16 Low Maintenance Backyard Garden Perennials

Today, I’m sharing tips on growing backyard garden perennials.  If you are wishing for a beautiful garden, but think you don’t have the time to maintain it, I have a solution!   The solution is growing low maintenance perennials I love flowers that you can plant and forget.  Fortunately, perennials return year after year.  So, they are not only beautiful but cost effective as well.

 

 

 

backyard garden perennials

 

 

Here’s a list of low maintenance perennials that I plant:

 

Stella O’Dora Day Lily – I love these lilies in yellow.  I have them planted in the front of my house and on one side.  I love them.  They return more robust year after year.  They make a nice border in front of taller plants.  If I had room, I would plant more.

Lilies – My father gave me lilies bulbs when I first moved into my house.  I have the Asiatic Lily Mont Blanc and Stargazer Oriental Lilies planted.  They smell heavenly.

Iris – Iris’ come in a variety of colors and multiply.  They are excellent planted in the background with a shorter variety planted in the front. You can cut them down and allow the shorter variety to be the show stopper.

Star Flowers –  Star Flowers announce spring has arrived.  They are lovely planted under trees that loose their leaves in the fall.

Black Eyed Susan – Black Eyed Susan are in the sunflower family.  They grow to about 2 – 3 feet.  If they’re deadheaded, they will continue to produce flowers.

Yarrow – Yarrow comes in a variety of colors.  The flowers can be yellow, red, or pink.  They make excellent cut flowers.  Additionally, they attract butterflies and they are drought resistant.  You may see Yarrow growing wild along highways too.

Clematis –  Know as the queen of climbers.  Pick out a trellis and get to planting.  You won’t be disappointed.

Coneflowers – Coneflowers make great cut flowers.  They attract birds and pollinators.   Furthermore, they come in shades of pink, orange, yellow, red and chartreuse.  Actually, mine are a vanilla color.  I just added them to the garden this year.

 

backyard perennials

 

 

Hydrangeas – One of my favorite flowers in the garden.  The blooms are large and look beautiful in vases.  They come in a variety of colors.  They can strive in sun to partial sun.  Be sure to read the label for planting instructions.

Peonies – Additionally, another favorite of my backyard garden perennials.  I have Sarah Bernhardt Peonies.  They’re a beautiful light pink shade, and make beautiful bouquets.

Sedum –  Sedums produce amazing red/pink blooms in the fall.  They are easy to divide, so you can have plants in other areas.

Shasta Daisy –  Shasta Daisies make great cut flowers.  If you deadhead them regularly, they will continue to bloom.

 

backyard perennials

 

Ferns –  Furthermore, ferns are perfect in a shade garden.  There are plenty of varieties to choose from.  I have the Japanese Painted Fern, Cinnamon Fern, Ostrich fern, and the Autumn Fern.  I also have the Boston Fern, which I bring inside at the end of summer.

Lily of the Valley –  The Lily of the Valley is perfect in a shade garden.  They spread too.

Bee Balm  – Last, Bee Balm is perfect if you want to attract butterflies.  They come a varieity of colors and humming birds love them.  They’re also great for attracting butterflies and bees. Dried leaves and flowers can also be used in sachets and potpourri.

Knock Out Roses – I have burgundy and light pink planted together.  The produce amazing blooms into fall.  They make nice cute flowers too.

 

Most importantly, choose a few flowers from our list of backyard garden perennials and head to your nearest nursery or garden center.  These perennials will have your garden looking beauty in no time.   Finally, you may also like:  20 Flowers to Use in a Wildflower Gardens.

 

 

 

 

How To Plant a Rose Garden

A beautiful rose garden is the ultimate dream of many gardeners. Roses have a long tradition of symbolism–love, hope, and passion. All of these are contained in the beauty of a perfect rose. The blooms are loved by almost everyone simply because of the feelings and memories they evoke.  A satisfying rose garden is not impossible.  There is some specific care and growing techniques required when growing roses.  I’m going to give you a few flower garden tips on how to plant a rose garden. 

 

how to plant a rose garden

 

 

Let’s take a look at how to plant a rose garden that you will love:

Planning a Rose Garden

The first step in putting together a rose garden is deciding what type of roses you want. Roses come in hundreds of varieties, so it’s not likely you’ll be growing all of them. So, it’s helpful if you can decide what style of garden you want. Furthermore, this will help guide your decisions on the types of roses you should choose to grow.

Decide if you want a formal rose garden, or something wilder and more natural. Formal rose gardens usually stick to one or two traditional colors (like red and/or white). Less formal gardens allow the freedom to plant various styles and colors. And the plantings will probably be more random as well.

 


 

Another decision is whether your roses should be scented or not.  Maybe you weren’t aware that unscented roses exist.  However, modern hybrid roses have very little fragrance. If you’re growing a rose garden to enjoy the fragrance, then you need to select roses that can provide the fragrance you want.

Another difference between roses is the size and arrangement of the plants.  Roses range from bushes, shrubs and climbing vines to small trees. Include this size variation in your initial planning. If you plant a climbing rose you will need a trellis.  Otherwise, you end up with roses creeping along the ground.  Consider what type of trellis you will need and where you want it placed.

 

 

Caring for Your Rose Garden

Specific foods, fertilizers and soil mixes have been formulated to assist the modern rose gardener. These products are particularly helpful when you’re just starting out.  You don’t have to worry about soil adjustments, vitamins or minerals.  Research what roses will grow in you zone and local climate. You will want to stick with varieties that have a better chance of thriving in your garden.  Keeping the lawn mowed regularly will help your rose garden look better, and control the invasion of weeds.

