavender-purple blooms. The reddish-pink flower spikes of Visions in Red top out at 18 inches.
If you want a perennial that can take the place of a small shrub, choose one of the many varieties of Baptisia. Commonly called false indigo, the stems of this late spring bloomer look like asparagus as they rise from the soil in April. Eventually reaching from 2 to 4 feet, they prefer a spot in the garden offering sun to light shade.
Screamin' Yellow is covered in yellow pea-like blooms in mid to late May. If you prefer pastel colors, try Purple Smoke. It features pale lavender flowers. The blooms of Cherries Jubilee boast a unique color combination of maroon and yellow.
Plant false indigo where it will stay. Its deep roots resent moving.
A sunny, summer perennial garden wouldn't be complete without coneflowers. Choose any variety that suits your fancy. Favorites of mine include Magnus, a pink-flowering variety that grows up to 3 feet tall; Fragrant Angel, similar in size but with white, sweetly-scented flowers; and Sombrero Salsa Red, a red-blooming variety that grows just 18 inches tall.
Coneflowers are a favorite of birds and butterflies, too.
Coral bells are grown in partly shaded gardens for their rounded, lobed, colorful foliage in shades of purple, rose, gold and green. All they require is a spot with well-drained soil and some protection over their roots in winter to prevent frost heaving.
Obsidian retains its deep purple foliage color well into winter. Caramel shows off soft golden-orange leaves. The glossy, plum colored foliage of Amethyst Mist is overlaid with silver. Although the flowers of most varieties may not impress you, they are loved by hummingbirds.
If you have a shade garden, hostas are a perfect choice. From small, edging types to large specimen plants, there is one that is the perfect size for your garden. Foliage, not flowers, is what hostas are grown for and their foliage can be every bit as colorful as flowers.
Favorite blue-foliaged varieties include Halcyon (18 inches tall) and Blue Angel (up to 3 feet tall). Maui Buttercups (10 inches tall) and Jimmy Crack Corn (24 inches tall) are nice gold types. Some classic varieties with variegated foliage are June, Liberty and Patriot.
June parades dark blue-green leaves stroked with chartreuse in their centers. The thick blue-green leaves of Liberty are edged with a wide yellow margin. Patriot displays dark green foliage with irregular, bright white edges.
The family of sedum, or stonecrop, has much to offer gardeners with sunny dry gardens. All have starlike flowers and succulent stems and leaves. They only ask for a sunny, well-drained site to call home.
Autumn Fire's rosy-pink flowers bloom a long time beginning in late summer. The plant grows 18 to 24 inches tall. Vera Jameson grows just 12 inches tall and features purple foliage and pink flowers. Angelina has bright golden-yellow needlelike foliage and grows just 4 inches tall.