What are the best easy-to-grow plants for outdoors?

Many garden lovers are in constant search of outdoor plants that are easy to grow and maintain. It may be because they simply don’t have enough time to care for them or because they don’t have the proper knowledge or materials to do so. Another reason why some people prefer easy-care plants is because they want to create a sustainable garden (the amount of irrigation water can be optimized). 

Whatever your reason, we've compiled a list of easy-to-grow plants for outdoors. Join us in the paragraphs of this article to learn more! 

Best low maintenance plants for your garden 

Before starting to design a garden, it’s super important to know which plants can withstand cold and warm temperatures. This way, you can make sure your plants look beautiful all year!

Here are the best low maintenance plants and hard-to-kill plants for your garden:

Clematis

Clematis is one of the most recommended outdoor plants because there are about 300 species in the world, all of which can easily adapt to drastic climate changes. In addition, it flourishes from spring to early autumn and maintains its brilliance for half a year. 

Jasmine

This plant can grow in outdoor bushes or as a climbing plant. In addition to being very beautiful, it’s also an ideal plant to grow outdoors because it needs a lot of sunlight to grow healthily. There are more than 200 climbing species known, all of which have a white flower and a delightful fragrance.

Ivy

Ivy is an ideal climbing plant for outdoors because it requires very little care. It’s also an evergreen plant, with almost 15 known species. However, certain ivy species are considered invasive, so beware of overgrowth. 

Dwarf Palm

Also known as chamaerops humilis or dwarf palm, this plant is suitable for drought, making it one of the most resistant and popular outdoor plants. It’s about three to four meters long and can be planted in pots or in the ground. It cannot withstand extreme frost but requires very little maintenance.

Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea is a thorny climbing plant that is highly prized for its spectacular flowering, as it has fuchsia, pink and white colors. It’s also very versatile as it can be used to cover walls and make hedges or be grown in pots. Best of all, it doesn't require a lot of maintenance. It blooms in spring, summer and until early fall. It can withstand drought, but not prolonged frosts or waterlogging. 

Wisteria (Wisteria Sinesis) 

Wisteria, also known as feather flower, is a climbing shrub that was very popular in classical gardens and is coming back into fashion in recent years. One of its advantages are its spectacular violet blossoms and that it can adapt well to any terrain. However, you should know that it’s a strong plant that may break the structures through which it climbs and twists. 

Clover 

Clover, like other grassland species, is a ground cover plant that can be a good substitute for grass. In addition, it has a very beautiful bloom. The only drawback is that, unlike grass, it cannot withstand trampling well. Therefore, it’s not recommended to place it in the sidewalk area in the garden.

Yucca 

Yucca is a plant with a similar aspect to palm trees. It doesn’t require high maintenance and has white flower stems that can reach 2 meters in length. In addition to being able to grow on the ground and in pots, there are some varieties that can also be used as indoor plants. 

Agave

Agaves, like other cacti, are succulent plants and are the main stars of xerophytic and zero-maintenance gardens. Their biggest advantage is that they require almost no water or maintenance. However, they don’t tolerate cold weather or excess water very well. 

Blue lily

Another widely recognized and appreciated outdoor plant in florists is the blue lily, as it has tapered leaves and large purple or violet flowers that bloom in spring and summer. This plant is not only very resistant, but it grows in all types of soils. It can also live well in large pots or containers.

Clivia 

Thanks to her unlimited benefits and easy care, Clivia's popularity has increased in recent years. It’s a herbaceous plant with thick flat dark green leaves and large orange flowers that bloom from late winter or early spring to midsummer. After flowering, it produces green berries, which then turn red, and decorate the plant in winter. It has high resistance and can be grown in outdoor pots or indoor plants. However, it doesn’t tolerate or resist direct light.

Laurel

Laurustinus, commonly known as wild laurel, is a native shrub that can grow up to 2-4 meters. It can be used for gardening, as an isolated ornamental plant, to form hedges and fences, and even for potted plants. In addition to being extremely resistant and tolerant to extreme conditions, it has a high flower viewing power, which can last throughout the winter until spring.

