"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Easy does it.

I love all different types of flowers.  I have a pretty wide range in my garden, but the main thing most have in common is that they are low maintenence.  Most of my perennials just require being cut back in the fall or spring.  Some need dead heading or staking, but with kids I don't have a lot of time for that kind of thing.  I've been trying to plant flowers that doesn't need a lot of watering either.

Yarrow (achillea filipendulina) 'Gold Plate' is the nicest sunny yellow right now.  It looks good through the entire summer and into early fall.  I think it has a nice scent too.  It loves full sun, although mine tolerates a bit of shade in the late afternoon.

Fleabane (erigeron speciosus) gets about 2 feet tall and has these double rows of petals.  I also have the low growing fleabane (erigeron karvinskianus) it looks great in the front of a border or in a rock garden.

The annual Peony Poppy (papaver somniferum) was my first to bloom this year.  I haven't grown these in many years.  I thought this would be more light pink, but even this watermelon color looks pretty.  I'm going to save seeds from it this year.  For all the seeds of poppies I planted this was the only group of Peony Poppies to come up, but the more plain Breadseed poppies came up easier.  I haven't found any trick to poppies.  I just sprinkled them around in the late winter and waited.

Most of my Salvias are unnamed from many years ago before I thought it mattered what the varieties were.  This light pink one has appeared in a couple of places, I guess it must be self sowing.

One of the many purple salvias I have.  This one stays short, only about a foot tall.  I always cut them back after the first blooms and almost always get a second round.

Coreopsis just started to bloom.  This one is ahead of the threadleaf variety.  This one is so easy, it doesn't need much aside from some water now and then.  I have this along with the salvias and fleabane in the "driveway" garden.  It's the hottest and driest part of the yard.  Anything that goes there has to be tough.  I've got echinacea, penstemon, rudbeckias, liatris, poppies, larkspur and even dahlias growing there.

None of these flowers were expensive or unusual but to me they add a lot to my garden not only with their looks, but with their easy care.  What are some of your "easy" plants?

I'd like to thank Joan from The Retirement Chronicles for teaching me how to enlarge my pictures.  
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35 comments:

  1. Fleabane! That's such a delightful sight and so is the Coreopsis! I love annuals especially for their wonderful show. They satisfy you instantly unlike the perennials that make you wait for months and years sometimes! Love your birdbath.

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  2. Great idea to talk about "easy" plants Catherine. I love those peony poppies. Mine aren't open yet but anyday now. I never cut the seed heads, always just let them scatter where they will. Now they are coming up in fun places throughout my front bed. I bought a fleabane this spring too ~ it is the first year for me to have this in my garden. I'll be happy to see it bloom if it's as pretty as yours. Yarrow sometimes scares me because of how it spreads. I have a pink one that I have to keep in check ~ the yellow is bright, cheery and pretty too. Coneflowers are easy in my garden. They've sown themselves everywhere. You can't beat them for long lasting color. I'm sure there are many others, I just can't think yet (not enough coffee!)

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  3. Such a sight.... Kakdah, my other half (haha...), love this kind of flower gardening, assorted kind of flower bed, with everything in. So we reserve a section with this approach. Whereas I personally go for rows, arrays kind of veggie or flower gardening...

    Yours very nice indeed.

    Cheers,
    ~ bangchik

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  4. Hi, I am new to your blog but I will be back. How do you enlarge your pictures? I would love to know. Or maybe it is just with your blog. Also I have lavender poppies. Can we trade seeds?

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  5. Columbine!
    Easy to grow from seed; only problem with them is leafminer- just plant something else (Coreopsis, Gaillardia?) in front.

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  6. Hi Catherine~~ I love your crystal clear photos. I'm a nut for Salvias so these especially warmed my heart. My Erigeron is opening too. There is a pink (!) variety I'm trying to grow from seed but... it's shy or dead. The low growing Erigeron k. or Santa Barbara Daisy I've heard it called, is a great plant in my gardens too. Non-stop bloom and polite reseeding. I've got it in two window boxes and it's cascading nicely over the side. Not to mention scattered about the entire yard. Love it.

