We like these kinds of plants – those that love bad soil, shade and neglect! If you’re new to gardening and the three above are all you have, it’s a matter of finding out what works. We can’t all be blessed with gardens that all plants love, and improving your soil can take time.
‘If you’ve got a shady spot with poor soil and not much time to spare, the secret is to choose plants that are already happy in those conditions,’ says Julian Palphramand, head of plants, British Garden Centres.
Below, with the help of experts like Julian, we list our top five low-maintenance plants to try in your space this year.
1. Hellebores
‘Woodland plants and tough evergreens are the best performers here, as they’re used to less light and less-than-perfect ground – we recommend hellebores as one option,’ suggests Julian.
Hellebores are hardy and give you that first flush of colour from mid-winter to mid-spring. They’re plants that love shady spots and provide an early boost of nectar for pollinators.
They come in a wider range of colours than you may think, from whites and creams, to pinks, reds and yellows and bicolours.
The most seen is the dusky pink – we like the Helleborus x hybrides ‘Maid of Honour’, currently £9.74 for a 9cm pot from Crocus.
If you’d like something a little different, then opt for the hellebore ‘Breeder’s Mix’, £22.99 for five jumbo plug plants from Dobies. You get a mix of yellows, greens, apricots and reds.
2. Yarrow
Yarrow, or as it’s sometimes known, Achillea millefolium, is a hardy perennial with clusters of small flat-topped flowers that come in different colours.
It’s rather dainty-looking, but very resilient. Richard Baker, horticultural expert and commercial director of LBS Horticulture says, ‘Yarrow is capable of growing in poor soil, and can tolerate a range of soil types as long as it is not waterlogged. It is also good for growing in gravel gardens. Once established, yarrow does not need a lot of care and is drought-tolerant.’
It does need a little care, though. Richard advises cutting back old foliage in spring and deadheading the plant in summer to encourage more flowers. ‘You do not need to fertilise yarrow, as this can actually do more harm than good by making the stems weak and the plant produce fewer flowers,’ he adds.
For punchy colour, we love the Summer Berries collection that includes 12 garden-ready plants, currently £11.99 from Suttons. For a more classical, elegant look, opt for the pure white achillea millefolium from Crocus, presently £6.74 for a 9cm pot.
3. Lady’s mantle
Also known as alchemilla mollie, Lady’s Mantle is a very hardy perennial that thrives in most soil types and is rarely affected by pests and disease.
Lucie Bradley, gardening and greenhouse expert at Easy Garden Irrigation, explains, ‘It’s the perfect low-maintenance ground cover, forming healthy velvety green, scalloped leaves which suppress weeds. Whilst making the perfect addition to informal borders and cottage gardens, its water-trapping leaves shimmer after a shower, and during the summer months it produces gorgeous sprays of chartreuse/ lime green flowers which form the perfect backdrop to other bright blooms within your summer garden.’
You can buy it from Gardening Express for £7.99 for a 1-litre pot. Add it to your garden borders and pathways for a lush-looking display.
4. Hardy geranium
‘A hardy geranium is a low-maintenance, resilient perennial that returns year after year – cranesbill – its other name – is a great addition to any garden,’ says Lucie. ‘Not only do they produce an abundance of blooms continuously from late spring through to the first frost, but their dense foliage is also excellent for covering bare soil, with their attractive leaves suppressing weeds.’
There are over 700 varieties to choose from; Lucie recommends selecting the ideal ones for your garden based on size, colour and habitat.
‘For example, geranium ‘Rozanne’ is great for a nearly continuous display of large, saucer-shaped violet-blue blooms with white centres,’ suggests Lucie. You can buy this variety from Thompson & Morgan, £11.99 for a 9cm pot.
‘In contrast, if you prefer a vibrant splash of colour, choose geranium ‘Elke’ which produces masses of small, bright pink flowers with white trim and veining from July to September,’ adds Lucie. This is available from J.Parkers, you can buy a single litre pot for £9.99, or three for £21.97.
5. Lavender
‘Once established, lavender can thrive on neglect and prefers being in dry soil instead of rich soil,’ advises Richard.
The beauty of growing lavender varieties is that they can survive outside in temperatures as low as -15°C, meaning that they can be left outside all year. ‘
Richard adds, ‘Although newly planted lavender will need watering well in its first year, established lavender is drought-tolerant and will rarely need watering unless there is a severe drought. As it likes soil that is low in nutrients, it will not need fertilising. However, the plant will need trimming annually after it has finished flowering so that it does not grow to be too woody.’
If you want to plant a lavender hedge, then this lavendula English dwarf variety is a good choice, £15 for a pack of six, Amazon. For extra fragrance and a more magenta-purple colour, the Purple Flag French lavender produces bushy plants that are full of buds and blooms in season, currently £5.99 for a 2-3 litre pot, Gardening Express.
Shopping essentials for low maintenance planting
Organic Farmyard Manure for Gardeners, 40 Litres
Low maintenance still requires a little care; give your varieties a boost with this organic farmyard manure that will help to improve soil quality and promote healthy plant growth.
Verve Brown Small Mulch Bag, 50 Litres
Mulch will protect your plants as it retains moisture and keeps weeds at bay. It also shields roots from harsh winds and hot temperatures.
ECENCE Garden Weeder Tool
This clever tool has a curved head, fork at the bottom and a handy grip. It’s rustproof and very sharp, enabling you to get the trickiest of weeds up easily.
Follow our guide above on what low-maintenance plants will thrive. ‘The key is to give them a decent start: add a little organic matter when you plant and top with a mulch to help them settle in, hold moisture and keep weeds down. Once they’re established, they’ll look after themselves far better than anything that wants rich soil and full sun,’ shares Julian.
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