plants for my garden?

Question

i am after some plants like shrubs and small bushes for my garden.
i dont like gardening and hardly ever do it so i want something that you can put in the ground and dont have to do much with it.
also they have to be drought tolorant cause we are unble to water them much and i also after the best thing to put around them so weeds dont come through.
i would like them to flower so my front yard looks nice aswell.

thanks

Answer 1

Hi:
What you are looking for is low maintenance shrubs. This is what 99% of my clients want today. I am not sure what climatic zone you live in. Here are some I would recommend to you.

Loropetalum - or Chinese Pizazz
Junipers
Holly shrubs
Indian Hawthorn
Mop Cypress or Lemon Thread Cypress

These are just a few. Unfortunately there will always be some type of weeds growing. Weeds tend to grow better then most plant specimens in the worst of soil and water conditions. Prepare the soil properly and if you have weeds, spray ahead of time. You can lay down landscape fabric to help control the weeds.

I will link you to my gallery of plants section of my web site as I have several different pictures and descriptions of shrubs and other plant specimens. I will also link you to my site map where this page gives you all the pages of the website. Take a look at plan - prep and plant page as this will tell you the process involved in doing a garden or landscape project.

I hope this helps and good luck to you. If you need any other suggestions or advice, please feel free to contact me at the website. Have a great day!
Kimberly
http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.com/Gallery.html

http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.com/Site.html

Answer 2

Weigelia, Pink Princess is a good spring blooming shrub that does not get too tall, and there are several other weigelia varieties. Yews,fpr evergreens, again several varities, both short and spreading, or tall and upright. Spireas, summer blooming and also some that bloom in spring, both small and compact or large and spreading. Junipers, also for evergreens, again many varieties. There are shrub rose bushes that need little care and bloom beautifully alll summer.

You need to go to a nursery or garden center in the spring and look them over, ask all kinds of questions. They are more than willing to help you select and give you suggestions about your landscape.

Answer 3

Easy to care for shrubs:
Rhododendrons, an evergreen shrub, are perfect for the shrub border and a great naturalizing shrub which blooms in the spring. Once a rhododendron is planted is established there little that need to be done to care for it. There's even a variegated Rhododendron:
http://www.paghat.com/rhody-ponticum.html
http://www.hdcc.org.uk/gallery/source/rhododendrons.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/89509548@N00/497640964/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/philosophygeek/153301835/
http://www.waysidegardens.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10151&langId=-1&SearchText=rhododendron&mainPage=textsearchresults&RequestType=NewRequest&cid=wpp000672y
http://www.rhodygarden.org/pictures.html

Josee lilac blooms late spring & continues to flower intermittently til frost. Why not add this dwarf lilac as a great stand alone specimen? It's just 4-6' tall with a 4-5' spread Very resistant to mildew . One caution: "You probably won't get summer reblooms in hot climates, but she may have a surprise for you in the cooler fall months!" This is an ultra-hardy blend of Korean, Littleleaf, and Meyer's Lilacs.Growing Zones 4 - 8
http://springhillnursery.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_68896
http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=48662&scChannel=Top+Ten+Shrubs+and+Trees

Variegated Weigela flowers from late spring into fall.
http://springhillnursery.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_02857
http://www.bluegrassgardens.com/product=sbr01-variegated-weigela-florida-variegata.html
http://www.naturehills.com/new/product/shrubs_productdetails.aspx?proname=Weigela+-+Variegated

The Oakleaf Hydrangea can grow very well in dryer soil. They are essential to garden in summer for color and foliage texture.
http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/oakleaf.html

Viburnums are gardener's favorite; they're one the most useful and versatile and easy care shrubs available. With over 120 varieties there's one for any garden project. Some viburnums, such as the arrowwood or maple-leaf, are wonderful as woodland garden shrubs. Others have a more formal feel such as the Korean spice or judii varieties and are suitable for foundation plantings, shrub borders and as specimen plants.
http://www.paghat.com/viburnumsnowball.html
http://www.viburnums.com/39.htm
http://www.gardenlistings.com/Easy_Care_Shrubs.htm
http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/plants/articles/viburnums-are-versatile-shrubs.aspx
http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/envirohort/articles2/vibernum.html

Spirea comes in a variety of shapes and colours, from giants 10 feet tall and wide, to little 3-foot miniatures. Flowers are usually white or pink, formed on draping boughs or tight branches, depending on the cultivar. Foliage colour varies from yellow to lime green to deep green.
http://www.bluegrassgardens.com/product=sbr01-goldflame-spirea.html
http://www.garden.org/plantguide/index.php?q=show&id=2103

The "Knockout" Roses are easy to care for & now have many new colors.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/roses/knockout.htm
http://www.knockoutroses.com/
http://www.carrollgardens.com/knockout-rose.asp

It's not a shrub, but the Dayliliy is a carefree low maintenance perennial. The colorful "everbloomers" bloom all summer until frost... Stella D' Oro, Happy Returns, Pardon Me, & Rosy Returns (the first PINK everblooming Daylily). You'll recognize golden yellow StellaD'Oro in parks & at entrances to cities, etc.
http://www.burpee.com/product/perennial+flowers/daylilies/reblooming+daylily+collection+-+1+order+(9+plants,+three+of+each+variety).do
http://www.dutchgardens.com/Daylilies-Fall/default/StandardCatalog.22370.cat
http://springhillnursery.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_71392
PardonMe:
http://www.americanmeadows.com/Perennials/Daylilies/HemerocallisPardonMe.aspx
Purple rebloomer:
http://www.americanmeadows.com/Perennials/Daylilies/HemerocallisOliveBaileyLangdon.aspx

You can put compost & wood chips around your plants to keep weeds down & to prevent them from drying out. Pine needles are great for acid-loving plants.

Good Luck! Hope this is helpful.