Create a calming landscape with low-maintenance plants
Imagine stepping into your yard in the early morning with a cup of coffee in hand. The steam from your mug gently rolls into the thin layer of fog that has settled over the space.
It’s that perfect time of day when the crickets have ceased their nightly chatter, but the birds have yet to rise. It’s quiet and calm.
You deeply inhale the crisp morning air, open your eyes, and take in the stunning landscape before you. You’re not overwhelmed by the weeding that needs to get done, or the plants that are overgrown. Why? Because you’ve created a calming landscape with low-maintenance plants, so you can continue to enjoy peaceful moments just like this.
If this type of restful scenario is exactly what you’re looking for at home, we have rounded up a few native plants, upright perennials, and ornamental grasses that are inspired by nature and guaranteed to create a no-fuss garden oasis right in your backyard.
Upright Perennials
Perennials are plants that return year-after-year with no need to replant. When you’re planning your low-maintenance garden oasis, look for sturdy perennials that grow well in our zone—7a.
Russian Sage
Russian sage has the same stunning pale green foliage that common garden sage has, but it’s accompanied by gorgeous purple flowers. A full sun perennial, Russian sage is deer resistant, drought tolerant, and pollinator friendly. It also grows in pretty much any soil type and requires zero maintenance—win, win.
Because this is a relatively tall plant, consider how your overall garden will layer and plant these toward the back or up against your walls or fencing.
Bloom Time: Early summer to fall
Height: 2 – 4 feet
Spread: 2 – 4 feet
Autumn Joy Sedum
Autumn Joy Sedum is considered a succulent because it stores its water in its leaves and prefers dry, poorly fertilized soil, making it the perfect no-water, low maintenance plant!
When the flowers bloom, they start out pink and turn into a beautiful bronze color as the weather cools. Because it blooms fairly late in the season, it’s a great cool weather nectar source for pollinators.
Bloom Time: Late summer to fall
Height: 18 – 24 inches
Spread: 18 – 24 inches
Daffodils
You’re undoubtedly familiar with these cheerful yellow beauties. They’re a landscaping favorite along roadsides and cityscapes because they’re a “plant it and forget it” type of flower.
To stick with a more pastel or neutral color palette for your calming oasis, opt for white or coral varieties rather than bright yellow.
Bloom Time: Spring
Height: 18 – 24 inches
Spread: 12 inches
Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental grasses are not only low maintenance, attractive additions to your landscape, but they are excellent at providing food and shelter for birds.
Pink Muhly Grass
This grass is a showstopper due to its pink pillowy plumes.
Plus, it blooms in late summer to fall, so it’s a great option for introducing subtle color late in the season.
Pink muhly grass is less invasive than other ornamental grasses, so you can keep it relatively contained within your planned landscape.
Bloom Time: Late summer to fall
Height: 3 – 4 feet
Spread: 3 – 4 feet
Blue Oat Grass
Blue oat grass is an easy-to-care-for ornamental grass with a mounding habit, which means it stays self-contained. With steel blue blades of grass, it will add a serene color to your garden oasis.
And while the color doesn’t typically arrive until fall, you will still benefit from gorgeous beige and golden colors starting in June.
Bloom Time: Fall
Height: 2 – 4 feet
Spread: 2 – 4 feet
Maiden Grass
Maiden grass boasts a graceful form on a large frame.
With coppery flower heads that appear in early fall and become silvery white in the winter, it’s a landscape addition that provides visual interest almost year-round.
Maiden grass can become very tall, so only plant this ornamental grass if you have the space.
Bloom Time: Fall to winter
Height: 3 to 8 feet
Spread: 3 to 5 feet
Whether you pace yourself through planting to build your garden oasis over time, or jump right into a complete garden at once, these perennials will put you at ease and allow you more time to simply enjoy your beautiful landscape.