 

How to Plant a Rose Garden

 

Additionally, roses have specific light and water requirements. Read the package to ensure you know about any special needs. This information should help you figure out where to place the plants in your landscape. Don’t forget to add mulch around the rose plants. This helps prevent the emergence of weeds and also helps retain moisture in the soil.

Furthermore, once your roses start blooming watch for blooms that have died off.  Deadheading your  vines regularly will stimulate enhanced blooming through the season.  It will become second nature as you stroll through your garden.

Rose bushes also need regular pruning and trimming.  This will encourage healthy growth over time. So, taking care of a rose garden may be not a simple task, but think about the gorgeous rose garden you will have. I believe it’s worth your effort.

We hope you find our tips on how to plant a rose garden helpful.  Following these tips will get you get on your way to having the rose garden of your dreams.

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Author Bio

Richard Clayton

I’m an owner of a small gardening shop. I love gardening, especially lawn care. I can spend all of my free time taking care of my lawn and discussing lawn care experiences with my friends. Especially those who have the same hobby as me.  My site, www.mygreenerylife.com is my playground, where I discuss everything about lawn care techniques.

 

10 Beautiful Sunflower Varieties

Sunflower varieties are endless, and they are a favorite for many backyard gardeners.  Each year I look forward to starting my sunflowers from seed.  Browsing  catalogues and websites in search of the perfect variety to grow each  summer is a favorite past time for me.  Once I decide on a variety, I plant the sunflower seeds in my bottle greenhouses during the winter.  When the seedlings emerge in the spring, I transfer them into the garden.  Today I’m going to give you gardening tips on my favorite sunflower varieties.  

 

 

gardening, sunflower varieties, sunflowers

 

I have become fond of a few varieties of sunflowers, but searching for new ones can be fun.  There are a few sunflower varieties that always find a place in my garden every summer.

 

Here’s a list of my favorite sunflower varieties:

  • Lemon Queen – A must have in my garden.  The Lemon Queen sunflower has pale yellow petals.  I live in Zone 6B.  My Lemon Queens usually get about 4 – 5 feet tall. My Gold Finch love them.  They usually produce 1 – 2 heads per stem.
  • Autumn Beauty Mix – The Autumn Beauty sunflower is an excellent flower for cutting. They can have several heads open on one stem at once, and they make beautiful bouquets. They normally grow around 5 – 6 feet.  The flowers are produced in a variety of colors. Usually in orange, red and yellow.
  • Butter Cream – The flowers on the Butter Cream sunflower are a pale yellow with brown centers. I add these to the Autumn Beauty and Evening Sun Mix bouquets. They look beautiful among the dark flowers in the mix.  They normally grow 4 – 5 feet.
  • Teddy Bear – Children love Teddy Bears and these Teddy Bear sunflowers are no exception. They are a dwarf variety and perfect for containers and/or borders.  Additionally, they look great on patios, front porches and decks too.
  • Evening Sun – The Evening Sun sunflower mixture produces flowers of red, yellow and burgundy, which grow to 6 – 7 feet. I add the Butter Cream variety into the mix for bouquets.
  • Mammoth Russian –  Mammoth Russian sunflower can grow 8 – 12 feet tall with huge sunflowers.  I’ve had some flowers that have grown to the size of a dinner plate. I roast the seeds from the Mammoth Russian and snack on them through the winter.  My backyard birds love them too.
  • Moulin Rouge – The Moulin Rouge sunflower is an absolute beauty.  It is deep, rich, burgundy and is beautiful with the Butter Cream variety in boutiques.  It grows from 5 – 8 feet.
  • Super Snack Mix – Grow your own Super Snack Mix sunflowers.  The seeds are large and great for snacking. The plants grow about 4 – 5 feet and attract butterflies.
  • Mexican  – Additionally, this is one of my favorite flowers for attracting butterflies and humming birds.  Mexican sunflowers make great cut flowers too.
  • Dwarf  – The Fire Cracker and Sunny Smile sunflowers are perfect for containers.  They are dwarf varieties, and are great for container or borders.  They provide a nice contrast to the Teddy Bear.

 

Finally, there are other varieties that are worth checking out.  These are just a few of my favorites.  Before you plant, decide if you want to use them for seed snacks, wild bird feed, give the heads to the squirrels or in bouquets.  Do your homework and purchase your plants or seeds accordingly.  Additionally, sunflowers can be found in a variety of colors other than the typical yellow.  There’s burgundy, orange, crème, and more. Start your search for next season’s garden and have fun.

Also, you may also like Sunflower and Finches in the Garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annuals or Perennials?

Each year I plant petunias on my deck. I went on vacation and when I returned I found this planter in full bloom. When I first noticed it, my response was WTH? Who planted these flowers? I knew I hadn’t planted them. I had decided to powerwash and stain the deck before planting any perennials this year and those two tasks had not been completed.

I noticed the colors were in tune with my theme from last year. I thought for a brief moment my significant other had planted them while was I gone, but this planter was the only one that contained blooms. So, that idea didn’t last long.

I concluded they were the annuals that I planted from last year. Needless to say I was shocked, I didn’t know that petunias rebloomed from one year to the next. Here they are and as beautiful as they were last year. Never underestimate the power of mother nature and our Heavenly Father.
Have you had a strange experience with your flowers or trees?  We would love to hear about it, please leave us a comment.