Usually, a garden filled with plants is low maintenance. A garden with a few plants surrounded by mulch usually attracts weeds.

Well where exactly do you live? Hard to make recommendations without knowing the zone for plants

Location & a wider view needed.

Feel the area with pea gravel which is easy to walk on and provides a nice area for looted plants. Maybe some on the covered porch could relocate out there. If you like to sit outside of the covered porch a table and chair set that will be sturdy on the gravel would be inviting.

Location is absolutely necessary. Where I live, that much gravel would be a maintenance nightmare.

“Looted” plants? @Valinta, please tell us you’re not encouraging theft! ;-) Did you mean potted? Or rooted?

Location central Florida

I have perennial plants in pots don’t want to plant any in the dirt don’t want to pull weeds thinking rocks and some big pavers

Probably the answer for your lowest maintence would be to plant succulents suited for your area ( such as Aloe, agaves, etc ), they require very little watering or maintenance. Perrenials in containers require regular watering, especially during warmer months ,at least where I live ( So Cal coast ). There are some excellent online suggestions for your specific location.

Some option

or

Neither of those schemes is low maintenance. In Florida perhaps the whole area could be filled with solid Setcreasea purpurea. No mulch visible. Or Helianthus devils if it's a sunny spot.