Why I Chose the Plants I Planted: A Senior Gardener’s Journey in Zone 3
Author: Elizabeth Erasmus
 |
| Every plant mentioned in this article is from my own garden and personally planted by me over the years through trial, patience, and love for gardening. |
Gardening in Zone 3 is not for the faint of heart. Our growing season is short, and our winters are long and harsh. When I first started gardening, I was full of excitement and optimism. I visited garden centers in spring, filling my cart with beautiful blooms, not realizing many of them weren’t suited to our climate. Year after year, I spent money and energy planting flowers that never came back after winter. It was disappointing—not just emotionally, but financially.
Over time, I learned through trial and error which plants can truly thrive in Zone 3. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve also come to understand something else: my garden needs to not only be beautiful, but also manageable. As a senior, I can’t work as long or as hard in the garden as I used to. So, my choices now are guided by two things—resilience and ease. I want a garden that will come back each year without too much fuss. I want plants that will reward my effort, not exhaust me.
Here’s what I’ve learned—and the plants that now fill my garden with color, scent, and joy, year after year.
Delphiniums: Resilient and Self-Sufficient
 |
| Delphiniums |
Delphiniums are among the best perennials I’ve ever planted. They are tough, tall, and gorgeous. Best of all, they survive our Zone 3 winters and come back reliably every summer. They also reseed, which is both a blessing and a task—if you want to control them, deadheading is necessary. I let a few seedlings grow each year and share them with friends. Their ease of care and bold beauty make them ideal for a lower-maintenance garden.
Peonies: An Investment in Patience
 |
| Peonies |
Peonies are one of my favorites. They’re a bit of a long-term investment—they can take up to three years to really establish, and if you move them, they need another few years to settle again. But once they’re in place, they are incredibly low-maintenance. They come back faithfully each year, requiring almost no work beyond the occasional support stake and spring clean-up. I planted mine in a sunny spot and have left them to thrive.
Lilacs: Joyful for Me and the Bees
 |
| Lilac Trees |
Globeflowers (Trollius): Bright and Cheerful
 |
| Globeflowers |
Columbines: Carefree Color
 |
| Columbines |
Columbines are carefree, colorful, and incredibly reliable. They reseed well and fill the garden with unique blooms in a rainbow of colors. While I’ve had little success starting any plants from seed myself, these flowers do the work for me. Once they’re established, they multiply naturally. That’s a blessing when I want to reduce the time and effort spent planting each spring.
Hostas: Shade-Loving Beauties
 |
| Hostas |
I’ve planted over 30 hostas in my garden. These shade-loving plants are perfect for those difficult, less-sunny areas. They grow quickly from roots and require little attention once mature. Though they took two years to really fill out, they are now one of the easiest and most reliable plants in my garden. In summer, I also display them in pots on my deck, and at the end of the season, I return them to the soil to overwinter. They bring beauty without the back-breaking work.
Lupins: Striking and Strong
 |
| Lupins |
Lupins add dramatic spikes of color and structure to the garden. They reseed, so I do keep an eye on them and deadhead when necessary to control spreading. But they are tough and cold-hardy—exactly what a low-maintenance Zone 3 garden needs.
Lilies: Elegant and Dependable
 |
| Lilies |
I’ve also found that lilies are incredibly resilient and a true joy to grow in Zone 3. Each year, they come back stronger, taller, and more vibrant. I’ve planted many different varieties, and I love how the colorful blooms light up the garden in mid to late summer. They require very little maintenance and offer big rewards. For a senior gardener looking for beauty without extra work, lilies are an easy choice.
Ligularia: Thrives in the Shade
 |
| Ligularia |
Ligularia has been a fantastic addition to my shade garden. With its large, dramatic leaves and tall yellow flower spikes, it fills dark corners beautifully. It’s one of the few perennials that really thrives in shade, and once established, it’s very low-maintenance—perfect for my needs as I do less heavy gardening.
Monkshood: Striking and Versatile
 |
| Monkshood |
Monkshood is another favorite. It’s a striking plant with deep blue-purple flowers and does well in both sun and shade, which makes it incredibly versatile. It’s hardy and dependable, returning each year without needing much fuss. I love how it brings vertical interest and depth to the garden beds.
