Easy care plant guide

Get your green thumb

The first step in finding easy to care for plants is to find out what will grow easily in your little corner of the world. The US is divided into nine different zones based on the coldest average winter temperature. When picking out plants, keep in mind which zone you are in and buy plants that grow well in that climate. Plants at most gardening shops will have a region number on their care tags.

But there are also many plants that grow well in almost any region. Below is a list of generally easy to care for plants that may be just right for your garden.

• Hosta
  Hostas are wonderfully low care plants. These perennials do well in partial shade (though some varieties, particularly the gold leaf ones, prefer more sun than others). They are hearty and need very little tending. A word of warning, though: if you live in an area with a large deer population, you would do well to apply a deer deterrent to keep them away; a garden of hostas is like an all-you-can-eat buffet for Bambi and friends. Hostas fair well in any zones three through nine—basically anywhere but the coldest regions of the US. Blooms are either white or purple.

• Globe Thistle
  The Globe Thistle is an almost perfect low maintenance, easy to care plant. Why? Two reasons: first, both the bloom (either white or blue) and the seed head are attractive, so it stays pleasing to the eye year round. Second, they are so hearty that they will thrive in even dry, otherwise depleted soil. Like hostas, the Globe Thistle is a good plant for zones three through nine.

• Sea Thrift
  The delicate looking Sea Thrift is actually deceptively hearty. It can thrive in rocky soil and even stand up to high winds (such as one finds on the sea shore—hence the name). Blooms are red, pink, rose, lilac, or white. With minimal deadheading, you can get repeat v\blooms though the spring and summer seasons. Sea Thrift grows in zones four through nine.

• Turtlehead
  Oh, the Turtlehead…what can't it survive? Well, very little. These plants are the definition of resilient. The Turtlehead will only run into problems in the most extreme climates; and even in very hot regions all you need to do is make sure it has enough water. The seed heads are attractive, so that means no time spent deadheading. Turtlehead blooms are white, red, or pink.

• Siberian Iris
  The Siberian Iris has all the beauty of other varieties of iris, but while other varieties wilt easily after blooming, the Siberian won't easily flop or scorch. The blue, purple, and white blooms come up in late spring, and may bloom again in fall if planted in warmer regions. Zones three through nine are ideal. The Siberian Iris does need a bit of room to spread out, so division may be required if the plants get too crowded.

• Blazing Star
  The Blazing Star grows well in all types of soil. In zones three through nine, the spiky purple and white blooms explode from mid-summer all the way through fall. Taller varieties may require support to stay up, but there are smaller varieties that are just as beautiful and need almost no tending.

• Russian Sage
  The vibrant, wonderfully aromatic Russian Sage is can become best friend to a frustrated gardener. In all but the coldest climates, this sage will stay around year after year, with bright blue blooms occurring from mid-summer through fall. Minimal pruning will ensure new growth and more blooms.