Dear Gardeners:

Working your fingers to the bone in yards and landscapes for a living is one of the toughest and most rewarding jobs you can do these days. It's an honestly wonderful to nurture plants from little roots or homely bulbs into beautiful garden adornments. But let's face it, the more time and effort one plant takes up, the less time you have for other garden plants. So, logic dictates, that you fill your gardens and landscapes to the brim with gorgeous low maintenance plants!

But, it can be a job in itself to figure out just which plants are simple and undemanding garden performers. No matter what plant you choose, everything will need proper attention during planting and establishment. However, from my experience, there are a few plants that are virtually effortless once they are mature. I have a few suggestions of flowers that are tough, lush, bloomiferous (is that even a word?), hardy, fast growing, and... above all... low maintenance!

• Daffodils - I've never met a Daff that wasn't a breeze to grow with little to no attention.
• Daylilies - If you really wanted to you could deadhead it, trim it, fertilize it, etc... but all you really have to do is plant it, get it established, and then let it do the rest of the work!
• Peonies - Don't let their dainty appearance and delicate personas fool you, once established this spring bloomer is remarkably self-sufficient.
• Lilies - Many of our lilies are so tall they require intensive staking to keep them upright, but here's a hint: seek out the shorter border or dwarf types that need no staking, and therefore virtually no maintenance!

Happy Gardening,
The Bulb Lady®