Looking for low maintanence plants to put in front of my home that will grow to 1 to 2 foot tall, tolerate full sun and thrive in the southwestern corner of Indiana (not sure what zone we are). Any recommendations?
2007-01-09 07:29:00 · 7 answers · asked by thesuperstylist 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
Go to this ladies website and join the discussion forum... she is a horticulturist, gardener and author who lives in rural Illinois (in your climate zone).
Jeff's answer is wrong, according to her article on the link provided below... she suggests NOT asking the people at the garden center and explains why.
You can just peruse the articles to see if your questions have already been answered too.
2007-01-09 20:23:32 · answer #1 · answered by rabble rouser 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hibiscus trees or bushes are beautiful and very fragrant. They love direct light but need plenty of water. I particularly like the red blooms but there are other colors. In the winter time, it is recommended they be brought into the house, but if you cover them well with a heavy dark plastic and place a thick cover of saw dust around the base, they will survive the winter. The saw dust then becomes a great fertilizer for the spring and summer. During the summer you should add some "Peters, Big & Bloom Blossums" fertilizer just once every two weeks. This fertilizer is better than "Miracle Grow" and burns the roots less if you accidentally over fertilize. I found these lovely small trees and bushes at Lowes, but I am sure they are sold in other stores. However, with Lowes you do get a gurantee. Hope this helps bring the front of your h
2007-01-09 15:51:33 · answer #2 · answered by Jushandal 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You are probably in zone 6 so use that as a reference when looking at seed catalogs....flowers for full sun that are perennial for us are irises, Shasta daises, rudibeckia [2-3 feet] and many more but these are almost maintanence free just divide and reset every 3 years...shrubs are a little trickier...look for dwarf varieties of spruce,yews, or junipers...little pruning, fertilizing or watering needed.. great for our hot muggy yet dry summers.
2007-01-10 11:57:01 · answer #3 · answered by sw-in-gardener 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
1 to 2 feet is very short for a shrub. Yews (Taxus spp.) are evergreens that do well in your area, and though they get bigger, are pretty slow growers and pretty easy to keep in check. Ask for the spreading kinds at the store. If you want something that blooms try Potentilla. They are available in the hot flower colors like yellow and red. For color in winter try a dwarf version of nandina like 'Firepower' or 'Harbor Dwarf' or a spreading juniper like 'Bar Harbor'. Some barberries and spireas are available in dwarf versions. Almost all these will eventually get too big and will someday need pruning to keep them that small.
2007-01-09 17:58:05 · answer #4 · answered by Emmaean 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
russian sage tolerates hot sun its beautiful and blooms purplish bluish flower spikes other great sunny flowers are coneflowers mums monardia catmint(one of my favorites) and indian blanket flowers I have all of these flowers in sun they are beautiful low maintence and I am a zone 4(montana) good luck!
2007-01-09 15:54:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to your local nursery and ask them this same question. The plants that actually do best in your area, as far as low maintenace go, are typically those that are native to your area. Asking your local nursery these kinds of questions is actually your best bet.
2007-01-09 15:34:18 · answer #6 · answered by jeff the drunk 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
boxwoods, yews,
you can get books on shrubs and going to your local nursery would probably be the most beneficial to you..
2007-01-09 23:43:19 · answer #7 · answered by Samantha B 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