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Garden tips for non-gardeners

Can’t seem to keep your plants alive? Here’s some great plants that will, mostly, look after themselves.

SENSATIONAL SUCCULENTS

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Cacti and succulents are great for the neglected garden because they can survive both periods of heat and a lack of water pretty well. And it’s not just spiky cactus. There’s a huge variety that will please a range of tastes including the pretty, flowering Moss Ross (Portulaca grandiflora) and the hardy Crassula Campfire.

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(Credit: Getty Images)

BLOOMING BROMELIADS

Bring a touch of the tropics to any garden with a bromeliad. They require very little maintenance beyond keeping their well like centre core topped up with water. The Giant Bromeliad is a fantastic addition to any garden, in a shaded spot or indoors, it can grow up to 1 metre in width and eventually it will flower throwing out an eye-catching flower-spike. You shouldn’t over water it and avoid watering its soil, just make sure the central ‘well’ of the plant is topped up and your bromeliad will be happy for years to come.

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(Credit: Getty Images)

HARMONIOUS HERBS

Bushy, drought tolerant plants such as rosemary and lavender are perfect for a low maintenance garden and they also can be used in cooking and around the home. Grouped together under the quaint name ‘cottage garden plants’ there’s quite a few similar plants that love the sun and don’t need too much water. Ask at a garden centre for a guide on what might work best in your local conditions.

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(Credit: Getty Images)
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GRAND GROUND COVER

If you can’t find time to weed then you’ll need some kind of ground cover to fill in those blank spaces in your garden beds and choke out the weeds. There are some fantastic options available that are low maintenance and look great. Pig face gets the nod for being a resilient, fast growing ground cover that produces wonderful flowers. Dichondra repens is a hardy native that grows in a tightly packed, lawn like spread and responds best to low levels of watering.

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