Plants that thrive on neglect

These plants will make your garden shine without a lot of pampering

Every Garden has a few neglected, forgotten spots, whether it's along a little-used walkway,
on the other side of the shed, or around a corner you never turn.These are not the places
you want to plant perennials that need to be watched over and coddled. They'll just languish,
and halfway through the season, you'll come upon them and feel a sense of guilt. What you
need in these places are plants that can take care of themselves. You need plants that aren't
picky about how much light they get and don't pout if you forget to water them once in a while.
They can make do with just a yearly trim and still look fabulous. You can count on them to
thrive-no matter what. We asked gardeners from across the country which plants fit in this
category, and these plants rose to the top.

Plants that like wet feet

These options will thrive in your damp, swampy spots

We all yearn for perfect garden soil. But in reality, few of us have it. While most, well-drained
soil is the preferred fare of most garden plants, many beautiful plants will tolerate a wider rang of conditions. If you have a poorly drained-even swampy- area of your yard that you've had
trouble cultivating, you need plant that don't mind standing in a mud puddle once in a while.

We surveyed a few experts from across the country to see which plants they rely on for their
wet areas. Here is a selection of their favorites.

Deerproof perennials

For Gardeners, nothing incites rage more than the sight of a deer munching on a prized plant

that they've spent precious dollars on, planted with the utmost of care, and nurtured just to

the brink of blooming. As the suburbs expand, deer have fewer natural areas to browse, and

our gardens become one of the few places they can sustain themselves. Because there doesn't

seem to be a ready solution to the overpopulation of deer, agardener's best option is to plant thing that deer would rather not eat. We asked a number of gardeners from across the country

which plants tend to remain unbrowsed in their gardens, and we share their picks with you

here. Keep in mind, however, that we use the term "deerproof " loosely: If deer are hungry

enough, they will eat just about anything.

Frilly bloom and great structure

NAME: Witch hazel (Hamamelis X intermedia cvs.)

ZONES: 5 to 9
SIZE: 8 to 12 feet tall and wide

CONDITIONS: Full sun to partial shade; moist, fertile, welldrained soil

Pipsissewa

This shy woodland wildflower is seldom noticed, but it has been an ingredient in popular soft drinks for decades. Pipsissewa is an evergreen, a member of the heath family. It grows from coast to coast, primarily in the northern regions. Through history, it also has been known as prince's pine, love-in-winter, butter winter, king's cure, ground holly, noble pine, pine tulip,pyrole, wax flower,rheumatism weed, bitter wintergreen,and fragrant wintergreen. The namesakes the characteristics and versatility of this quiet plant. Its Latin name, Thermophile,comes from the Greek Chaim, which means ''winter,'' and Philemon, which means ''to love''-an appropriate tag for a plant that stays green through the winter.