    Low maintenance, and beautiful...the best of both worlds.

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  7. Most of my garden is low maintenance. I dont really want to see soil,I want to see plants! So I plant ti up heavily. My favourite low maintenance plants , though thugs all,are Alchemilla mollis and Aneome japonica.

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  8. My gosh, that peony poppy is so beautiful! I have never heard of those before.

    I also enjoy blooming low maintenance perennials.

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  9. Low maintenance for me is pretty much any perennial. I like your salvias - don't have any in my garden, but have changed my mind after seeing yours.

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  10. They all look lovely too! I wrote down that yarrow variety as I must have it if it will grow here. I like low maintenance.

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  11. The enlarged photos make such an impact. That poppy is the prettiest ever! My dad loved salvias but I've never had good luck with them. I have grown yarrow and my arms were somewhat allergic to it. My easiest plants by far are the daylilies. I love that you have such a variety of plants. Everything looks beautiful.

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  12. I just can't do yarrow. Too humid here and way too wet this year. I couldn't even get it to grow last year.

    The pink salvia looks like Evelyn Meadow Sage. I just bought three this year. They are about 3' tall at maturity and will readily self sow.

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  13. Ooohs I love your garden! My fave is the Peony Poppy... absolutely beautiful!

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  14. A rare chance to see your blog and I am not dissapointed. The flowers are looking lovely.

    I am having trouble with other blogs now and think it is due to a faulty download from Windows which hopefully will be sorted out soon.
    It's really getting in the way of enjoying blogs.

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  15. Chandramouli - Isn't that Fleabane a neat flower? I love the petals.

    Kathleen - I'm going to leave the seed heads for awhile just because I like how they look. The peony one came up in a weird place so those I will probably sprinkle elsewhere, the rest I'll let self sow.
    This yarrow is probably different from the one you have. I've had that one before and it tried to take over. This one doesn't spread. I don't know if it comes in pink though :)
    Coneflowers are great aren't they. I've had them self sow too, they look great for months.

    Bangchik - Most of my garden is kind of in disarray :) I'm not too orderly out there. Even my veggie garden that I plant to make orderly ends up in disarray :)

    Pat - If you email me using the blue envelope on the side bar I can forward the directions for you. I had to change the template to Stretch minima first. It was easier than I thought.

    Laura - Yes, Columbine is a great easy one. One of the pettiest flowers too I think. I've been out collecting seeds from them.

    Grace - I thought for awhile I'd make it even more low maintenence by adding more shrubs, but they just aren't the same. I definitely have them and need them, but it's the flowers I love to see the most. Great idea for the Erigeron k. in window boxes. I'd love mine to reseed.

    Julie - I don't want to see soil either, just somewhere for a weed to grow. I agree with both of your suggestions for easy plants!

    Ginger - That poppy surprised me with just how big it is. There are a few more to bloom too.

    GP - I'm a perennial fan too. The majority of my plants are perennials, and I especially love the ones I can divide and spread around more in my yard.

    Heather - I hope you can grow it, it's so easy and such a nice bright one too. A lot of people dry them too.

    Mildred - After seeing so many daylilies this year I'm convinced I need to add more to my yard. I'm sure I can squeeze a few in.

    Tom - Thanks for the idea on the salvia. I'll check into that one. I love having it in pink since the rest is purple.

    Barbie Phobia - Isn't that the prettiest? I just love it.

    Joanne - I'm glad you could visit. I hope you get your internet working. I'm glad I can at least visit yours.

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  16. The Yarrow is beautiful.

    Don't your images look good.

    Rob

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  17. I really really love that peony poppy!! That is so BEaUTIFUL!!

