Arthur Parkinson: The 12 best low-maintenance perennials for easy garden impact - Episode 253 Artwork

grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends

Welcome to grow, cook, eat, arrange, the weekly podcast from gardener, writer, teacher,and cook, Sarah Raven. Over the last two decades, Sarah has led the way by introducing a new kind of productive gardening which places emphasis on intense colour, sophistication, and achievability. Recorded at the beautiful Perch Hill Farm in Sussex, Sarah talks with special guests from across garden design, floristry, food, ecology, conservation, and more. Brimming with top tips and helpful hints, listen and learn how to create your most productive garden ever. You can find out more about the products discussed in each episode or get in touch by visiting the website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

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grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends

Arthur Parkinson: The 12 best low-maintenance perennials for easy garden impact - Episode 253

December 18, 2025 • Sarah Raven • Episode 253

Whether you're nurturing a bustling city plot or a country border, there’s a spot in everyone’s gardens, pots and borders for beautiful, productive perennials throughout the year.

Following on from last week’s episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’, Arthur is with us again to focus this time on perennials that are light-touch and bountiful for those of us putting together a low-maintenance garden.

In this episode, discover:

Perennials, shrubs, and self-seeding annuals that provide long-lasting beauty with minimal care
Personal stories, hands-on tips, and garden-tested wisdom to help you with your plant selection and garden upkeep
New and improved varieties bred for reduced invasiveness, greater disease resistance, and extended flowering seasons
Plants that attract bees and other wildlife, showcasing how low-fuss gardens can support biodiversity too

Products mentioned:

Aster x frikartii ‘Mönch’

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/aster-x-frikartii-monch

Salvia x jamensis 'Nachtvlinder'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-x-jamensis-nachtvlinder

Phlox paniculata 'David'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/phlox-paniculata-david

Geranium 'Rozanne'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/geranium-rozanne

Geranium wallichianum 'Bloom Me Away'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/geranium-wallichianum-bloom-me-away

Pennisetum macrourum