So you’ve started your plant collection in your home…what next? Yes, that’s right — it’s time to move on outside to the wonders of gardening! If you don’t have a big outside space to garden in, that’s okay, just use whatever space you have or get a planter box to get started. The following plants will all be perennials, which means they will come back each year in the spring! So once you’ve planted them, they’ll keep coming back year after year. These are perfect for those of you just starting your gardens, all require minimal maintenance.
- Daylily
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These are by far one of the prettiest and easiest types of flowers to plant in your garden. This low-maintenance flower grows from roots instead of bulbs which means once they’ve grown a bit, they are very easy to split (creating a second plant from the original stock). You can do this (as long as it’s early in the spring) by separating clumps of the plant into two. These do need quite a bit of sun, so make sure not to plant them in the shade. Usually, natural rain will water them enough but if it’s an especially hot summer make sure to give them a little extra — but only water before the sun has fully risen or set! If planted in a large enough space, these will grow one to three feet tall. Daylilies will bloom for pretty much the entire summer so it adds a lot of colour for your garden!
- Hosta
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Although these guys don’t flower they are a great way to add volume and greenery to your garden and almost impossible to kill! They come in all different genuses with altering colours so pick whichever one suits your garden colour scheme best! These actually do best in the shade or partial sunlight, as the leaves tend to burn quite easily by mid-summer. They need minimal watering, especially if you plant them in the shade. A quick fun fact: slugs love these guys and tend to put holes in the leaves. So if you are planting yours near water, scatter some sand (or sandy-soil) and that will usually deter the slugs from taking a snack! Hostas will continue to stay a pretty lush green until temperatures drop, so they are great for those wanting a long-season garden.
- Black-Eyed Susan
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These are another cute and easy perennial that will continue to flower throughout the summer and usually stay blooming until October! They are native to North America so they are bug-resistant, meaning little insects won’t eat them away. However, its nectar centre does attract butterflies and bees so your garden will be buzzing! Again these flowers will most likely be watered enough naturally, but if you see some drying or burning, be sure to give them a little drink. They do prefer full sun but will still bloom fabulously under partial sunlight. A great way to keep these growing is by picking off the dead/faded flowers, this stimulates the plant to continue blooming. Black-eyed Susans will almost always outlast your other flowers, so they are a great way to keep the summer mood around when heading into fall!
- Blue Globe Thistle
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These little cuties are fast-growing and add a pop of blue that gardens tend to miss! Bees LOVE these, so expect an increase in the pollination of your garden after you plant them. These need little to no water irrigation, so the rain will do everything for you. However, because of how low maintenance these are, they can easily invade your entire garden so be careful where you plant them. A great way to stop them from overtaking your entire area is to practice deadheading to prevent the seeds from spreading. In order for these to bloom well and have a nice hue of blue, they need direct sunlight so make sure they get the heat they love! Globe thistles are the perfect flower for any low-maintenance garden.
These are just a few of some of my favourite perennials for beginners. Each of which usually require minimal watering or maintenance. A reminder to never water your plants when the sun is in the sky as it will only burn your plant! Try to water in the morning or evening when the sun hasn’t fully risen or set, to give your plants the perfect drink. Hopefully one of these will be the beginning of your own garden!