Narrowleaf Firethorn 

Narrowleaf Firethorn (Pyracantha coccinea) is a very strong thorny shrub with dense white inflorescences that bloom from late spring to early summer. These flowers will produce many red, orange or yellow berries in the fall, and they will remain the same throughout the winter. It can be used as a decorative bush or a wild fence. It can live well in any type of soil, in a sunny and semi-shaded environment, and hardly needs water. 

Photinia 

Photinia, also known as "Red Robin", is an outdoor plant that is really popular for the red hue of its leaves to form hedges and because it can grow and live well in various soils. This is an evergreen shrub that grows quickly and can reach a height of 3 meters. 

The leaves are slender and turn bright red in spring, purple in summer and green in winter. In order to enhance its color, it’s best to expose it to full sunlight. 

Types of Low-Maintenance Grasses 

When choosing the correct variety of grass for your garden, you must be aware that there are different types of grass, each with different characteristics. Before choosing and planting natural grass, you should consider the following factors: 

• The use you will give it: It can be ornamental, for sports, or family-friendly. Based on this, it’s recommended to use a specific type of lawn. For example, if you want to decorate the garden, it’s best to plant a variety of fine, bushy and dense leaves. On the other hand, if it will be used for sports or to withstand a lot of foot traffic, it needs to be a lawn that is really resistant to stomping. 
• Climate: There are lawns for warm or cold weather. Depending on where you live, you will have to plant one or another. If you don’t choose wisely, your grass will most likely not grow or be unhealthy. 

Bermuda grass

This type of common grass or fine grass is one of the best grasses because it’s the one that behaves best in temperate regions with little rainfall. It’s a fast-spreading, drought-resistant, fine-leaved tussock plant. It tolerates traffic very well and turns yellow in winter. 

Paspalum 

This is a type of grass that comes from South America and has been naturalized all over the world. It’s quite similar to common grass, being a drought-tolerant turf grass that works best in saline soil.

Zoysia Grass 

Zoysia grass is native to Southeast Asia which does very well in hot climates. It requires less maintenance than Bermuda grass, and because of its growth density, it leaves less room for weeds on the lawn. 

Ray Grass 

It’s the most widely used variety and appears in almost all seed mixtures for sale. Although it can adapt to any weather conditions, it’s ideal if you’re looking for a lawn that can withstand the cold. It also supports stamping well. It can tolerate poor soils, but grows best on soils rich in organic matter. 

Kentucky Bluegrass 

Kentucky Bluegrass is a type of herbaceous plant that can grow in almost any type of climate and can tolerate cold and icy temperatures. It’s implantation is very slow, but it will produce stems and form a dense covering, making it really resistant to traffic. 

Fescue Grass 

It’s probably the most disease-resistant species. It likes a cool climate, but cannot tolerate extreme weather: neither very dry heat nor very intense cold. 

Kikuyu Grass

Kikuyu grass is a perennial species of tropical plants, which is very common in gardens and warm climate regions along the Mediterranean Sea. It stands out for its tolerance to salty climate, high temperature and drought. It has a rough, wide appearance. 

It’s definitely one of the strongest lawns in terms of resistance to traffic and frequent use, which is largely due to the density it achieves. However, it grows rapidly, so it will need to be cut more frequently. 

Scutch Grass

This is one of the most used varieties. It stands out for resisting footsteps, heat and droughts, however, it does not tolerate frost or very cold climates. It’s the perfect grass for public parks, soccer or hockey fields, and any space that is frequently used.

It has a rustic, dense and very dark green appearance. It’s a perennial grass, with grayish-green leaves, shorter and thicker than those of other species. It grows very quickly and is considered invasive, since in many cases it can eliminate other plants.

Does your lawn need to be fertilized each year? Should you aerate your lawn every year? What is the best time to seed your lawn? If you don't know the answer to these questions, check out our expert tips!