Easy Care Perennials

 It's so hot that I really don't want to get out in my garden at all. Even early in the morning when it's cooler, the humidity is sick. So thank goodness for flowering plants that, (with an irrigation system) are low maintenance. I love coming home and seeing beautiful, healthy flowers. Exotic... not so much, but still beautiful.

Nandina is my favorite bush for flower arranging. The foliage adds height and
the berries start as a white flower, turn into a lime green berry, and later turn this bright red
gorgeous color, perfect for holiday wreaths. Love it.

Okay, so Privets might be the least popular,
weed like perennial BUT I LOVE THEM. I like their veriegated leaf and
lacy white blooms in the spring. They are indestructable and add movement
and softness to any style of landscaping. You just have to make sure you have enough room to let them
grow free... I don't like to prune them and they get huge.

Who doesn't love Peonies?! I have the single and double bloom in white, but
would love to add other colors. Once established, peonies are incredible!!! Even after
their blooms fall, the "peony hips" are beautiful and can still be used
in arrangements.

Oh Hellebores! What else can I say, so so so pretty.

Azaleas are easy as long as they have some shade and water. I have a repeat bloom
variety and the only thing I have to do is dust them once a year for mildew. I guess that's
not as easy care as the other ones, but they're worth it.

Hydrangeas are my favorites and I have three varieties:
Blushing Bride, Endless Summer, Oak Leaf
They need LOTS of water and some shade. Other than that,
easy!

I like to mix herbs in with my flowers and Lavender is perfect!  The purple bloom is
lovely for months and the smell is just beautiful. 

I planted Wine and Roses last year and they have tripled in size . I love
the dark foliage and the bloom is absolutely stunning in the spring. I don't prune
or dead head them either.

I resisted planting Knockout Roses for a long time, but they got me. They bloom for nearly three
whole seasons and require no attention. This double bloom variety is my favorite because they
actually look like roses. That was my complaint with the single. Anyway, no spots,
no bugs, no pruning. 

I know everyone has Daylilies but I still love them. They add so much color, texture
and pop to a garden. 

Peonies

All of my peony plants came back this year and I had beautiful, fragrant bouquets that lasted for a couple of weeks!

Peonies are really easy to grow and come in a lovely range of colors. I have all white, but some are double and some are single bloom. That was not on purpose, by the way. The garden store tagged some incorrectly, but all's well that ends well. Maybe next year I'll plant some bright pinks or reds.

I would love to have flowers or greenery in bloom every season in my garden, so I don't spend money on arrangements or wreaths at the store. Someday I'd love to have enough land for a vegetable garden and a flower garden for arrangements! Someday I'd also like to have a personal assistant/massage therapist.

Gardens and Gardening

I love gardening and I love gardens. Someday, when life slows down a bit, I'd love to join a club and learn all I can about growing everything from flowers to vegetables to herbs and fruit trees... I'd also love to have a small green house to start seeds in and keep more plants alive through the winter.


These are beautiful landscape and garden pictures I've found on various blogs and websites that I love. I'm not the best gardener, but someday.

I love flowering vines! Luckily my wisteria and clematis came back this spring so I'm also considering planting a climbing hydrangea. Any thoughts???

What a beautiful garden party!

Martha's super organized and beautiful vegetable garden takes my breath away!!!

I love the wide square mulch beds under these trees. Shade gardens are among my favorites and last year I was able to find a little corner in the back of my house for one. Luckily, most of the plants lived through the past winter, but I'm thinking of adding some hellebores. Has anyone grown them before?

What kind of gardens do you have???