Between the scorching summer sun and less frequent rain, keeping cemetery plantings looking fresh can be a real challenge. If you can’t make it out to water every day, don’t worry—there are plenty of beautiful, hardy options that thrive on neglect. We’ve rounded up seven of the best low-maintenance flowers for gravesites, plus a little “pro tip” favorite of ours.
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++Sweet Alyssum (Alyssum)
Growing to about 12 inches tall, Sweet Alyssum is a fantastic choice for bordering a plot. While it starts out growing upright, the stems eventually spill over gracefully, creating a lovely carpet of color. This easy-going perennial loves dry, sunny spots and comes in shades of white, yellow, pink, or purple. It’s incredibly hardy, stands up well to winter, and rarely deals with pests or diseases.
++Bergenia (Elephant’s Ears)
Bergenia is a real workhorse. After its first bloom in spring, it often puts out a second flush of pink or red flower clusters in the fall, keeping the site looking lively well into the colder months. Its large, glossy green leaves are attractive year-round. These plants are tough as nails, drought-tolerant, and thrive in everything from full sun to deep shade in almost any soil type.
++Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum)
Symbolizing eternal life, Hens and Chicks are the ultimate “set it and forget it” plant. These succulents store water in their fleshy leaves, meaning they hardly ever need watering, even in the height of summer. They form charming rosettes, and occasionally, a tall flower stalk with white, pink, or red blooms will pop up. Once a “hen” (the main rosette) flowers, it dies off, but it’s quickly replaced by its “chicks” (offsets).
++Stonecrop (Sedum)
Sedums are rugged groundcovers that come in tons of varieties. They bloom all summer in white, yellow, pink, or purple. The key with these guys is well-draining soil; they much prefer being too dry over having “wet feet.” They usually stay between 2 and 8 inches tall and don’t require pruning. Plus, their thick, evergreen leaves look great even when the snow starts to fly.
++Marigolds (Tagetes)
With their bright gold, yellow, and mahogany faces, marigolds bring a cheerful warmth to any memorial. They grow in bushy clumps about a foot tall. Since they aren’t frost-hardy, we treat them as annuals here. Because they’re originally from hot, dry climates, they love a sunny spot and can handle a bit of a dry spell without drooping.
++Hardy Geranium (Cranesbill)
Not to be confused with the annual variety, hardy geraniums offer beautiful foliage and delicate cup-shaped flowers in shades of pink and violet-blue. They get their nickname “Cranesbill” from the unique shape of their seed pods. These plants are super low-maintenance, shade-tolerant, and actually prefer soil that isn’t too rich, making them perfect for low-water gardening.
++St. John’s Wort (Hypericum)
St. John’s Wort is a hardy perennial that produces a sea of bright yellow flowers from June through September. For gravesites, the low-growing, creeping varieties are usually the best fit. After the flowers fade, you’ll get decorative red berries in the fall. Once these plants are established, they can usually survive on rainfall alone, even during a hot American summer.
%%Our Secret Tip: Rocktrumpet (Mandevilla)
If you want a real showstopper that laughs at the heat, look no further than the Mandevilla (often sold as Dipladenia). This plant is a blooming machine. As long as it’s in full sun, it will pump out white, pink, or red flowers all summer long. The trick? Don’t overwater it! Too much water leads to lots of green vines but very few flowers. Give it a little fertilizer once a month, and it will stay stunning until the first frost.