Growing plants can be a lot of work, which most people do not have the time or energy for, but it turns out there is a way to have a thriving garden without much effort. Lee Burkhill, an award-winning garden designer, has shared with Lazy Susan that many stunning flowers and glossy plants are very hardy and do not need to be cared for constantly.
He said: “Are you a gardener who is pushed for time or prefers sitting out and relaxing amongst the flower beds rather than constantly maintaining them? I don’t blame you. As more and more of us gardeners are pushed for time, sometimes we wish for plants that can get on with it without our constant support!”
If you are looking for plants that do not need to be watered every week and want to avoid dealing with slugs munching on the leaves, then here are some simple yet beautiful plants that are easy to care for.
What low-maintenance plants can you grow in April?
Lady’s Mantle
Springtime in the UK is a time when the sun is finally coming out, but unfortunately, it also means dealing with a lot of rain showers that can appear at any time.
Lady’s Mantle, also known as alchemilla, is the perfect plant for rainy days. It is famous for how beautiful it looks when its big silver-green leaves are covered in water droplets.
Lee said: “From May to June, it sends up acid green flowers. Self-seeds everywhere, and rabbits and slugs leave it well along. In fact, this plant is almost too fuss-free.”This pretty plant can be planted almost anywhere in the garden but is best in shaded areas or along borders where other plants may struggle as it is perfect to fill up any gaps.
Summer lilac
Summer lilacs, also known as butterfly bush, are striking plants known for their colourful cluster flowers and sweet fragrance, which will attract many pollinators to your garden.
Lee said: “This shrub is pretty much pest-free and will attract plenty of butterflies to your garden, hence its common name, ‘the butterfly bush’.”
Not only will summer lilacs encourage lots of butterflies in your garden, but bumblebees and lots of beneficial insects are known to love this plant, so it will help you garden flowers without any effort.
It is quite an easy plant to care for as long as you put it somewhere sunny in the garden. However, it grows quite quickly, so it will need to be cut back once a year to keep it tidy.
Johnson’s Blue
Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blues’ is known for its deep blue or purple flowers, which bloom for a very long time.
Lee said: “This Geranium is another favourite for fuss-free flowering. It blooms in May and is covered in purple to blue flowers.
“It will grow in any soil, is readily available as plug plants, can be divided for more free plants and not many pests go near it for some reason.”
Johnson’s Blues are very easy to care for. They are quite resistant to many pests and fungal diseases and only really need to be watered during dry spells in the summer.
However, what is fantastic about this flower is that it can reflower again later in the year and remove any dead flower petals in summer, so you have it looking beautiful in your garden for months.