Maltese Cross: Bold Color and Easy Care
 |
| Maltese Cross |
Maltese Cross is a bright and cheery perennial with vivid red blooms that stand out in the garden. It comes back reliably each year and grows well in sunny spots. Like a few other reseeders, it benefits from deadheading to prevent it from spreading too far—but overall, it’s easy to manage and a joy to grow.
Coneflower: Beautiful but Unreliable in Zone 3
 |
| Coneflower |
I tried planting coneflowers (echinacea) because of their striking beauty and popularity with pollinators. Unfortunately, they didn’t survive our Zone 3 winter. They may thrive in milder climates, but I’ve found they’re too tender for our region, at least without protection. It’s a reminder that not every popular plant is the right choice for colder zones.
Limiting Invasive Reseeders
 |
| Pansies |
Some plants, though pretty, can become overwhelming. Baby’s breath and pansies reseed so easily they can quickly take over. While I appreciate their charm, I’ve chosen to limit how many I keep in the garden. As I age, controlling overly aggressive plants is just too much work.
 |
Showy baby's-breath |
Reliable Bloomers: Salvias, Veronica, and Irises
 |
| Iris |
Salvias have been hit or miss—some years they return, other years they vanish. I plant them in moderation. Veronica, on the other hand, has proven more dependable. It returns each year without much intervention. My irises—white, yellow, and purple—are classic, hardy, and ask for nothing except sunlight and space. These are perfect for a garden that’s meant to take care of itself.
 |
| Salvia |
Clematis and Catmint: Selective Success
 |
| Clematis |
Clematis vines can be finicky in Zone 3, but I’ve had great success with a purple-flowered variety. It climbs beautifully and adds height to the garden with little effort on my part. Catmint is another survivor—resilient, fragrant, and carefree. It does reseed heavily, but I don’t mind pulling out a few extras if it means enjoying its calming scent all summer.
Liatris: A Pollinator Magnet
 |
| Liatris |
Liatris is upright, unique, and much loved by pollinators. It thrives in sunny areas, which I’ve taken into account as I plan my beds. These types of sun-loving perennials make it easy to plan once and enjoy for years.
Sweet Williams: Fragrant and Cheerful
 |
| Sweet Williams |
Sweet Williams are a delightful and fragrant addition to my garden. Though technically biennials, they often reseed themselves and return each year with minimal effort. Their clusters of vibrant blooms in shades of pink, red, white, and even bi-color bring cheerful color to the garden beds, especially in late spring to early summer. I plant them along walkways and near seating areas where their soft clove-like scent can be fully appreciated. They do well in both full sun and partial shade and require very little care, making them a lovely, low-maintenance choice for a senior-friendly garden.
Planning a Garden for the Years Ahead
As I’ve grown older, my vision for my garden has changed. I no longer aim for high-maintenance beauty. I aim for sustainability—for plants that return, fill in, and ask for little. I’ve designed my garden to be a place of peace and joy, not stress and endless chores.
I created wide, mulched paths and permanent beds so I can navigate easily and avoid the strain of constant weeding. I focus on perennials that don't need staking or dividing every season. And while I still enjoy a few pots in summer, I’ve scaled back the number to what I can realistically water and manage. In short, I’ve built a garden not just for today, but for the years to come.
Final Thoughts: Finding Peace in the Plants That Stay
Gardening in Zone 3 is a challenge—but it’s also deeply rewarding. By choosing hardy perennials and reducing my reliance on labor-intensive plants, I’ve created a garden that supports both nature and my lifestyle. It’s filled with flowers that come back every year, with minimal fuss and maximum joy.
As a senior, I don’t have the energy I once had. But I still have the love—the love for plants, for beauty, and for that peaceful moment in the garden with a cup of tea, watching the bees move from bloom to bloom. And that, to me, is the true reward of gardening.
Discover how a senior gardener in Zone 3 created a beautiful, low-maintenance perennial garden through trial and error. Find tips on resilient plants that return year after year and make gardening easier as you age.
zone 3 gardening, low maintenance garden for seniors, perennials for cold climates, resilient garden plants, best flowers for zone 3, senior gardening tips, hardy perennials, plants for long winters, cold climate gardening, easy care garden plants, Alberta gardening, gardening over 60, plants that survive winter, delphiniums zone 3, peonies cold climate, hostas shade garden, lilac trees Canada, lilies zone 3, lilies for cold climates, monkshood perennial, ligularia shade plant, maltese cross plant, coneflower not hardy, easy plants for seniors
