Your favourite 'fuss free plants'

[Laurasanford789]

Hi all

I have a garden that I'm still adding to. I already have a lot of cottage style plants as that's what I love, hardy geranium, Nepeta, agastache, foxgloves, alchemila mollis etc. I grow annuals for cut flowers but I'm mainly looking for any additional perennial plants that you would recommend, that you plant them and don't have to do much with... I lean towards pastels more than tropical and I have roses already, garden has good soil, is south facing so they have to be drought tolerant, any recommendations of things you have you'd love to share id be greatful ☺️

If you want to have another go with Lupins, try putting Strulch around them. It’s the straw mulch you can buy in bags. The slugs hate it. I’ve got loads of lupins now (usually covered in aphids, but at least they flower first).

Thanks @redpickle I might try that - definitely seen it recommended before, though never seen any at an actual garden centre. Maybe I should look more carefully!

My garden is so deeply shaded it's a paradise for slugs and snails, so anything that might make a difference is worth a try...

Not the cheapest option, but nematodes really do cut down the slug population.

I didn't bother last year, boy was that a mistake, even though it was so dry.

Hydrangeas don't like sun. Neither do hellebores, Beware the Achillies,I planted a couple , they have completely taken over, the bed the path, underground roots everywhere.. Daphne's are very soil and aspect particular. We had them 3 MTRS high in our last garden, never managed to grow one here. Plenty of nice ornamental grasses are happy in the sun.

Yes and very aphid prone.

Hydrangea not reliable if we don't get enough rain cf name, they need water! Lavenda can end up looking very woody and pathetic.

Geum, absolutely love it

For some evergreen interest Daphne Eternal Fragrance is a lovely small shrub and Luzula Nivea is an evergreen perennial that looks like a grass.

Aquilegia … possibly not spelt like that. Self seed and are very pretty for no effort

Bleeding heart (mine has been moved, put in sun, put in shade and still it thrives)
Hellebores
Perennial fuschia

Another one for lupins, love them and very cotrage garden. I put down slug pellets and keep and eye on them. Spray them with a fairy liquid and water solution to keeps the aphids off, partial success but always flower well all summer.

Herbs? Especially in the sun. Rosemary, marjoram, sage etc - pretty bomb proof. Just DON'T put mint into the ground!

Oh, I've not noticed any slugs attacking them🤔. I grew them from seed and they come back year after year, noticed the first little leaves today appearing. I've never used slug pellets as have a lot of fruit bushes and prefer to be chemical free............probably be decimated tomorrow now I've said that😂

I am trying to go for low maintenance in my south facing border. I have a few evergreens dotted about for year round interest (euonymous, ceanothus, pittosporum, choiysia). The perennials that I repeat and do well are erigeron at the front of the border, geranium rozanne, geums and then verbena bonareinsis (sp) dotted throughout.

Ornamental grasses are also easy peasy as I just cut them down at this time of year then they spring back up and look great all year and with the frost on them in winter. They look good with the verbena in my opinion.

Yes love grasses look good in a gravel garden along with the salvias.

Achilles Ptarmica -white flowers 12+ inches high -small flowers so fit in between more colourful plants .

I like alliums and aquilegias for early interest. Both require absolutly no effort after planting and die back completely for the summer stuff to come through.

Useful tip, thank you. I'm currently nursing a lupin in a pot in the hope it won't get slugged.

Foxgloves will self-seed. You can transplant them easily if they end up in stupid places.
Poppies come back year after year.
Holly will survive in dry shade.
Marigolds (calendula)
Ox-eye daisies

I've also done well with regal lilies. I shoved them in a pot years ago and they've done brilliantly.

Lurking as I need more plants

I tried that and made no difference whatsoever. I must have superslugs!

Me too!

Sedum autumn Joy - Beautiful autumn colour, easy to propagate, attracts wildlife, drought tolerant and holds its shape well. I cut it back in spring but other than that it thrives on neglect.

Rozanne geraniums
Russian sage (blue spire)
Salvia hot lips
Verbena bonariensis
Erigeron karvinskianus
Nepeta - I have Six Hills Giant and Walker's Low
Hebes - Rhubarb and Custard, Heartbreaker and Lady Ann are all thriving in my garden with no input from me!

Some of my absolute favourites are my abelias, I have loads both in pots and in the ground. They're low maintenance and beautiful year round. The kaleidoscope variety is my favourite, I've attached a photo of one of mine.

I love Salvia’s - both the greggi variety (like Hot Lips) & the more upright woodier version. The cone in the lots of colours including white, cream, pale lemon, pinks & purples.
Also Verbena Bonariensis Bampton - delicate pale purple flowers on long spikes with dark purple red forage.

I forgot to say penstemon, so useful and easy, and feverfew.