If you have little spare time, but still want a green garden, perennials are the answer! As long as you choose the right plants and plant them with a little attention, you won’t need to pay them much attention at all afterwards. Even better: they will come back year after year, so you can enjoy colour in your garden for years.
Sun or shade
With low-maintenance perennials, you will enjoy both a green garden and little work. These plants grow fast, so weeds will have little chance. Put them at the right distance from each other; you will find this information on the label. Also pay attention to the location; some perennials like a super sunny spot, while others prefer the shade or half-shade.
A selection of the many low-maintenance varieties
Holly fern (Polystichum)
Location: shade
Height: 80/100 cm
Flowering months: not applicable
Beautiful evergreen fern that requires little water.
Cranesbill (Geranium)
Location: partial shade
Height: 50/70 cm
Flowering months: May – September
An endlessly flowering perennial. Works well in groups, but also suitable for filling bare spots in your garden.
Alstroemeria Indian Summer
Location: full sun/partial shade
Height: 70/100 cm
Flowering months: July – October
Flowers until late autumn and is suitable as a cut flower.
Korean aster (Kalimeris)
Location: full sun
Height: 80/90 cm
Flowering months: July – October
These flowers have a cheerful, summery look.
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
Location: full sun
Height: 80/100 cm
Flowering months: August – September
For those who like sunny yellow in their border.
Practical tips
- Position low plants in front of taller ones.
- Dig a planting hole more than twice the size of the root ball and loosen the soil at the bottom and all around before planting.
- Soak the root ball properly and then firmly squeeze the bottom of the root ball to create new roots.
- Plant the same perennial plant, preferably in larger groups together, at least 3 pieces and preferably an odd number.
- In spring, trim away any dead stems from taller plants. Until then, they will form a pleasing winter silhouette.
