On the other hand, don't be put off by plants that might suggest high maintenance by reputation. Trees and shrubs add year-round beauty, often with very little maintenance. A common mistake is not considering full grown size. Recall the 60 foot spruce with its roots cracking the foundation of a house, while its too close branches scrape the siding, dropping needles that clog the eaves trough. Consider, for the first 15 years, this Spruce required little care and looked well-suited to its location.
Annuals are flashy and tempting, especially when greenhouses display packs in full flower.
If you can't resist annuals try large planters or tubs near entrances, decks or patios. Large-sized containers hold more moisture and don't require constant watering in dry weather. Light weight plastic containers can be easily rearranged to highlight the current blooms. Some of the new imitation terra-cotta pots look amazingly real. Many on the market are 'frost hardy' which means they won't crack when caught in an early September frost full of wet soil.