The Best Plants for Low-Maintenance Landscaping

I remember the first time I tried to plant something that wasn’t a succulent or a half-dead cactus from Walmart. It was a lavender bush. It looked great in the catalog—picturesque, sun-soaked, buzzing with bees. Reality? My lavender shriveled faster than my first attempt at making sourdough. RIP, Gary. But hey, I learned from that—low-maintenance landscaping is a whole different animal.

So, if you’re like me—someone who wants a garden that’s the “Instagram influencer” of the neighborhood, but doesn’t want to put in the work—you’re in the right place. Low-maintenance plants are life savers. They do their thing, look beautiful, and let you focus on the important stuff. Like making sure your compost doesn’t smell like a landfill (still trying, BTW).

Why Go Low-Maintenance?

Listen, I get it. You want a backyard that looks like you’ve got it all together—without actually needing to be out there 24/7. And who can blame you? We’ve all seen those people who seem to know the name of every plant they touch. I can barely remember the difference between a weed and a flower. Anyway, here’s the kicker: low-maintenance plants actually make life easier.

These plants aren’t the diva types. They don’t need weekly spa treatments, or constant attention. Nope. They want sunlight, a little water, and maybe a pat on the back every few months. And let’s be real, they don’t require near as much of your precious time, so you can do things like binge-watch that new show you’ve been meaning to catch up on.

The Best Plants for Low-Maintenance Landscaping

Alright, let’s cut to the chase. If you want a yard that doesn’t need constant TLC, these are the best plants for you.

1. Lavender (Learn from My Mistakes)

Lavender. My first love. Or should I say, my first heartbreak? It’s stunning, smells great, and attracts bees—win-win. But it doesn’t take much to send it to the afterlife, trust me. You want to give it full sun, well-drained soil, and then maybe—just maybe—you’ll see it thrive.

Here’s the kicker: once it’s established, lavender needs minimal water. Drought? No problem. That’s the kind of plant I want in my life. Plus, if you can avoid overwatering (a mistake I made multiple times), it’ll bounce back like a champ.

Pro Tips:

Full sun, but not too much moisture. (You get it, right?)
Prune it occasionally, but keep it chill.
It’ll be buzzing with bees in no time.

The smell of it, though? It’s better than the fake lavender scent at those Yankee Candle stores. So yeah, lavender definitely makes my list of best plants for low-maintenance landscaping.

2. Hostas: Shade’s Best Friend

Now, hostas. Oh, man, these things are the best plants for shady spots. I planted a few under a tree once, and you know what? I didn’t touch them for months. Zero maintenance. They were happy as clams, sitting in the shade, quietly minding their business.

You’ll find them in all sorts of colors. There’s green, blue, or even variegated ones, which, I swear, look like something out of a fairy tale. And if you’ve got a shady spot that makes other plants cry, hostas are your best friend.

Things to Know:

These babies like shade, so no need to overthink soil types.
Zero pruning. None. Nada.
They might even survive your garden neglect streak.

I honestly feel like hostas should be a part of every garden. They take care of themselves. Like, you could forget about them for months, and they’d still be around. Total workhorse plants. Definitely some of the best plants for a no-stress garden.

3. Sedum (Autumn Joy) – The Cool Kid of Succulents

Ah, sedum. Or as I like to call it: the plant that survived my overwatering phase. This plant is a bit of a hero in my book. I used to water my garden like I was preparing for a flood. Whoops. But sedum didn’t mind. It just shrugged, looked even better, and said, “I’m good.”

I’m a fan of Autumn Joy sedum—its flowers come out in late summer and keep going well into fall. And guess what? You don’t need to do much with it. Seriously. You might want to not water it every day. Like, at all.

Why You Need It:

It’s a succulent. Hello, low water needs.
Can handle poor soil like a champ.
Gorgeous fall blooms. Your garden will be golden!

I love that sedum can handle both neglect and drought. It’s like that one friend who always shows up to the party, even if it’s raining. That’s why it’s definitely one of the best plants for a super low-maintenance landscape.

4. Daylilies: Your Summer BFF

Let me tell you about daylilies. These things are like the dependable friend who always shows up, never makes you feel bad about not calling back, and still brings wine. They bloom all summer long and look like they’re having the time of their life. Which, by the way, is exactly what I wasn’t doing when I planted my first batch of daylilies. They were out there, living their best life while I was sweating over my first herb garden. (Spoiler: it died faster than my 2020 sourdough starter—RIP, Gary.)

Pro Tip:

Full sun, but these beauties are tough, so they’ll tolerate a little shade.
Low water, low maintenance. Just let them do their thing.

No fuss, just best plants that bloom nonstop and don’t care if you’re distracted by your new Netflix series.

5. Coneflower (Echinacea) – Bee Magnet Extraordinaire

Coneflowers are a staple. Seriously. I’ve never met a person who didn’t like them. If you want a no-maintenance garden with a pop of color, these beauties will deliver. They look great, attract bees (I’m not even kidding), and laugh in the face of drought.

Why They’re Amazing:

Drought-tolerant, so no need to get fancy with watering.
They’ll keep coming back year after year. Talk about low-maintenance!
They attract bees, which is perfect if you’re into pollinators (or just want to impress your neighbors).

Plus, their purple blooms are stunning. Don’t even get me started on how good they look in the late afternoon sun. Coneflowers? Definitely some of the best plants for any low-maintenance landscape.

6. Black-eyed Susans: The Shiny New Kid

You know what makes Black-eyed Susans stand out? They don’t require much, yet they make everything around them look fancy. Bright yellow petals, dark centers… it’s like they were made to show off.

Benefits? Oh, plenty:

Sun? They thrive in it. No problem.
Low-maintenance. Just let them grow.
Pollinator-friendly, like the VIP of the garden party.

Best plants? Yeah, Black-eyed Susans definitely fit the bill. They just pop up, look great, and leave you feeling like a landscaping genius.

Wrapping Up (But Not Really)

So, let me just leave you with this: low-maintenance plants are life-changing. They make your garden look great without having to take up every weekend. And hey, if you forget to water them a few times (or a few dozen), they’ll probably be fine. These best plants are perfect for anyone who wants to keep things simple, with minimal fuss. I mean, who doesn’t want that?

Fast forward past three failed attempts (that might have been me). What I’ve learned is that with the right plants, you can have the garden of your dreams with barely any effort. So go ahead—try these plants. You might just be surprised at how easy it is to have a stunning landscape.