New to gardening - whats colourful but easy to look after?!

[babycakes]

Morning everyone,

I'm new to this forum and not very green fingered. Gardening has never really interested me. I suffer with a joint problem so find spending hours in the garden very painful. However I do like to sit in a lovely colourful garden in the summer

I thought this year I'd give gardening a try but don't really know where to start. I know I've left it to late to do bulbs so what can I plant that's colourful but easy to look after?

Some one said primroses or pansies. Is there any thing else? I would like some baby daffs, but don't know if they would be suitable for my non green fingers I want some flowers in the beds and some in pots on my patio and out the front. I would like lots of colourful plants, but plants that aren't high maintenance and that are hardy.

I also have 4 cats and I'm not sure how they will be with plants so I need to take that into account!

Any suggestions & tips would be much appreciated

Thank you

[opabinia51]

Hi babycakes and welcome to the HG!

Well, the world is your oyster as far as flowers are concerned. A nice perennial flower would be the Daylilly and they come in a wide variety of colours, lillies are nice. Cosmos, violas, pansies, marigolds, Allyssum are a few more that come to mind.

Basically, my advice is to wait until spring and then go to your local nurseries and buy whatever you like and definately ask for their advice. There will be a tonne of flowers sold as bedding plants for sale.

For the planters, I like the look of strawberry pots, be sure to mix the potting soil with some sort of manure and if you can find it, some kelp meal (say about a handful or two) before putting the soil in your pots.

Don't overwater your plants, just look at the soil and perhaps stick your finger in. The soil should be kept damp and not dry. So, water only when you need to. And don't water on a schedule.

Also, try your local nurseries now for deals on perennial flowers like lillies and daylillies. If your ground is workable, you can plant them now as well.

When I plant any plant I:

dig a hole twice as deep and twice as wide (at least ) as the root ball and partially fill the hole with manure and compost and even some mulched leaves if available then I water this materail , place the plant in the hole, cover with soil (sprinkling some kelp meal in soil as I do so) and water the plant again.

Gardening is not hard, just water you plants and they will take care of you.

One more bit of advice is to not use synthetic fertilizers because they contribute to the degredation of soil structure and don't use anything with the suffix -cide.

[bullthistle]

Hello from across the pond!

Daylilies are a good choice and so are German bearded iris, since they bloom earlier then daylilies. You may want to plant perennials that bloom at different times. A Stella D'Oro daylily will bloom throughout the summer, small yellow flower, the only one to my knowledge that does. Iris come in all colors are are usually two tone, except black. Propagating perennials is simple as well to increase the plant count in your garden bed in the years to come, instead of visiting garden centers. If aquaintances have flower beds why don't you ask them if they would part with some plants and they might even give you heads up on planting. Go to https://propagatingperennials.blogspot.com to find out how easy to multiply your perennials.

[Jess]

Hi babycakes (love that name!)

Two things I would add to the info that you have been given; If you have a problem with slugs and snails go for dutch irises not bearded irises. (Just ask at your local G.C or nursery) I tried growing them and each flower was destroyed as it opened even with organic slug pellets.
Secondly there is a growing problem with a new pest in England that eats the flowers of daylillies. There is no treatment as yet so try just one for a start and see if you have a problem.
All the other suggestions will grow fine and at this time of the year you should be able to buy pots of dwarf narcissus (daffs) so just plant them straight from the pot. Cats won't be a problem unless things are small as they will dig and scrape the soil in a mound to cover their poo. (can't think of a nicer way to put that! ) If in doubt turn a wire basket upside down over the plant until it has had time to root properly.
Geraniums (not pelargoniums) are an easy plant to grow and come in all colours. I would also recommend buying seeds of aquilegias and poppies. These can be broadcast over a bed and will grow very easily.

[NewjerseyTea]

Welcome babycakes to the wonderful world of gardening. Be forewarned it's very addictive.
When I started gardening 17 years ago I was totally overwhelmed too. I started with herbs and edible flowers (borage, nasturtiums,violets) because they seemed easy to grow and disease resistant which proved to be true. When you first start you need it to be easy and successful.
Herbs are great in pots in combinations (and some herbs need to be confined to pots or they take over your garden-mints for example and lemon balm).
Before I go into specific recommendations could you tell us if the areas you want to put the pots and flower beds are sunny or shady?

Cats really like to dig in pots so you might consider a piece of wire mesh cut to fit the surface. You could also cut holes in the areas you will plant.

