If you're new to gardening, or aren't known for your green fingers, it pays to grow robust and undemanding plants that will take care of themselves and don't mind a bit of neglect.

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Don't have much time? Read our tips for time-poor gardeners.

If you're a gardening novice or don't want to spend a lot of time gardening, it's a good idea to avoid high-maintenance plants, such as tender plants that are sensitive to cold and need protecting in winter, or plants that need lots of cosseting to keep them looking good, such as roses. Avoid plants that need regular deadheading or pruning to keep flowering well.

Grow these virtually indestructible yet attractive plants that will look good without too much effort on your part.

Verbena bonariensis

Verbena bonariensis flowers from summer to late autumn and brings an airy feel to your borders. It should come back year after year, too. It needs barely any care - leave it standing over winter and cut down to the ground in spring, when new growth should have appeared at the base.

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Verbena bonariensis
Clusters of mauve flowers atop tall stems of Verbena bonariensis

Buddleja

Known as the butterfly bush as it is extremely attractive to butterflies, buddleja is a tough shrub that is virtually indestructible. Simply cut back hard in spring, and it will regrow. Compact varieties such as the 'Buzz' series are ideal for smaller gardens. Discover 10 buddlejas to grow.

Buddleja
Magenta and purple spires of buddleja flowers

Ornamental grasses

Stipa tenuissima is a lovely, wispy grass that turns from silvery green to buff as the season progresses and brings an airy feel to a border. It is drought tolerant and needs little care - just give it a sunny spot in well drained soil.

Stipa tenuissima
A row of fluffy Stipa tenuissima along the front of a border

Erigeron

Pretty Erigeron karvinskianus, Mexican fleabane, flowers for months on end and looks lovely in pots or creeping down the edges of walls. Planted in well-drained soil, it will look after itself and self-seeds readily in cracks in walls or paving.

Erigeron karvinskianus
Daisy-like Mexican fleabane

Euphorbias

Euphorbias are grown for the evergreen colour and structure they provide, and are low maintenance, too. Versatile and slug resistant, they have bright, colourful blooms in spring and summer. Simply cut back the faded blooms after flowering. Discover 10 euphorbias to grow.

Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow'
Orange-flowered Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow'

Daffodils

Spend a few hours planting narcissi in pots or borders in autumn and they will bloom in spring, year after year. Find out all you need to know about growing daffodils in our daffodil Grow Guide and discover our Top 10 daffodils to grow. Simply deadhead after flowering and let the foliage die back naturally.

Daffodils
Yellow daffodils

New Zealand flax

New Zealand flax, Phormium tenax, adds an architectural touch to your garden with its evergreen, strap-like leaves. It makes a good focal point and is tolerant of salty winds, making it good for seaside or exposed gardens. It also grows well in containers. Simply remove any dead or damaged leaves in spring.

Phormium tenax
Pink and purple, strap-like leaves of New Zealand flax

Hardy geraniums

Cranesbills, or hardy geraniums, are often described as 'good doers' and it's easy to see why - these easygoing plants grow well in sun or shade and need little care. They benefit from a trim in late spring - this will keep them in shape and will ensure that they flower again, all summer long. 'Brookside' (pictured) and 'Rozanne' are especially good varieties.

Geranium 'Brookside'
Blue flowers of hardy geranium 'Brookside'

Perennial wallflower

Eyrsimum 'Bowles's Mauve' is a perennial wallflower that flowers practically all year round in a sunny spot. It needs hardly any care, although deadheading will keep it looking fresh. It's well-loved by bees. It runs out of steam after a few years so replace with plantings taken from cuttings, or replace with fresh plants.

Erysimum 'Bowles's Mauve'
Mauve wallflowers 'Bowless Mauve'

Ivy

Evergreen, ivy is perfect for covering a shady fence, growing up pergolas or creating a leafy backdrop beneath clematis and climbing roses. Young plants can be used to spill around the outsides of containers and winter hanging baskets. It's a valuable wildlife plant, providing nectar and pollen for insects, and berries for birds in winter, and needs very little care - just trim at any time of year.

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Ivy
Dense ivy foliage

Photinia

Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin' is a glossy evergreen that produces red tinted young leaves in spring. It adds structure to a border and can also be grown as a hedge and does not need pruning, although you could trim it into shape in spring or summer. Grow in a sheltered spot in sun or partial shade.

Photinia
Photinia bush with rosy new foliage
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