My beds of perennials can't manage themselves with me living right there, they need all sorts of tending. I can't imagine just putting them in the ground and leaving them and expecting it to look nice.

They need water when it hasn't rained in a bit, they need cutting back after bloom, dividing, you name it, not to mention when I go out and spot things like aphids devouring something. And weeding. Last year, I held back on my weeding because I had a broken foot and wasn't getting around too well on crutches. This year I've been pulling a whole host of weeds, but I do need to mulch.

I guess my most maintenance free thing is pachysandra, but it doesn't excite me much. It just came with the house. Black-eyed susans tend to form a mat of leaves that choke out most things, and they look pretty in August/September. They look pretty ugly up until they bloom, though.

There's nothing up here that blooms non-stop all summer that will be maintenace free that I know of. You'd have to mix things that bloom at different seasons.

We rent a cottage out on Lake Erie, and the new owner landscaped the front strip this year using butterfly bush, hosta, black eyed susan, coneflower, and holly. I weeded the flowerbed while I was up there, because despite the thick blanket of mulch there were a bunch of weeds coming up. I wouldn't bet on too many other wackos doing that for you, though.

I'd rethink your options.

Good luck, it sounds very nice. I can tell you that I haven't touched my black-eyed susans or echinacea all summer and they look nice together. I also have guara "crimson butterflies" in the same area. It flowers from Spring to frost. None of these plants need water and look so good together.

Also try sedums like autumn joy and evening primrose for no maintenance (though the latter will SPREAD)

I found an article which may help a bit...

Here is a link that might be useful: easy perennials

Oh, by the way.... when I say they don't need water I mean they are very drought resistant. All plants eventually need a little water ;)

Also, what shrubs do you prefer for low maintenance? I know azalea and Rhodo's can do with little to no trimming ( I have azaleas here in FL) so I will probably use them as foundation plants. I will be able to go up to the house at least 4 to 6 times a year so I will be able to do some garden work and I spoke with a neighbor about mowing the grass. I just wanted to try to make it as easy as possible.

Hydrangea. Holly. Azalea and Rhododendron (hardier varieties are ok in most areas up here). Viburnum. Spirea.

I haven't looked much at my oak leaf hydrangeas, and they look great. I have some endless summer hydrangea that bloom on old and new growth. Lacecap hydrangea do quite well, as do PeeGee. None required a thing of me all season.

The holly out back needed no care, either. Not sure the variety, they came with the house.

Small leafed rhododendron Olga (similar to PJM but better with late frost) seems to do very, very well for me.

Despite what they say, I find a lawn is less maintenance than any garden. You just mow it once in a while. And it's easy to find someone to pay to just mow it. It's very hard to find someone to take care of gardens who really knows what they're doing. And flowers are more work than grass.

BigPaulie,

I'm not sure why you would want to plant azaleas and rhodies here if you will most likely still be in Florida at that time of the year--both plants do little to excite me here all summer.

Perennials are not the easiest way to go if you want a vacation/summer house to help you escape the Florida heat. Trust me, I know this, I lived in Florida the last 5 years (Palm Bay) and worked in an excellent garden center in Wabasso (Vero Beach area). I am now back in Upstate New York!

I used to love all of the perennials here until you discover that they need dividing and deadheading.

I love hostas--they are incredible all summer and there are thousands of varieties. May I recommend a few? 'Guacamole', 'Frances Williams', 'Krossa Regal' and 'Night Before Christmas'. These will remind you of caladium and elephant ears a bit.

Also good are spirea--they bloom most of the summer and are very hardy.

The perennials that I favor the most are: black-eyed susans, butterfly bush, sedum ('Autumn Joy' especially) and daylilies.

Pachysandra makes for a great groundcover--do not, I repeat, do not plant IVY of any kind.

When you do this planting make sure that you can be around for the critical first month if you can. You want to make sure that everything gets watered thoroughly for the first two weeks (every day) and the next two weeks (every other day).

Hydrangeas are a huge hit here...as well as perennial hibiscus and rose-of-sharon (they make for a great flowering tree!).

I also highly favor bulbs such as oriental lilies (stargazer) because you basically plant them and they take care of themselves. They are a great summertime treat to visitors.

I hope this gives you some ideas!

Mark

Absolutely the easiest form of property maintenance in this area is writing a check to the lawn guy. Anything else gets exponentially more difficult.

You will have deer. Lots of deer. They will eat practically anything. Unless there are already mountain laurel there or quite nearby, don't automatically assume rhodos and azaleas will grow easily. Have Cornell do a soil test first. You may get a big surprise.

Perennials require deadheading, dividing, weeding, and mulching to look good. Unless you are planning to come up every weekend, and spend the weekend gardening, stick with the neighbor who has offered to mow.