If you hate gardening chores but love a beautiful landscape, there are a lot of low maintenance plants you can grow. Knowing your planting zone and checking if certain plants will thrive in your area is one of the most important things in gardening.
In my garden (zone 10) near the coast, I’ve tried growing these easy-to-care-for plants and I’m happy to say that they’re excellent performers.
My Favorite Low Maintenance Plants
1. Geranium “Martha Washington”
An old-fashion favorite, this plant is overloaded with blooms in the spring. They do best in areas with warm days and cool nights. Petals are ruffled and leaves are somewhat toothed. Plant in direct sun and well-drained soil, then water moderately. Flowers come in solid colors or bicolors, in pink, white, coral, burgundy, and lavender. If you want more blooms, cut the spent flowers. Then in the fall, prune 1/3 of the plant to avoid being leggy. Zones 5-10
2. Sedum
This low-care succulent loves sun and little water. With attractive blue-green leaves and star-shaped yellow flowers, they provide good color contrast in the garden. Easily grows as a cutting by directly sticking it in the ground. Zones 3-10
3. Cape Daisy
This excellent drought-tolerant plant grows to about 1 foot tall in well-drained soil. The flowers have dark centers and satin-looking petals. If you want to attract butterflies, this is what you need to plant. The flowers tend to open on sunny days and closes at night. Easily grows from seeds directly sown in the garden. Zones 3-10
4. Mexican Feathergrass
This waterwise ornamental grass has delicate leaves and sways gently with the wind. Plant in full sun and well-drained soil. Though it reseeds easily, it’s perfect to cover meadows, banks, and modern landscape. Cut to 6 inches in the fall to encourage fresh green growth. Zone 6-10
Culinary Herbs
5. Sage
This drought-tolerant common culinary herb has blue-green fuzzy leaves and blue flowers. Plant in full sun and well-drained soil. In the fall, cut spent flowers and trim stems to promote more growth. Zones 5-9
6. Rosemary
Another popular herb used in cooking, it flavors meat, stews, soups and pasta, and bread. The leaves have a piney scent and produces blue flowers. Plant in sandy oil and full sun. Trim back in fall to promote branching.
7. Dusty Miller
With its eye-catching silver-grey foliage and small yellow flowers, this plant is a great choice to add to your landscape. Plant in spring or fall in full sun and well-drained soil. Cut plant in mid-summer if it gets too tall and leggy. Zones 7-10
Fragrant Flowers
8. Lavender
Known as a fragrant herb, lavender can be used in edgings or hedges. Leaves are gray-green and spikes of flowers are blue or purple. Plant in full sun and well-drained soil. This drought-tolerant plant attracts bees. Choose the English lavender for a more intense fragrance. Zone 6
9. Star Jasmine
A great choice to cover walls and fences, or use as a ground cover as it grows up to 18 inches tall and spreads 3 to 5 feet. Very attractive evergreen plant with glossy leaves and masses of white star-shaped flowers. In the spring and summer, the sweet fragrance of the flowers perfumes the air in the garden. Plant in full sun or part shade, and in rich, moist soil. Cut branches in the fall to encourage branching and to control shape. Zone 8
10. Honeysuckle
Another great choice to cover walls or fences, or as a ground cover. The white fragrant flowers attracts hummingbirds. Plant in full sun or part shade. Cut branches in fall to contain growth. Zones 5-9
Bright and Bold Blooms
11. Daylily
Beautiful blooms come in so many solid colors or bicolors. Some varieties are evergreen, however some will die out in the winter and come back in the spring. Easy to grow in full sun and attracts hummingbirds. Cut dead leaves just to keep it tidy. To propagate, divide after 5 years and replant in other areas. Zone 3
12. Calendula
Easy to grow from seeds by directly broadcasting them on the ground. Blooms profusely from spring to fall and attracts butterflies. The bright-colored flowers look like mini sunflowers, perfect for arrangements. Plant in full sun, moist and well-drained soil with plenty of air circulation. Cut spent flowers to encourage blooms. After it stops blooming and dies out, cut dead stems. You’ll be surprised by new sprouts from seeds that fall on the ground. Collect dried seeds from spent flowers and directly sow them on the ground. Zone 8
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