Hello Friends! Through a wonderful twist of fate, I am lucky enough to work for Nelson Plant Food and sell the BEST professional grade fertilizer to retailers, landscapers, and growers. I love the beauty of a healthy and vibrant landscape and appreciate all the hard work that goes into creating and maintaining one. That all being said, I rarely have one to speak of myself! I travel 50% of the time, live in 100 degree temps most of the year with rainless Summers, and have 3 dogs with razor blades for claws and an affinity for marking anything standing still long enough. I've spent a lot of time (and money!) re-doing my landscape and yard, only to have it destroyed by one of the above factors. I'm not a plant expert who's studied agronomy or horticultural, or Master Gardener with accreditations to my name. I'm a real life working professional who has tried and errored enough so you don't have to.
Here are the Top 10 Plants I've Yet To Kill. Please feel free to add your favorites as a comment. I'm always looking for variety!
1). Japanese Boxwood. I know...it may be viewed as "boring" and "typical" by more experienced landscapers and homeowners, but it's also hardy and tolerant. Two qualities that make it a winner for me!
2). Golden Euonymus. I love the bright yellow leaf of this shrub. Even better is that I accidentally spilled chemical on one last Summer during the heat of the day. It dropped its leaves, but came back beautifully this Spring.
3). Asparagus Fern. This plant adds a lot of texture. I use it EVERYWHERE around my property. In planters, pots, and even in the ground beds.
4). Purple Heart. It's unique color, pink flowers, and sharp appearance make it a fun addition. It can sometimes break easily, which frightened me at first. Have no fear though...it comes back with a vengence and will spread.
5). Aztec Grass. A great little grass for borders of your beds or to add texture to even potted plants. Cut it back in the Winter and it will flush out in the Spring.
6). Knock Out Roses. This variety of rose was made for me. I bought mine fairly mature and in a 5 gallon container for instant gratification. It blooms Spring through Fall and grows like crazy!
7). Lambs Ear. This sweet little plant is not only soft to the touch, but adds great variation for color and texture. It likes a shady/sunny mix and will do better with rainier days, but can handle the heat too. It can quickly take over a bed, as I've discovered this Spring, so you may need to pull it back.
8). Geraniums. I love the red variety for my pots on my front step. Something about a bright pop of red draws your eye and visitors to the front door.
9). Begonias. I actually had these planted in a window box last spring. They thrived through the Summer and Fall with little attention. I didn't clean out the planter over the Winter when I thought they had died. Turns out...they are coming back now! Crazy, but true.
10). English Ivy. I planted this ivy in some planters last Spring and it's quadrupled in size and length, giving me a beautiful English garden effect in that corner of my backyard. It likes a shady/sunny mix.
Okay, so I can't take all the credit for not killing these plants. I know for a fact, they would be headed for a dirty grave if not for ColorStar for Flowering Plants, NutriStar for Tree & Shrub, and NutriStar for Roses. It's a miracle in a jar for keeping things happy in a tough growing environment (or for the lazy gardner).
What plant would you put in your "Top 10 List"?
