Gardening doesn’t have to be a full-time job. With the right plants, you can create a beautiful outdoor space that practically takes care of itself. Whether you’re a busy parent, a first-time gardener, or simply someone who prefers relaxing in your garden rather than constantly working in it, low-maintenance plants are the answer.
I used to spend every weekend weeding and watering until I discovered plants that thrive on neglect. Now my garden looks better than ever, and I barely lift a finger. The secret isn’t having a green thumb—it’s choosing plants that don’t need one.
Ready to transform your outdoor space into something both beautiful and manageable? Let’s look at some plants that won’t demand your attention but will reward you with their resilience and charm year after year.
1. Lavender
Once established, lavender practically takes care of itself. The woody stems and silver-gray foliage need very little water, making it perfect for dry spots where other plants struggle.
I planted mine along my driveway three years ago and haven’t had to fuss with it since. The purple blooms attract butterflies and bees in summer, and the scent is amazing when you brush past.
Best of all, lavender actually prefers poor soil conditions—try to pamper it too much and it won’t perform as well. Just make sure it gets plenty of sun and good drainage.
2. Sedum
My grandmother called these “forget-about-it plants” because they truly thrive on neglect. The succulent leaves store water, making sedum incredibly drought-resistant once established.
During summer, flat clusters of tiny star-shaped flowers appear in shades of pink, red, or yellow, attracting pollinators to your garden. In fall, the flower heads often turn rusty red, adding interest even in colder months.
Plant sedum in a sunny spot with well-draining soil and you’ll barely need to water it. Even better, it spreads slowly over time, filling in bare spots without becoming invasive.
3. Hostas
For those shady corners where nothing seems to grow, hostas are your answer. Their lush, often variegated leaves create beautiful ground cover with almost zero effort on your part.
What I love most about hostas is their reliability—they return year after year, growing larger and more impressive with age. The only real maintenance involves dividing them every few years when they get too crowded, which means free plants for other parts of your garden.
While deer find them tasty, a simple spray deterrent solves that problem. Otherwise, just plant them in shade or partial sun and watch them thrive.
4. Russian Sage
Looking like a cloud of blue-purple haze in the garden, Russian sage stands tall through summer heat and drought. The silvery stems and tiny flowers create movement in the garden, swaying gently in the breeze.
After planting mine three years ago, I’ve done absolutely nothing except cut it back in late winter. It handles poor soil with ease and actually performs better without fertilizer or extra attention.
Deer and rabbits avoid it due to its aromatic foliage, making it perfect for problem areas. Just give it full sun and well-draining soil, then step back and enjoy.
5. Coneflowers
Native to American prairies, coneflowers (Echinacea) have evolved to handle tough conditions without complaint. Their daisy-like blooms with raised centers stand tall on sturdy stems, even during summer heat waves.
Leave the seed heads in place after flowering and you’ll attract goldfinches and other birds who love to feast on them. My coneflowers have self-seeded throughout my garden, creating new plants without any effort from me.
For best results, plant in full sun with average soil. Once established, they rarely need watering and will bloom for months on end.
6. Yarrow
Few plants are as bulletproof as yarrow. Its feathery foliage and flat-topped flower clusters thrive in poor soil and drought conditions that would kill most other perennials.
Last summer, we had six weeks without rain, and while my neighbors’ gardens withered, my yarrow kept blooming as if nothing was wrong. The flowers come in shades from white to yellow, pink, and red, attracting beneficial insects to your garden.
Plant yarrow in full sun and well-draining soil, then forget about it. It spreads gradually but isn’t aggressive, and you can easily pull up any unwanted volunteers.
7. Ornamental Grasses
The gentle swaying of ornamental grasses adds movement and texture to gardens with virtually no maintenance required. Unlike lawn grass, these varieties grow in clumps that need cutting back just once a year.
Varieties like feather reed grass, blue fescue, and maiden grass offer different heights, colors, and textures. The seed heads often persist through winter, creating interest even in the coldest months.
My favorite part? Most ornamental grasses are resistant to pests, diseases, and deer. Simply plant them in sun or partial shade, depending on the variety, and enjoy their year-round beauty.
8. Daylilies
Gardeners often joke that you can run over daylilies with a lawnmower and they’ll still bloom the next day. Their tough, grass-like foliage and abundant flowers make them garden workhorses that deliver big results with minimal care.
Each flower lasts just one day (hence the name), but a single plant produces dozens of buds that open in succession for weeks. Modern varieties come in colors from pale yellow to deep purple, some with ruffled or doubled petals.
Give daylilies average soil and at least six hours of sun, and they’ll reward you with years of trouble-free blooms.
9. Lamb’s Ears
The velvety, silver-gray leaves of lamb’s ears feel as soft as they look, adding a tactile element to gardens that children especially love. Growing in low mounds, they create an attractive ground cover that suppresses weeds naturally.
