The easiest plants to grow are the ones that match your local conditions and forgive your mistakes. Juniper, daylily, hosta, and black-eyed Susan top my list. They handle a wide range of soils and climates without your constant attention. These tough plants survive drought, poor soil, and neglect while still looking good.
I started with zero gardening knowledge and heavy clay soil that turned into a brick during summer. My first round of hardy beginner plants taught me everything. The hostas I stuck in a shady corner grew fat without any help. Daylilies bloomed their hearts out in full sun despite me forgetting to water them for weeks at a time. A pair of junipers shrugged off a winter that dropped to -15°F (-26°C) and came back greener than before. The only failure was a lavender plant that rotted in my wet clay, which taught me the value of matching plants to soil.
Three factors make a plant easy to grow. First, it adapts to your local climate without you having to create special conditions. Second, it handles inconsistent watering, so missing a session or two won't kill it. Third, it resists common pests and diseases on its own without sprays and treatments. Plants that check all three boxes survive the learning curve that every new gardener goes through.
UMN Extension breaks this down by site conditions, which is a smart approach. They list specific species for clay soil, sandy soil, wet soil, and windy exposed locations. The easiest plant for Minnesota clay is different from the best pick for sandy coastal soil. Your growing conditions pick the plant, not the other way around.
Low effort garden plants still need a little help in their first season. Water new plantings once a week for the first summer to get roots established. Add 2 to 3 inches of mulch around each plant to hold moisture and keep weeds down. After that first year, most of these tough species survive on rainfall and seasonal cleanup alone.
Start with three to five easy species your first year and resist the urge to buy one of everything at the garden center. Watch how they perform through each season. Note which spots are sunny, shady, dry, or wet. Then expand your garden the following spring with the knowledge you've gained. This patient approach saves you money and builds a garden full of thriving plants.
Read the full article: Best Evergreen Shrubs for Your Garden
