Multitude of plants and flowers within a garden

Embrace the beauty of nature without the hassle of these 22 low-maintenance garden border ideas. From lush ground covers to resilient perennials, there's something for every gardener to enjoy. 

Our guide presents various options from which you can choose one or more ideas for your garden. Start reading and get inspired! Let's dive into the world of effortless gardening and elevate your outdoor space with ease.

What Is The Best Low-Maintenance Edging?

The best lawn-edging, low-maintenance garden border ideas are here! Learn about each option in the list below to reach an almost no maintenance landscape

1. Creeping Thyme

A picture of the plant creeping thyme

Creeping thyme serves as both a fragrant ground cover and a charming border plant. This answers your question: What are the best small plants for borders? Its low-growing nature requires minimal maintenance, making it a perfect choice for edging pathways or flower beds.

2. Sedum

Close up of several sedum clavatum

With its succulent leaves and vibrant blooms, sedum effortlessly adds texture and color to garden borders. This drought-tolerant plant thrives in various conditions, requiring little attention once established.

3. Fountain Grass

A beautiful white flower called fountain grass

A nice idea to bring graceful movement to your garden borders is to use fountain grass. It has feathery plumes that sway gently in the breeze, providing year-round interest with minimal upkeep. Check the picture to illustrate its beauty!

4. Mophead Hydrangea

Several beautiful buds of dark pink hydrangea

Create a stunning focal point with the lush blooms of mophead hydrangea. These resilient shrubs require little pruning and maintenance, offering long-lasting beauty throughout the seasons.

5. Coral Bells

A picture of leaves varying from pink green and grey colors

Known for their vibrant foliage, coral bells add a pop of color to any garden border. These shade-loving perennials are easy to care for, making them a versatile choice for low-maintenance landscaping.

6. Hosta

A plant of wide and thick leaves under sunlight

Embrace the lush foliage of hostas to effortlessly fill garden borders with texture and greenery. These hardy perennials thrive in shade and require minimal attention, making them an ideal choice for busy gardeners.

7. Lavender

A bunch of lavander blooming mid day

Infuse your garden borders with the calming fragrance of lavender. These aromatic perennials thrive in sunny locations and require little water once established, making them a hassle-free addition to any garden.

8. Liriope

Liriope plant blooming in someones garden with several different species of plants

If you want to add a touch of elegance to your garden borders, choose Liriope. This versatile grass-like plant offers year-round interest with its slender leaves and delicate blooms, requiring minimal maintenance to thrive.

9. Allium Medusa

Close up of beautiful purple flowers

Make a statement in your garden borders with the unique blooms of Allium Medusa. They are drought-tolerant bulbs that barely need maintenance! They also add height and interest to any landscape in which they participate.

10. Dahlia

Extreme close up of several red dahlia flowers blooming

Dahlias will add a splash of color to your garden borders. These flowers are super versatile and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Their care requirements are minimal, and they produce stunning blooms throughout the season.

11. Dianthus Sweet William

Colorful and charming dianthus sweet william plant in full bloom

Delight in the charming blooms of Dianthus Sweet William. These compact perennials are easy to grow and require minimal maintenance, making them a perfect choice for garden borders and containers.

12. Autumn Fern

Image of an autumn furn at sundown

Autumnal Fern are low-maintenance perennials that thrive in shade and provide year-round interest with their vibrant foliage. With them, you can bring rich, autumnal hues to your garden borders. Try them out!

13. Moss Phlox

Picture of Phlox blooming

Blanket your garden borders in a carpet of color with moss phlox. They are drought-tolerant ground covers that do not need a lot of care and produce masses of delicate flowers in spring. Your garden will look the most colorful and lovely.

14. Alyssum

Fascinating imagery of sweet alyssums blooming in a garden

If you enjoy a garden with fragrance, create a fragrant border with the delicate blooms of alyssum. These low-growing annuals are easy to care for and are the cheapest low-maintenance garden border ideas.

15. Daylily

A collection of daylilies in a field

Enjoy the vibrant blooms of daylilies with minimal effort. These hardy perennials come in a variety of colors and need little to zero maintenance, making them a popular choice for garden borders. Check the picture for inspiration!

16. Geranium

Vibrant pink blooming geranium flowers

Another option to add pops of color and texture to your garden borders is using geraniums. These versatile perennials are easy to grow and require minimal care, blooming profusely throughout the season.

17. Roman Chamomile

A field of chamomile flowers with yellow and white colors

Embrace the soothing fragrance of Roman chamomile in your garden borders. These low-growing perennials are super easy to care for and make a charming addition to pathways and rock gardens.

18. Verbena bonariensis

Close up of verbena bonariensis

Verbena bonariensis is not so common, but it is a drought-tolerant perennial that also does not need a lot of maintenance. One specificity is that it might thrive as a fence landscaping idea as it can be a climber!

19. Astilbe

Colorful and bright astilbe plant

Another elegant option to make your garden borders unique is to plant the feathery plumes of astilbe. These shade-loving perennials are not going to give you much work and will still add a touch of romance to the landscape.

20. Creeping Phlox

Image of a garden of phlox subulata

Cascade color down your garden borders with creeping phlox. These low-growing perennials are easy to care for and produce masses of flowers in spring, attracting butterflies and bees to your garden.

21. Dusty Miller

Image of the plant dusty miller a grayed out plant

Add texture and contrast to your garden borders with Dusty Miller. These silvery-gray perennials are drought-tolerant and require minimal maintenance, making them a versatile choice for edging.

22. Echinacea pallida

A hardy garden with various different types of plants with the main focus being echidnacea pallida

Invite pollinators to your garden borders with the cheerful blooms of Echinacea pallida. These hardy perennials are easy to grow, blooming reliably year after year. Who does not love the idea of butterflies flying around their garden?

If garden borders were too much for you, consider learning what landscape maintenance is and try to add it to your routine!

For more low-maintenance garden border ideas, reach out to Wisercosts' landscaping contractors; their service is a guarantee of success!