The Easy Garden

[aquarose]

I will always have more coreopsis than I need (I think its "Zagreb"). Same for "Autumn Joy" sedum. Hosta Grandiflora-smells great too and blooms later, larger and whiter than any other hosta I have. My irises, both siberian and regular are foolproof. Peonies, if you plant them right (not too deep). And of course, spring bulbs, esp. daffodils, crocus and grape hyacinths.

 

[beefy]

hmmmm.


Old fashioned petunias.
sago palms
knockout roses.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I decided not to read everyone else's because then I'll just re-iterate the ones already mentioned, so here goes:

daffodils -- credit goes to patandchickens for reminding me of this one
foxgloves -- at least the native variety
lupines -- they are great at fixing nitrogen too
dwarf periwinkle
arugula and kale
just about all herbs
anything native to my area -- esp. huckleberry, salmonberry, red-flowering currant, swordfern . . . I prefer maidenhair fern, but they are a little more specific about proper placement.

the list could go on, but those are the ones that pop into my mind first.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

I have wonderful luck with salvias (Black & Blue salvia, Blue salvia), iris , roses and daylilies. Dixie

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Zinnias
Marigolds
Cosmos
Bachelor Buttons
Snapdragons

Those all grow with little or no care.

Evening primrose seems to do well as a border plant. Dusty miller also seems to never go away. I've had one that's overwintered for about 3 years now. Hypoestes phyllostachya aka "Pink Polka Dot Plant" grows like a weed for me. It reseeds very well the cuttings root very easily and they overwinter nicely

Succulents grow great anywhere. Pots. Shade. Sun. Side of the house that I never go to.

I second most of which was said earlier, except roses. They seem to present a challenge. A fun one but a challenge nonetheless.

 

[lavacaw]

Blue Plumbago...Has to be cut back if it freezes in winter but blooms all summer
Daylilies
Gardenia...just keep it watered
Any kind of Salvia
Roses of the antique variety
My new favorite is Jatropha but it has to go in the greenhouse for the winter!
:dance

 

[897tgigvib]

I really love this classic old topic!

Some really easy things to grow are:

Beans, some are easier than others. The really late September and October ripening ones take patience. The Appalachian Greasies and Cutshorts just take knowing that they will not be as big as the varieties every grocery store sells for packets.

Malva, related to Hollyhock and Hibiscus. Another short lived perennial in this Malvaceae family of beautiful flowers. Easy to grow, nicely reseeds, attracts a good assortment of bees and hummingbirds.

Round Red Turnip, they bulb up much easier than regular Purple Top White Globe, but not as big. More mild tasting, and make real nice greens. Just plant them in July here in so called zone 8.

Sunflowers. Easy as pie. Just make them a corral to help them stay upright.

Cosmos are so easy, the only challenge here is to see if you can hybridize them and make a new variety. It helps to give them some kind of short corral of stakes and twine.

I'll think of other things...

 

[Mickey328]

I love Cosmos and have never yet got any to grow here...it's so frustrating! Bachelor's Buttons, violets, dianthus, and marigold, however...almost can't get rid of them...not that i'd want to, of course!

 

[897tgigvib]

It's the annual Cosmos that are easiest, Cosmos bipinnata. They like full sun if possible, but also grow with some shade, but will be taller and leggier. They don't like to be overfertilized. If they are they act like they are in even deeper shade. They'll appreciate deep soil, but even on hardpan they'll still grow, but smaller.

 

[digitS']

How do you find these old threads, Marshall?

Cosmos? Okay, you've got your bed of dahlias . . . Well, don't you?

Anyway, not every root grows and you've given everything as much room as a 55-gallon barrel. So, you are in trouble! What do you do with all that space in the bed and no plant?

Off you go to where the cosmos were busy self-sowing the year before. Carefully taking out one of those Cosmos seedlings, you race back across the yard and plunk it down where that dang dahlia failed to grow! Better build a little tent to keep the sun off the seedling for a few days and give it plenty of water. Soon it will fill in with its big dahlia neighbors . Like Collarette Dahlias? Oh, the Cosmos will fit right in!

Steve