Hi-

I am in charge of a memorial garden this year in a organization I am a part of. I am a hard worker, but I have no intense horticultural experience. The garden has not been maintained in the past, and plantings only last about a month. I have to sponsor at least two events to plant, weed, and cleanup the garden. When are good planting seasons and what do you plant in those seasons? Are there any plants that do well when planted and left to fend for themselves that still look nice_ Thanks!

Hi Magnolia,

I think the best plantings for "unattended" gardens would be a mix of native plants and hardy shrubs. I have a pretty extensively landscaped yard, but I don't put a lot of effort into maintaining it. What I have planted are native flowers, shrub roses, and lots of hostas and ferns. They all do just fine with minimal maintenance and no winter protection (I'm in Minnesota). Best thing for you to do would be contact your local extension service or a good nursery and ask them what native plants are available. I've found that shrub roses are next to impossible to kill, as are lilacs bushes, and they look nice with native plants.