# Plant 'em and forget 'em, with flowers, for a black thumb

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plant-em-and-forget-em-with-flowers-for-a-black-thumb/835835>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 21, 2019, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plant-em-and-forget-em-with-flowers-for-a-black-thumb/835835 "2019-06-21T08:39:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plant-em-and-forget-em-with-flowers-for-a-black-thumb/835835/1 "2019-06-21T08:39:22Z")

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I hate gardening. But I love having nice flowers. What I need is some recommendations for things that basically grow on their own.  
For instance, in my neighborhood, growing wild, and in alleys, I see these cool purple flowers, and also some rather spectacular orange ones, blooming now. I think the orange ones are some kind of poppy. If they can grow in an alley, maybe they could stay alive in my yard.  
Right now I have a couple hundred tulips that usually brighten up my yard in the summer, along with grape hyacinth that is trying to take over, but by this time of year that’s over.  
I have roses–a wild one that blooms once, blooming now, and a few others that bloom twice. I do put in some maintenance on these roses. I deadhead them and keep the weeds out. Grudgingly.  
I have a purple climbing thing, I think it’s a clematis, and some pink mallow that should be blooming soon.  
But I need more color. I am really craving that purple and orange, and red is always good. Ideally something either in a bulb (that can be left in the ground always, unlike the dahlia that I dug up and then forgot to replant) or something that will reseed itself into perpetuity.  
I seem to be in Zone 6b.  
Bonus if someone can recommend something that likes a good hot spot, because I have a good hot spot. Southern exposure, up against a brick wall, and sheltered on all sides. I spend a lot of time there. Ideally the perfect plant(s) for this space would also smell good. I wouldn’t mind putting a little more effort into that area, it’s small, but I’m very streaky when it comes to remembering to do things to plants other than water. And by water, I mean make sure the automatic sprinkler system is functioning correctly.

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plant-em-and-forget-em-with-flowers-for-a-black-thumb/835835/2 "2019-06-21T11:35:15Z")

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