I have perennial ferns that get only about 12" tall and look good all season, year after year, with zero maintenance. One has self-seeded somehow and comes up through a crack in my breezeway concrete. It's so nice looking I let it be and just step over it.

Hellebore/Lenten rose stays about 20" tall in my part shade bed and remains evergreen year round altho' it does send out new foliage March/April.

Carex, either plain green or variegated, is an ornamental grass that remains short as well and retains its form right through winter here in Southern New England.

Thank you for some great suggestions. Any particular care needs for the ones other than the fern?

You will want to cut the old foliage off the hellebores when the new comes out (the old can look rather ratty), but I love mine. Both the carex and ferns are good suggestions.

One of my favorite plants is Galium odoratum (Sweet Woodruff). It is so pretty in spring with its white flowers and is pretty even after blooming. I am in zone 7 and it is practically evergreen here (years when we have mild winters), so it might be evergreen for you. It is low-growing and fills in around my hosta, hellebores, heuchera, etc..

Hellebore/Lenten rose is even more care-free than Carex. I let the crappy old Hellebore foliage just lay on the mulch beneath the plant since it seems to just disappear in short order. I figure it's just decaying organic matter enriching the soil. I'm 100% behind organic gardening but 150% behind zero garden maintenance. The Carex 'Ice Dance' plants are supposed to get a haircut every year early in the season but I haven't done that the past seven years and they're still looking just fine. They do send up some spindly seed-bearing stems early each year but I just ignore them and they just go away.

One additional note about Carex 'Ice Dance:' I planted a single, nursery-grown plant in full shade back about 10 years ago. About 5 years ago I decided to divide it and plant the divisions in a part shade bed. I also gave some divisions to friends. Those have all taken off and are growing well. It's well-behaved but it's an amazing source of additional plants.

I've never fed or watered either the Carex or the Hellebores. I'm in Southern New England. We're in the worst drought since I moved here 11 years ago and the Carex & Hellebores look the same as they do when we get normal rainfall. That says "bulletproof" perennial to me.

Thanks for the specific recommendations and information about expected care for each one. I'm really liking the no/very little maintenance requirements! They all sound exactly like what I am looking for, so I'm going to print out this thread and take it with me to the nursery.

Mayflowers, the lonicera Twiggy is an interesting plant. In fact, I really like your second picture because you have variety of shapes and textures, which is what I've told DH I'd like to have in our landscaping. He was less than enthusiastic about my idea, but hopefully we can meet halfway.

Thanks all!

I have a new craze this year - the dainty little evergreen parahebes. I have never cared for hebes - the invariably become yellowish and leggy and are either far too big or desperately dull and ubiquitous, but parahebe catarractae, with elegant little flowers and perfectly formed well-behaved foliage have been an eyeopener...and an ideal small foundational planting for front and centre.

Apparently, parahebe perfoliata is a 'great plant pick' for the PNW

Hubby doesn't like variety? Maybe he knows how much that's gonna cost! I have over 100 plants in my small backyard and still have a few holes.

If you look to the right of my path, there's a Himalayan maidenhair fern, which is another possibility. It's also evergreen, low-growing, and a slow-spreader. In spring, you'll want to cut off last year's growth to let the bronzy fronds emerge, which then turn a bright spring green for several weeks.

Campanula, I found parahebe perfoliata at Portland Nursery site, and it's quite attractive---love blue flowers. I also like spiky flowers, although 3' tall might be too much. Just need to go look, I guess.

Mayflowers, Yeah, maybe it's the economics---although usually I'm the one trying to watch the budget! However, we're just finishing building a home, so we're probably both watching the pennies closely at this point.

The little catarractae are much neater and more cojmpact than 3feet some of them are as low as 8 inches and are basically quite lax plants.