Easy Landscaping With Vines and Ferns

I'm all for little-effort landscaping.  I've found that vines, sometimes ones that are volunteers, and ferns will always be a part of my landscape.  And, as you'll see in the photos, I always have weeds in the mix.  It's okay.  They are green and easy maintenance.

 Since we moved to this house we've been trying to eradicate the ivy.  Recently it decided to climb the patio wall.  I'm thinking that I like it next to my chippy shutters.  I just may not dig this one up.

IVY AND SHUTTER ON MY PATIO WALL

I so regret planting this ground cover.  I thought it would be so pretty under my shrubs and thought it would keep the weeds down.  It's called houttuynia and it has taken over.    It's a variegated vine and it's everywhere.  You can see it to the left of the cement garden piece.  (It actually was the center of a victorian garden fountain.)  Believe me.  It's pretty but don't ever introduce it to your landscape.

GARDEN FOUNTAIN, HOUTTUYNIA. AND WEEDS OF COURSE

Ferns have become my favorite garden plant.  They're very inexpensive, need little care, and look lovely the entire summer into Fall.  I sometimes bring them inside and enjoy them all winter.

This fern is very happy in its chimney pot.  Chimney pots belong on a roof, but of course they've come down to be part of my landscape.  They make indestructible planters and are the perfect size for a fern.  I never take the fern out of its plastic pot. I just drop the whole thing into the chimney pot and it wedges at the perfect height.

FERN IN A CHIMNEY POT SURROUNDED BY PERENNIAL BEGONIAS

I have ferns in a pair of urns at the end of the walkway to the patio.

FERN IN A LARGE URN

 I haven't written about the huge vintage Chinoiserie planters I found.  I have a pair of them in front of the garage.  The large iron sphere keeps them from falling into the planter.  I put a plastic tray under the pot for easy watering.  Next to the planter is the metal clock I have yet to hang on the wall.

FERN INSIDE IRON SPHERE AND CHINOISERIE PLANTER

The ferns in the next photo are my rescue ferns.  My neighbor was digging them up and discarding them.  I asked for a few and over the years they've become one of my favorite perennials.  FYI, there's another chimney pot in front of the ferns.  I usually plant annuals in it but I just didn't get to that this year.

PERENNIAL FERNS ALONG THE PATIO WALL

What easy-care plants do you have in your garden?