If you love the idea of a gorgeous garden but don’t have the time (or energy) to keep up with high-maintenance plants, you’re not alone. The good news? There are plenty of stunning plants that thrive with minimal care. Whether you’re dealing with a small courtyard, a sprawling backyard, or even pots on a patio, these low-maintenance plants can bring lasting color, texture, and structure without demanding too much from you.

Here’s a list of 25 tried-and-tested low-maintenance garden plants, divided by type—so you can mix and match to create your perfect easy-care landscape.

🌸 Flowering Perennials

These plants return year after year with little effort. Once established, they’re often drought-tolerant and don’t require frequent feeding or pruning.

1. Lavender (Lavandula)

• Loves full sun and well-drained soil.
• Fragrant, bee-friendly, and drought-tolerant.
• Requires a light trim once a year to stay tidy.

2. Echinacea (Coneflower)

• Hardy perennial with bold blooms in summer.
• Thrives in poor soil and full sun.
• Deadhead for longer blooming, but not essential.

3. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)

• Golden yellow blooms from midsummer to fall.
• Resistant to pests and thrives in most soils.
• Very little upkeep required.

4. Sedum (Stonecrop)

• Succulent perennial that loves neglect.
• Excellent in borders or rock gardens.
• Attractive to pollinators and deer-resistant.

5. Salvia

• Long-flowering and drought-tolerant.
• Available in many colors, especially blues and purples.
• Deadhead for continuous flowering.

🌿 Evergreen Shrubs

For year-round structure and greenery with minimal pruning or care, evergreens are your best friend.

6. Boxwood (Buxus)

• Dense, slow-growing shrub ideal for low hedges or topiary.
• Very little trimming needed.
• Thrives in sun or part shade.

7. Hebe

• Compact and colorful with flowers and foliage interest.
• Great in borders or containers.
• Minimal care, just remove spent flowers.

8. Euonymus fortunei

• Evergreen with variegated leaves for year-round color.
• Ground cover or climbing varieties available.
• Tolerant of various conditions and easy to shape.

9. Japanese Skimmia (Skimmia japonica)

• Ideal for shaded spots.
• Evergreen leaves with clusters of fragrant flowers.
• Slow-growing and low-fuss.

10. Pittosporum

• Attractive foliage in green, silver, or purple shades.
• Grows well in sun or light shade.
• Great for screening or structure.

🌾 Ornamental Grasses

Grasses add movement, height, and texture to the garden with very little effort required.

11. Festuca Glauca (Blue Fescue)

• Compact clump-forming grass with silver-blue foliage.
• Great in containers or borders.
• Just comb out dead leaves in spring.

12. Miscanthus sinensis (Maiden Grass)

• Tall and graceful with plumes in late summer.
• Drought-tolerant once established.
• Cut back once a year in early spring.

13. Carex (Sedge)

• Works in both sun and shade depending on the variety.
• Adds fine texture and comes in many foliage colors.
• No deadheading or dividing needed frequently.

14. Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass)

• Tall and airy with colorful foliage in autumn.
• Excellent for wildlife gardens.
• Cut back in early spring before new growth.

15. Stipa tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass)

• Soft and wispy grass perfect for naturalistic designs.
• Very drought-tolerant.
• Minimal pruning—just comb out old stems.

🌿 Ground Covers

These plants suppress weeds, retain soil moisture, and fill gaps effortlessly.

16. Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)

• Aromatic ground cover with purple flowers.
• Drought-tolerant and thrives in full sun.
• No mowing, just enjoy!

17. Ajuga reptans (Bugleweed)

• Low-growing with purple foliage and blue flowers.
• Great in shade or part sun.
• Spreads nicely but not aggressively.

18. Vinca minor (Periwinkle)

• Evergreen ground cover with violet flowers.
• Excellent for slopes or under trees.
• Hardy and reliable year-round.

19. Liriope muscari (Lilyturf)

• Strappy evergreen leaves with lavender flower spikes.
• Works well in shade or sun.
• Tidy up foliage once a year.

20. Woolly Thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus)

• Ultra-low-growing with fuzzy foliage.
• Perfect between paving stones or in rock gardens.
• Thrives with neglect.

🌼 Sun-Loving Annuals and Self-Seeders

Even annuals can be low maintenance if they self-seed or require no deadheading.

21. California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

• Bright orange blooms from spring to summer.
• Self-seeds generously in sunny areas.
• Tolerates drought and poor soil.

22. Cosmos

• Tall, airy annuals with daisy-like flowers.
• Low maintenance and great for pollinators.
• Will self-seed and return year after year.

23. Marigold (Tagetes)

• Reliable summer blooms with pest-repelling qualities.
• Great for borders or veggie gardens.
• Minimal care aside from watering.

24. Nigella (Love-in-a-Mist)

• Whimsical flowers and ornamental seed pods.
• Self-seeds and thrives in poor soil.
• Great for cutting or leaving to naturalize.

25. Zinnia

• Heat-tolerant and long-blooming.
• Available in many vibrant colors.
• Virtually pest-free and drought-resistant.

🌟 Tips for a Low-Maintenance Garden

Choosing the right plants is key, but here are a few bonus tips to make your garden even easier to manage:

• Mulch heavily to suppress weeds and retain moisture.
• Group plants with similar water and sunlight needs to simplify care.
• Use perennials and evergreens for long-lasting structure.
• Install drip irrigation or soaker hoses to save watering time.
• Leave seed heads over winter for wildlife interest and easier maintenance.

Final Thoughts

Low-maintenance doesn’t mean low-impact. With the right combination of tough perennials, evergreen structure, and a few well-chosen annuals or grasses, you can enjoy a stunning, dynamic garden that doesn’t demand constant attention. Whether you’re a busy professional, a new gardener, or just someone who prefers lounging in the garden to working in it—these plants will have your back.

So go ahead and dig in—your low-fuss dream garden awaits!