A Carefree Garden

Everyone wants a carefree garden but if you have been gardening for awhile you know there is no such thing!  However, we can all be in search of plants that will make things easier each year and still be beautiful.

I have added some seasonal shrubs to my borders, shrubs that have three seasons of interest.

Forsythia Greenstem

 

Dwarf Fothergillia

 

Ninebark Summer Wine

Grasses are also great to add for multi-season interest, but they must be cut down each spring and divided when they develop a donut look in the middle.

Miscanthus Udine is very showy in the fall.  I left is up all winter again and it will probably need some dividing this spring after nine years.

Panicum Northwind goes through many color changes in the fall and can be left up all winter, time to cut this one down.

Roses are work in my garden, pruning, deadheading, fertilizing and oh those Japanese Beetles!  A local nursery uses the traps and I am going to try them this year before I give up growing roses.  I know the traps are controversial but I am the major rose grower in the neighborhood so I get most of the beetles anyway.  Don't get me wrong, I love the roses, they are a wonderful addition to my back borders.  However, for the past few years I have been getting only one bloom cycle and the rest of the summer is spent trying to get rid of the beetles.

Rainbow Knockout

 

David Austin's Mary Rose

 

You can see why I hate to give them up but they are an eyesore most of the summer.

 

 

Phlox are a little more work because if you want them to bloom throughout the summer they must be deadheaded.  They have long legs that are prone to leaf curling and should be planted behind shorter plants so they just peek out.

 



Taller Franz Schubert with Laura

 

Peppermint Twist

 

Lavender David

 

Colorful leaves can be as pretty as flowers and require almost no maintenance.

 

Brunnera Jack Frost

 

Brunnera Angel Wings

 

Heucherella Sweet Tea

 

Heucherella Stoplight

 

Heuchera Pinot Gris

 

Heuchera Autumn Leaves

 

We must not leave out hostas and ferns in the carefree garden (many will grow in the sun).

 

Halcyon and August Moon hostas will both take sun.

 

Lady Fern Red Stemmed

 

Crested Fern

 

Lilies are always carefree!  My favorites are the Orienpets but try to stay below four feet in height unless you want to be running around staking the tall ones.  They are lovely but will not hold up to high winds like the shorter varieties.

 

Conca D'or is one of the shorter varieties, very fragrant.

 

Lilies can be planted in the fall and spring, take up very little room in the garden.

 

Daylily Chicago Rosy

 

Choose daylilies that do not require division for many years.  Stella D'oro multiplies so fast you will be on your knees a lot trying to keep it contained.

 

Arnie's Choice

Ten years and have not had to divide yet!