During summer, tall stalks of purple flowers rise above the foliage, though many gardeners remove them to keep the focus on the fuzzy leaves. Drought-resistant and deer-proof, lamb’s ears ask for nothing but sun and well-draining soil.
One caution: they dislike humidity and can rot in wet conditions. Plant them where drainage is good and air circulation is free.
10. Black-Eyed Susans
Nothing says summer like the cheerful yellow blooms of black-eyed Susans. Native to North America, these hardy perennials have adapted to survive harsh conditions with minimal care.
The daisy-like flowers with dark centers bloom for weeks, attracting bees and butterflies. After flowers fade, leave the seed heads standing to feed birds through fall and winter.
My patch started with just three plants and has now spread to cover a sizeable area through self-seeding. They grow happily in average soil with full sun, requiring little water once established.
11. Agave
For dramatic structure with zero maintenance, agaves are unbeatable. Their architectural rosettes of thick, pointed leaves create strong focal points in the garden, especially in modern or desert-inspired landscapes.
Some varieties remain small enough for containers, while others grow several feet tall and wide. The blue-gray coloring contrasts beautifully with other plants and hardscape elements.
Plant agaves in very well-draining soil and full sun, then leave them alone. They require almost no water once established and can live for decades with no care whatsoever.
12. Creeping Thyme
Imagine a ground cover that smells amazing when stepped on, suppresses weeds, and requires no mowing. That’s creeping thyme—a low-growing herb that forms a dense mat of tiny leaves and seasonal flowers.
Between pavers or in rock gardens, creeping thyme fills spaces where grass won’t grow or is difficult to maintain. The purple, pink, or white flowers attract pollinators, adding life to your garden.
Last year, I replaced a troublesome patch of lawn with creeping thyme, and the difference in maintenance has been remarkable—from weekly mowing to doing absolutely nothing.
13. Barberry
Need a tough shrub that creates privacy and security while looking good year-round? Barberry fits the bill perfectly. The dense growth habit and thorny branches discourage both human and animal intruders.
Modern varieties offer foliage in shades of burgundy, gold, or variegated patterns that maintain their color all season. Small flowers in spring are followed by bright red berries that persist through winter.
Plant barberries in sun or partial shade in any reasonable soil. They tolerate drought, pollution, and neglect with remarkable resilience.
14. Succulents
The ultimate plants for people who forget to water, succulents store moisture in their fleshy leaves and stems. This adaptation allows them to thrive in conditions that would kill most other plants.
From tiny rosettes to trailing varieties, succulents offer incredible diversity in form and color. Many produce star-shaped flowers in bright hues when they’re happy.
For outdoor gardens, choose hardy varieties suited to your climate. Most need excellent drainage and protection from excessive rain, making raised beds or containers ideal homes where you can control their environment.
15. Catmint
Not to be confused with catnip, catmint (Nepeta) creates clouds of lavender-blue flowers that bloom for months with zero deadheading required. The gray-green foliage has a pleasant minty scent that most deer and rabbits avoid.
After the first flush of flowers, simply shear the plant back by about half, and it will reward you with a second show. Even during the hottest part of summer, catmint remains fresh-looking when other perennials have given up.
Give it full sun and average, well-draining soil. Once established, it rarely needs supplemental water or fertilizer.
16. Stonecrop
Related to sedum but lower-growing, stonecrop creates living carpets of colorful, succulent foliage in areas where soil is poor and rainfall is sparse. Different varieties offer leaves in shades of green, blue, red, and yellow.
Small star-shaped flowers appear in summer, attracting beneficial insects to your garden. Even in winter, many types maintain their structure and color, providing year-round interest.
My favorite spot for stonecrop is between stepping stones, where it softens hard edges and thrives despite foot traffic. Just provide sharp drainage and sun, and it will reward you with carefree color.
17. Boxwood
For structure and evergreen presence without constant pruning, dwarf boxwood varieties are hard to beat. Their dense, small leaves create perfect globes or hedges that look neat year-round.
Unlike many shrubs that require regular shaping, slow-growing boxwoods maintain their form with just one trimming per year. The glossy foliage stays green through winter, providing a framework for your garden when other plants have died back.
Plant boxwoods in sun or partial shade with average moisture. They’re adaptable to most soil types as long as drainage is reasonable.
18. Baptisia
Also known as false indigo, baptisia is a native perennial that develops a shrub-like presence without requiring shrub-like care. The blue-green foliage emerges early in spring, followed by lupine-like flower spikes in blue, yellow, or white.
After flowering, interesting seed pods develop, rattling pleasantly in the breeze and adding winter interest. The deep root system makes baptisia extremely drought-tolerant once established.
Give it full sun and well-draining soil, then step back. It resents transplanting, so choose its location carefully, but otherwise demands nothing from you.