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  18. I agree about the easy care plants. I inherited a garden - which wasn't easy care at all - just about everything in it was high maintenance. So, I've been slowly pulling things out and replacing them with plants that do well and are easy to care for. -Jackie

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  19. That yellow yarrow looks great against the blue bird bath. Very pretty!

    I like the new size of your pics. Now your flowers are jumping out of my computer!!

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  20. The photography is spectacular and I love your display and arrangement of flowers around your bird bath! Very inspirational.

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  21. Catherine, you and Linda over at Trials and Error..both with this wonderful peony poppy..and in different colors..WOW!! This post is just beautiful with all you have blooming!
    Lynn

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  22. I'm completely infatuated with my walker's low nepeta (catmint). It's sturdy for hot, dry areas, though I guess it can be finicky about a wet site during the winter. It seems to be self-sowing in my beds as well, but I haven't had it long enough to determine whether it will be a nuisance or not. I highly recommend it, though! Just put it away from a path so you won't brush against the hordes of bees that love it, too.

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  23. Rob - Thanks and thanks :)

    Jesikarena - Isn't it pretty? I'm so happy they bloomed.

    Jackie - The easier the better. Weeding and pruning are enough work than having to deal with picky plants.

    Susie - I love that birdbath, I think every thing looks good with it.

    Miss Daisy - I've been working on that area lately, the yarrow is one of the few things that got to stay.

    Lynn - Wasn't her poppy pretty? I've never seen one like that before.

    VW - Yes, catmint is great isn't it? Don't you love how it smells too? Mine has never self seeded, but it's easy to divide to move around. Great recommendation!

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  24. You always have a clever title to go with your post. That yellow yarrow and the blue bird bath, can't get much prettier than that. Too bad about the puny bloom on your Peony Poppy. Maybe it'll be bigger next year. Kidding, of course. That's a huge and simply gorgeous flower.

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  25. I'm late! WoW! Your Poppy makes mine look sick. Well, not really but yours is huge. The melon color is really pretty too. So most of your plants are easy maintenance. I didn't know that - what a plus! I love your Salvias. I have 2 pinks now and 2 purples and need more. Just started getting them and think they really add.
    It's raining . . .

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  26. Beautiful flowers and garden! I especially love that yarrow (I've never had luck growing) and the peony Poppy. I've never seen that before. My garden is mostly perennial, so much easier. I use annuals in large pots to line the steps of my deck and what's left over to tuck into bare spots. Not too many of those left, though! I've got to check if the poppy will grow here! Beautiful!

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  27. Donna - Isn't it the tiniest flower ever :) I hope I can collect some seeds, and try them in other places next year.

    Tootsie - Thanks!

    Linda - I actually like your poppy more to be honest, it's so different. I'll trade you seeds, how about that? Then we can have one of each.

    Ana-Maria - Thank you :)

    Lin - I bet you could grow the poppy. I do the same thing with annuals, pots and filler.

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  28. I agree with your idea of low-maintenance! It is so much easier when something covers the ground itself then I don't have to weed round it!

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  29. Beautiful flowers. I used to grow yarrow in a previous garden - you've reminded me how nice it is - must get some!

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  30. Matron - That's why my garden is so full, less pace for the weeds.

    Phoenix - I don't think I see much of this Yarrow in gardens now. I like this one because it doesn't spread.

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  31. Wow..your flowers were spectacular before but now with the enlargement, they really look awesome...I am so glad my directions worked for you...thanks for the shout out in your blog!
    I hope it sends me a few new blog readers too...I love it!

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  32. I'm with you on the easy goers. I'm willing to try to fit the plant with the habitat of course, but sometimes plants just don't make it, or just don't seem to like my garden. So I try something else, or more of what I know will work.

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  33. That peony poppy is beautiful! I've never seen one before. I've had a hard time with poppies, the one I have took 3 years to bloom. Thanks so much for sharing, Esther

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