Maggie Bags

When I first bought my house several years ago, I was excited to see which flowers would come up that first spring. To my disappointment the only thing that came up were two tulips. I started buying flowers - snapdragons, pansies and petunias to start. One day while at my mother-in-law’s, I asked her how she kept up such beautiful flower beds. They were overflowing with flowers and the first time I saw her backyard I even commented that it looked like the Garden of Eden (or what I imagine that must have looked like.) Her secret? Carefree flowers.

Carefree flowers are the kind that don’t need a ton of attention - which is a good thing because I’m too busy to be messing with flowers everyday! I truly am a “lazy gardener.” These come back every year (although not all perennials, some reseed themselves to come back) and even multiply from year to year. She was more than willing to share these with me since she would clear out her beds about once a season. After planting these two years ago and seeing them through two winters, I wanted to share with you these low-maintenance flower ideas.

1. Sedum - This is a succulent that flowers and requires literally no care at all. On the laziness scale, it ranks as the easiest. Because it’s a succulent, it rarely needs watering. You can actually pick a leaf off this plant, stick it in the ground somewhere else, and it will grow a new plant. The sedum in the picture above started as a leaf from another plant. Blooms go from white to pink.
2. Dianthus - These low height flowers typically come in bright pink, white or a light pink/bright pink combo. They need watering but not everyday. Once they bloom you can cut the dead blooms off and they will continue to bloom from spring to late summer in most climates.
3. Lavender - This flowering herb is not only fragrant when it’s blooming, but the blooms retain their fragrance even when dried. After the first bloom you can make this much bushier by cutting off the dead blooms. These multiply well too.
4. Big Bee Balm - This super-tall flower reseeds itself and multiplies each year. My big bee balm is about 3.5′ tall! It’s drought tolerant and attracts hummingbirds as well.
5. Buddleia - Commonly known as a Butterfly Bush, this gorgeous plant attracts tons of butterflies to our yard. The blooms are typically purple, white or a dark purplish pink. They don’t require a lot of water in the summertime unless you get less than 1″ of rain per week. They can get quite large, however, so be sure you plant this where it has room to grow.
6. Coreopsis - Sometimes called tickseed, the daisy-like flower is easy to grow and maintain. It multiplies well too.
7. Grape Hyacinths - These miniature flowers are perfect for a small bouquet or vase. They are some of the first to bloom in the spring. Watch out though as they can be invasive by reseeding themselves.
8. Cannas - With their veined leaves and tropical, flamboyant flowers, these are some of my favorites. Ours have doubled since planting them last year. You can cut off dead blooms to promote re-blooming.
9. Little Bee Balm - Only little when compared to it’s big sister, this flower reseeds itself and multiplies each year. The purple blooms are absolutely gorgeous!
10. Phlox - Coming in many varieties and growing 2-4′ tall, this is sure to catch the attention of anyone entering your garden. It’s large pillowy blooms attract hummingbirds and butterflies. You may need to divide it after 1-2 years of growth.

Always follow the instructions on where to plant, sunlight, and watering needs whenever you purchase a plant. What flowers do you find the easiest to care for? Which are your favorites from the ones listed above?

~Laura Owens, Maggie Bags