Maintaining a garden takes a considerable amount of time, energy, and investment. In particular, maintaining the plants in a garden can be a demanding task; you have to constantly check for diseases, add soil treatments to encourage growth, trim any overgrowth, check they are watered correctly, and more besides - all in an effort to ensure that the plant looks the same as it always has.

If you’re short on time, then this continual cycle of disappointing back-to-standard maintenance can feel a little draining. If you’re looking to reduce the stress of endless plant maintenance in your garden, there are a few easy-to-care-for options that you may want to consider…

Sunflowers

Sunflowers are incredibly joyful flowers, but they are also incredibly simple to manage. You can sow sunflower seeds directly into the earth or gravel border - no need to start in pots and then plant out - and when fully grown, you can largely leave them to their own devices. Furthermore, you can achieve a stunning stress-free bloom every year by planting perennial varieties that will resurface each spring.

Any herb

Herbs are an excellent choice for anyone seeking to create a stress-free garden, as they grow without any additional food or fertiliser and are able to withstand difficult weather conditions with relative ease. Chives are perhaps the best choice if you’re looking for a stress-free option, though sage and thyme will also thrive with relatively little maintenance required.

Apple trees

Apple trees are a very tolerant stress-free option; they can even be planted in winter provided the ground is not frozen. When in place, apple trees require very little extra maintenance, especially if you opt for self-pollinating varieties such as Cox’s Orange Pippin. It’s also worth noting that many apple varieties grow well in pots, which further enhances their usefulness. For example, you could place the pots on a decorative gravel bed or lining a pebble path for a decorative touch that provides you with delicious fruit each autumn!

Nigella

Nigella - also known as love-in-a-mist - is one of the easiest flowers to grow. First and foremost, there’s no need to actively plant Nigella; scatter the seeds on a flower bed or bare soil, and it will take care of the rest. In addition, Nigella will also reseed itself for the following year, so one handful of seeds is sufficient to enjoy consecutive years of beauty from this surprisingly hardy flower.

Carrots

It may be somewhat surprising to see carrots named as a stress-free plant. Most people assume that growing vegetables is difficult, with each plant requiring constant attention in order to grow. While this is true in some cases, carrots are very simple indeed: you can sow seeds or offcuts into the ground and then… well, that’s it, no further maintenance is required! While you will need to replant each year, given the process is so simple there’s little to worry about in this regard.

In conclusion

If you decide to use any of the plants above in your garden, you can look forward to a garden that looks the part but requires minimal effort on your behalf to maintain. Enjoy!