I am trying something new for me. No more grass. Just dirt, a few rocks and small plants. yard approx 5' x 10'-- 5b zone. Can anyone recommend some low growing plants which need little or no work. With some spaces inbetween to showcase the plants. Also back yard will have a veggie harden across the back lot 32' x 5' and flower beds on opposite sides 32' x 3'. mostly sun & part shade. Any suggestions for plants and landscaping ideas. Keeping in mind I am a single lady & do not have assistance. Lladytoyou
For an almost-no-maintenance front yard I would recommend Lily-of-the-Valley Convallaria majalis. You will have a lush green carpet all season long, with clusters of delicate, white, pearl-like, very fragrant flowers in May. It is not evergreen though. The only maintenance it requires is pruning the leaves back after the first hard frost. They would look untidy in spring if left untrimmed for the winter. Likes shade or partial shade. If you want one hundred percent no-maintenance evergreen ground cover I recommend either Whitley's Speedwell Veronica whitleyi (blue flowers, bluish-green foliage, likes sun, I grow it in partial shade) or Barren Strawberry Waldsteinia ternata (yellow flowers, very dark green foliage, getting rusty-green late in fall, probably likes some shade but I grow it in full sun), depending on your colour preferences. Both completely maintenance free. I have all of them growing on my property in zone 5a.
If you go with lily of the valley you will also likely need a relatively deep ~8"-12" barrier around the area where you want it to grow. It spreads underground and otherwise will probably pop up through the stones, pavers or whatever n the adjacent areas.
