You Don't Have a Green Thumb? Choose These Hardy Plants!

You Don't Have a Green Thumb? Choose These Hardy Plants!

There may be several reasons why your garden plants die. The usual culprits are climate or a lack of water. 

If this is too often the case for you, you may want to consider opting for easy to care for plants to create a garden that will remain lush and green all summer long. There are many varieties of hardy plants that don’t require much water and that can tolerate fluctuating outdoor temperatures. Do you know which ones meet these criteria?

Why Don’t My Plants Ever Survive a Heat Wave?

Let’s start by solving this conundrum: why do my plants die after a dry spell even though I water them regularly? In Quebec, it can get swelteringly hot in the summer! It may be difficult for our plants and flowers to survive despite our care and attention if there is little rain. Sometimes your yard’s characteristics can worsen drought conditions. For example, sandy or rocky soil is less water-retentive and so plants can’t stock up. Likewise, steeply inclined plots cause water to run down and away from the plants. Certain locations can even starve plants of water by blocking out the rain (planting beneath a roof for example). Therefore, you may not be at fault when your plants die!

Drought-Resistant Plants

The members of the xerophyte family are a sensible choice if you are tired of replacing yellowed and dried-up foliage and flowering plants. This group of hardy plants includes woolly yarrow (Achillea tomentosa) which has pretty yellow flowers, false indigo (Baptisia australis), which features tall spires of purple flowers, or velvet centaurea (Centaurea cineraria), which resembles a small greyish bush. For a plant that will occupy a greater amount of space and add a subtle touch of colour, choose purple moor grass (molinia caerulea). Be aware, however, that while these plants require little rain to thrive, they will need to be regularly watered during the first year after planting. But once their roots have become firmly established (by the second year), they will be almost invincible! For all who do not have a green thumb.

Swap Out Your Lawn for Tough-as-Nails Ground Cover

But what about that lawn that is forever turning yellow? You may need to trade it in for another type of ground cover such as sedums, thyme or micro clover. They are particularly well suited to spreading over an area and covering the soil like a traditional lawn would. You can also convert various sections of your backyard’s lawn into a wildflower meadow. These small pastoral areas are discreet, pretty and, of course, require little maintenance! But keep in mind that when a lawn yellows, it is not necessarily dead; it may well revert back to its emerald hue when milder weather returns. 

Frost-Resistant Plants

There are many varieties of plants that can withstand a good frost and still provide an outstanding display … even in the fall! According to agronomist Claude Vallée, a professor at the Institut de technologie agroalimentaire de Saint-Hyacinthe, the best approach is to select plants that when grown in a group will increase each other’s overall level of resistance. For example, you could create a lovely arrangement of potted bergenias, sedums and sedges, or even still with eucalyptus, ornamental cabbages and silver ragwort. Even if the soil temperature drops to -10 degrees Celsius, these plants will continue to look great.

So, what have we learned? When it comes to gardening, you don’t need a green thumb! Sometimes, it’s just a matter of choosing the right plant for the right place all in accordance with your lifestyle. Happy gardening!

RE/MAX Québec

By RE/MAX Québec

By RE/MAX Québec

A leader in the real estate industry since 1982, the RE/MAX network brings together the most efficient brokers.