Complete Gardening
Choosing the right perennials for your garden can be a delightful yet daunting task, especially for beginners. While some perennials may seem appealing, they often demand more attention and experience than a novice gardener can provide. To save you the hassle and ensure a flourishing garden, we recommend skipping these seven high-maintenance perennials in favor of 17 resilient and rewarding alternatives. Each option offers unique beauty and ease of care, making them perfect for any budding horticulturist.
1. Skip: Delphinium
Delphiniums, with their towering spikes of blue flowers, are undeniably stunning. However, their beauty comes at a cost. They are prone to pests and diseases and require careful attention to soil quality and watering. These plants need staking to prevent damage from wind and heavy rain. Beginners may find their maintenance needs overwhelming.
Instead of delphiniums, consider planting more forgiving options that provide similar color and height without the hassle. Their demanding nature might deter novice gardeners from achieving the garden of their dreams.
2. Skip: Monkshood
Monkshood is admired for its deep purple-blue blossoms and unique shape. Unfortunately, it’s highly toxic, requiring caution when handling. It’s not ideal for gardens frequented by pets or children. The plant prefers cool, shaded areas and can be finicky about soil conditions.
These factors make Monkshood better suited for seasoned gardeners with the time to monitor it closely. Its toxicity and care requirements might overshadow its beauty for those new to gardening.
3. Skip: Astilbe
Astilbes are known for their feathery, graceful plumes and shade tolerance. However, they demand consistently moist soil, making them tricky in areas prone to drought. If not well-watered, they wilt and lose their charm rapidly. Their need for regular watering can be a nuisance.
Beginners may struggle to maintain the delicate balance of moisture, leading to disappointment. Opting for plants with less stringent watering requirements may provide a more rewarding experience.
4. Skip: Bleeding Heart
Bleeding Heart is beloved for its enchanting heart-shaped flowers. Yet, it has a fleeting presence, often dying back after its spring bloom. Its need for specific damp, shaded conditions can be challenging for novices to replicate consistently.
For those looking to enjoy perennial beauty throughout the seasons, alternatives that thrive with less oversight and offer longer blooming periods might be more suitable. The short-lived display might not satisfy those eager for lasting visual impact.
5. Skip: Lupine
Lupines boast vibrant spikes of flowers, capturing attention in any garden. They thrive in specific conditions, needing well-drained, slightly acidic soil to prosper. However, they are prone to pests like aphids.
This susceptibility, combined with their soil preferences, can frustrate beginners. The need for vigilant pest management and precise soil amendments may not align with a beginner’s skill set or patience.
6. Skip: Japanese Anemone
Japanese Anemones are known for their late-season blooms, adding color to autumn gardens. Nevertheless, they are invasive and can quickly overrun garden spaces if not controlled. Their creeping nature requires constant attention to keep them in check.
For those unprepared for vigorous spreading, this can lead to more maintenance than anticipated. Novices might prefer plants that remain contained and require less monitoring.
7. Skip: Peony
Peonies are cherished for their large, luxurious blooms and delightful fragrance. However, they demand patience, often taking years to fully establish. Peonies require specific planting depth and correct care to ensure they bloom, and they are prone to botrytis blight.
This combination of factors means they might not be the best choice for beginners seeking quick results and easy care. Opting for less finicky flowering plants can provide more immediate gratification.
8. Plant: Black-eyed Susan
Black-eyed Susans are perfect for beginners, with their cheerful yellow petals and dark centers. They’re drought-tolerant and thrive in various soil conditions, making them a low-maintenance choice. Their long blooming period provides lasting color, attracting butterflies and bees.
These flowers are resilient and adaptable, requiring minimal care. Their bright faces nodding in the breeze can brighten any garden landscape, creating an effortless burst of sunshine.
9. Plant: Coneflower
Coneflowers, or Echinacea, charm with their purple petals and spiky orange centers. They’re hardy, perennial favorites that resist drought and pests. Thriving in full sun, they support pollinators and offer medicinal benefits.
With a long blooming season, they add enduring beauty to gardens. Their tolerance for neglect makes them an excellent choice for busy gardeners eager for vibrant displays.
10. Plant: Daylily
Daylilies are known for their dazzling array of colors and easy-going nature. Perfect for beginners, they adapt to various soil types and are drought-tolerant. Each bloom lasts just a day, but they produce numerous buds for extended flowering.
They require minimal maintenance and are resilient to common pests and diseases. Their ability to flourish with little care makes them a beginner’s dream, offering consistent charm with little effort.
11. Plant: Lavender
Lavender brings a touch of Provence to gardens, loved for its fragrance and silvery foliage. Ideal for beginners, it’s drought-resistant and thrives in well-drained soil. Its soothing scent and vibrant hue attract pollinators.
Lavender’s low maintenance needs allow gardeners to enjoy its benefits without fuss. It’s perfect for creating aromatic borders or informal hedges, adding elegance with minimal effort.
