low/no maintenance perennials for community garden? (Clematis, Salvia, DayLilies)

[no kudzu]

Here's another thought. Maybe if folks see you and a few others getting results and see how much better the lot looks with attention, they will be inspired to become involved. All it takes is for one person to take the lead and get the ball rolling.

I watched a documentary about community gardens in NYC which showed before and after pictures. These gardens brought neighbors together for work and social activities and became a focal point for community involvement. You might have some organization already established in your community and not know about it. Good luck.

[BuffaloTransplant]

Originally Posted by VintageUrban

The list above is pretty good, I think that is enough to have a really nice garden. The only thing I did not see that I would add are roses. They are pretty low key if you plant them in the right place. Good luck.

For a community garden, i would pass on roses. They attract too many pests, the worst being the Japanese Beetle. Plus, if kids are going to tend the items, it is a pain to trim and watch for thorns.

Another item I would put in is lavender. Easy to grow, it can basically be dry all winter and it will come back ( I have a pot of it and bring it inside the garage and do not even water and it came back as soon as I put it out and watered)

Also a note if you do herbs. Chives & oregano are great, but will take over anything. Avoid tansy like the plague -- it is worse than the chives for take over.

[JR_C]

Again, thanks for the replies everyone.

Originally Posted by no kudzu

Here's another thought. Maybe if folks see you and a few others getting results and see how much better the lot looks with attention, they will be inspired to become involved. All it takes is for one person to take the lead and get the ball rolling.

I watched a documentary about community gardens in NYC which showed before and after pictures. These gardens brought neighbors together for work and social activities and became a focal point for community involvement. You might have some organization already established in your community and not know about it. Good luck.

I'm an officer in our neighborhood organization. (Garden District Block Watch) It's the other officers, and some regular members that I'm trying to convince. They assume that there won't be enough interest from the neighborhood, or that there might even be vandalism. (though, that's usually not a problem for other gardens, even in "rougher" neighborhoods in the city) They assume that, in the end, they will be the only ones who will maintain the garden, and they don't want that extra work. So, I'm trying to design a garden that has a maintenance free (or nearly so) alternative, if there isn't enough interest from the rest of the neighborhood. Maybe this isn't possible?

I probably should have explained this more thoroughly in my original post.

[North Beach Person]

The roses mentioned are called Flower Carpet (it's trademarked) and those things grow and grow. No spraying, I fertilize them once in the Spring. I have one that's in full shade and it's loaded with flowers.

[Rakhi]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Daylilies
Rudbeckia
Achillea
hosta

Originally Posted by Mawoods

echinesia (purple coneflower0
monarda (bee balm)
shasta daisy
coreopsis
whirling butterflies
helianthos
sunflowers

I was meaning to open a similar thread for a different reason and I am delighted to find this already in place. We bought a cottage recently and it is partially landscaped. But there are no flower plans which bloom. We will be able to go to the cottage only twice in a month for a couple of days. Now, the list given above is really helpful because they are low-maintenance. BUT, can they survive without water for 2 weeks in summer? Mostly the bed I have in mind is partially shaded.

Please can someone advice? Thank you.

[North Beach Person]

My list is made up of drought tolerant plants except when they are newly planted.

[BuffaloLight]

Community gardens are great and do help a neighborhood! If you do plant veggies or anything else you are going to eat please use raised beds. If there was a building that was demolished there may be lead contamination from the building/paint still in the ground. These community gardens are something Buffalo has dived into head first.

Heres the group that was started in Buffalo.

Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo

[no kudzu]

how about a wildflower meadow type of plan where seeds are sown, nothing is mowed and everything is self sown. It takes a bit of planning for the first season and then is pretty much self reliant. Only thing is you need wilflower mix good for your area and proper mowing time. start off with a few paths so nothing is trampled. good luck

[North Beach Person]

The problem with a wildflower meadow design is that many passersby, including Code Enforcement, don't know what it is. Many people's reactions to one is "Why do they let the weeds grow?".

[JR_C]

Originally Posted by no kudzu

how about a wildflower meadow type of plan where seeds are sown, nothing is mowed and everything is self sown. It takes a bit of planning for the first season and then is pretty much self reliant. Only thing is you need wilflower mix good for your area and proper mowing time. start off with a few paths so nothing is trampled. good luck

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

The problem with a wildflower meadow design is that many passersby, including Code Enforcement, don't know what it is. Many people's reactions to one is "Why do they let the weeds grow?".

I really like the idea of a wildflower meadow. I prefer city-living, but if I had more land, I'd grow one of these.

I was at a neighborhood cleanup in another part of the city yesterday. I was helping to clean a long-vacated commercial strip. (most of the businesses were new/used car dealers that had closed decades ago. All that remains is the crumbling asphalt) The strip of grass between the sidewalk and street was filled with flowering weeds. One of the more interesting plants growing through the rusted chain-link fences was sweet-pea. (I had to ask what it was called.) Also there was a lot of weeds that looked like globe thistle, but I was told that this was clover.

But, like North Beach Person said, the first reaction of some of the participants was: "they should mow this."