[opabinia51]

To rid slugs from your plants cut a ribbon of copper and wrap it around the stems of your plants. You can also use copper mesh around your plants that slugs will not cross.

[Jess]

To rid slugs from your plants cut a ribbon of copper and wrap it around the stems of your plants. You can also use copper mesh around your plants that slugs will not cross.

Hmmm, yes it stops the slugs but not the snails Opa. I have tried all sorts. When the snails in my garden kick off there is really nothing that stops them. I can limit the damage with pellets, coffee grounds even copper strips but they will still find a way. Most of the plants hang in there and finally get going (clematis for instance) but irises and hostas don't stand a chance for me. With the chalk in my ground I have a snails paradise!!!!
This year I am going to look into nematodes but I do wonder how much effort is too much when it comes to trying to grow one particular species.

[SgtsWife]

Hi,

I have problems with my joints also (plus other things, I have Fibromyalgia), so I have to try to keep gardening as easy as possible. Some easy ans beautiful flower choices might be, depending on your zone, New York Asters (it can spread and grow quite tall but it takes a few years - so if you have a bare corner in a yard, this is good), Clematis, Lavender, Phlox, Baptisia, Daisies, Coneflowers, Columbine, Coreopsis, Liatris, Mums, Globe thistle, Baby's Breath, Hosta, Red Hot Poker...I could go on...

These are a few of the plants I have in my yard and they are very easy to take care of. You want to try to get palnts with different bloom times and that have complimentary colors, but what's most important is that they have the same needs if you plant them together. You don't want to plant one flower that needs full sun, sandy conditions, not that much water next to a plant that needs a lot of water, shade and well, you get it. Also, don't overcrowd. You don't want to spend time planting, only for them to out grow each other or th get mold spores all over. Then you have to start over.

Most of these plants require a trim after bloomtime to encourage more blooms and healthy regrowth, but, that's it. Very easy.

Good Luck!

[beachbum757]

Hi Babycakes,
You don't mention how much space you have available so it's hard to know what would work best for you.
I too have muscle/joint difficulties and so am always looking for easy care plants.
If you just need bursts of color you can try impatiens. They come in many colors, require little care and give nice mounds of flowers.
Sedum is a good choice to fill in empty spots. It doesn't flower in the same sense but comes in many varieties and the foliage itself is attractive.
I like flowering bushes and lilies for a nice look with easy care that come back year after year. Hydrangeas, azaleas and butterfly bush are some colorful bush choices.
Lilies come in so many colors types and they are super easy to care for.
My favorite lilies are my soft pink and white Calla Lilies
Hope this helps.

[brubel]

Hello, I would recommend hyacinth and snapdragon. They are both relatively low maintenance. Like any perennial, though, they reproduce, so you will have to thin the snapdragons (an annual that acts like a perennial!) as you get more and eventually pull the hyacinth out of the ground and separate the new baby bulbs from the parent bulb.

[Garden Spider]

People have given you great advice for plants, so I'm not going to add to the list. I also have joint problems (arthritis and fibromyalgia), so I'd like to give some practical gardening tips that have helped me.

One option is to build raised beds out of masonry or lumber, to reduce the amount of bending and kneeling you need to do.

Gardening in containers is another option--you can grow almost anything in a container. Containers do need to be watered daily during very hot, dry weather, so that is a consideration if you find it difficult to drag hoses around, or to make multiple visits with watering cans. A drip irrigation system may make it much easier for you.

Look for plants that are extremely hardy for your location; anything that's marginally hardy will need to be mulched heavily or moved to a sheltered location for winter. When looking at trees and shrubs, pay close attention to mature height and spread, and natural shape--you will want to avoid pruning as much as possible. When looking at a particular plant, ask about its pest and disease resistance; you don't want to have to spend your time caring for a chronically ill plant! (I've given up on Lupines--every year, they get covered in aphids and then get a fungal disease.)

England has some fabulous native trees and shrubs; natives are certainly hardy, adapted to adverse conditions in the area, generally resist pests and diseases well, and generally need minimal care.

Hope this helps!

[JPlovesflowers]

Hi Babycakes,
I will not give flower advice either as you have gotten many wonderful tips already that may keep you busy for years to come. I wanted to suggest a little garden caddy that I have for rolling around my garden in. My husband bought it for me a few years ago and it has definitely saved my knees and my back over the years. It has a seat that allows me to sit and dig and work with much less stress on my joints and the lid lifts up to store all my little gadgets inside. Don't know if they are available where you are, but if you can snag one I would definitely recommend it. I wish you lots of joy in your gardening adventures.