12. Plant: Coral Bells
Coral Bells, with their vibrant foliage and delicate flowers, are a beginner’s delight. They thrive in shade and partial sun, offering variety in leaf color from purple to chartreuse. Their small blooms attract hummingbirds, providing both color and life to gardens.
These perennials are easy to care for, requiring little more than occasional watering. They are perfect for adding texture and color to shaded areas.
13. Plant: Russian Sage
Russian Sage exudes an airy elegance with its lavender-blue flowers and silvery leaves. A drought-tolerant plant, it flourishes in sunny spots and poor soil conditions. Its aromatic foliage repels deer, making it a practical choice for wildlife-prone areas.
Low maintenance and visually striking, Russian Sage adds depth and movement to garden borders. Its resilience and beauty make it a beginner’s favorite.
14. Plant: Shasta Daisy
Shasta Daisies, with their classic appearance, are a staple for beginner gardeners. They require little maintenance and thrive in full sun, providing cheerful blooms throughout the summer. Their strong stems resist wind, and their petals invite butterflies.
These daisies are perfect for cut flower arrangements, adding timeless beauty to gardens. Their simplicity and ease make them an ideal choice for novice green thumbs.
15. Plant: Sedum
Sedum, or stonecrop, is a succulent perennial that thrives on neglect. Its fleshy leaves and star-shaped flowers resist drought and pests. Perfect for rock gardens, sedum is adaptable to various soil types and conditions.
Its low-growing nature makes it excellent for ground cover, requiring little attention once established. Sedum offers a vibrant addition to any garden, especially for those new to gardening.
16. Plant: Yarrow
Yarrow’s feathery leaves and flat-topped blooms are both attractive and functional. A resilient perennial, it thrives in poor soil and full sun. Its flowers come in a range of colors, from yellow to pink, attracting pollinators.
Beginners will appreciate yarrow’s ability to withstand neglect, while its medicinal properties add an extra layer of interest. It’s a versatile addition to any garden landscape.
17. Plant: Lamb’s Ear
Lamb’s Ear, named for its fuzzy, soft leaves, brings tactile interest to gardens. This hardy perennial thrives in sunny areas, withstanding drought with ease. Its subtle purple flowers attract bees, adding life to the garden.
Once established, Lamb’s Ear requires minimal care, making it a perfect choice for beginners. Its unique texture and low maintenance needs make it a charming addition to any landscape.
18. Plant: Catmint
Catmint, a relative of mint, is beloved for its fragrant foliage and spikes of blue-violet flowers. It thrives in well-drained soil and sunny locations. Its aromatic leaves repel pests, and its blooms attract bees and butterflies.
Catmint’s sprawling habit creates lush borders with minimal effort, ideal for novice gardeners. Its beauty and practicality make it an essential addition to herb gardens.
19. Plant: Coreopsis
Coreopsis, often called tickseed, lights up gardens with its sunny yellow blooms. This hardy perennial thrives in various soil conditions and full sun. Its daisy-like flowers attract butterflies, providing nectar throughout the summer.
Coreopsis requires little maintenance, making it an excellent choice for beginners eager for cheerful color with minimal effort. Its resilience adds a golden glow to any landscape.
20. Plant: Blanket Flower
Blanket Flower, or Gaillardia, is renowned for its vivid red and orange blooms resembling a sunset. This drought-tolerant plant thrives in sunny spots and poor soil. Its long blooming period ensures continuous color throughout the season.
For beginners, its low maintenance needs and ability to attract pollinators make it a rewarding choice. It’s a vivid addition to any garden bed, offering bold hues with little effort.
21. Plant: Bee Balm
Bee Balm, also known as Monarda, is a favorite for attracting pollinators with its striking red blooms. This plant enjoys moist, well-drained soil and full sun. Its aromatic leaves are a bonus for herbal uses.
Bee Balm’s resilience and showy flowers make it a beginner’s delight, adding lively color to any landscape. It’s a practical and beautiful choice for those starting their gardening journey.
22. Plant: Periwinkle
Periwinkle, or Vinca, is cherished for its glossy leaves and star-shaped flowers. Ideal for ground cover, it thrives in shade and partial sun, suppressing weeds effectively. Its low-growing nature and resilience make it an excellent choice for beginners.
Periwinkle requires minimal care, making it a practical and attractive addition to any garden, providing year-round greenery and bursts of color.
23. Plant: Hosta
Hostas are beloved for their lush foliage and ability to thrive in shaded areas. These perennials require little maintenance once established and come in a variety of leaf textures and colors. Their subtle flowers attract pollinators and add interest.
For beginners, hostas provide a reliable and attractive option for shaded garden spots, offering both beauty and ease of care. Their versatility and charm make them a garden staple.
24. Plant: Rudbeckia
Rudbeckia, similar to Black-eyed Susan, boasts striking golden blooms that brighten any garden. They are hardy, thriving in various conditions and full sun. Their long-lasting flowers attract butterflies, offering nectar into fall.
With minimal care requirements, Rudbeckia is perfect for novice gardeners seeking vibrant color and ease. Its cheerful presence and resilience make it a standout in any landscape.