Now that the sun is alive in the Midwest people have been out planting gardens and working on landscaping. As landlords, landscaping needs to be approached with a strategy: durability. You can’t control the people or animals that will choose to walk through the yard, and you certainly can’t trust the weather – especially in Wisconsin. Below are five suggestions of plants you can’t (easily) kill.

Hostas
Hostas could probably survive the apocalypse. They enjoy shade, can tolerate the sun, and come in a variety of colors. The flowers can vary from white to lilac and the leaves can vary in texture, color, and width. They’re popular for how big they can get and the amount of foliage they provide. If you have a family friend (thanks, Sandy!) whose hostas have provided too much foliage, they may even split some plants for you for free!

Weigela
Weigela is similar in care to a shrub. It flowers most when planted in full sun, but still fares well in lightly shaded areas. Some weigela plants at full growth may require some pruning, but hey, maybe you prefer the natural state of the plant (we don’t judge). Next to hostas they can add a nice pop of color to a larger area that is still easy to maintain and care for.

Petunias
Another plant that can cover some ground are petunias. They typically flower in pinks and purples, but can be found in yellow, apricot, red, and white as well. To get the most color out of petunias they should be planted in full sun and, unlike the other plants, they are an annual and must be planted every year.

Coneflower
Native to the Midwest, coneflowers are tough with their drought- and disease-resistant history. The plant does double-duty by flowering in the summer and providing birds food from their seeds in the fall and winter. Coneflowers should be planted in full sun and in soil that dries.

Daylilies
Daylilies have thousands of varieties to choose from and range in color from white to orange to purple. The flowers will bloom briefly, but there are several flowers on a stalk and they vary in the times they bloom. Daylilies should be planted in full sun and can be clipped once all of its buds have bloomed for the season.

We’ve been doing a lot of painting lately and thought it would be helpful to look for lesser-known tools to speed up the process and improve the quality. We’re eager to give these following products a try during our next painting excursion.

Corner Ease Lambswool Roller
Painting big, expansive walls can be a breeze with your roller and extension. Right as you’re getting into the groove and ready to move onto the next wall you reach that awkward, corner-laden section of the room. Switching from the roller to a hand brush can change the texture and coverage of the paint, leaving that corner to stick out once the paint has dried. The Corner Ease Lambswool Roller is a convenient size to get into the corners or small crevices and, the true selling point, the texture and coverage will mimic that of a standard roller brush.

Anza Painting Brushes
If you’ve ever painted a window, you know how quickly impatience can arise. It’s all about the details with window sills and frames, and a sloppy paint job will be painfully obvious. Anza brushes, although more expensive, offer a quality product. The oval and round brushes are ideal for windows with the ability to evenly apply a generous coat of paint the first time around (with the small, awkward angles and spaces included) and their handles are specifically designed to make the grip comfortable. With the evenly applied coat and comfortable grip, the detailed painting should go much quicker overall.

Quickey Stickey Door Hinge Mask
Typically when painting doors and door frames, the hinges need to be removed from both to guarantee a clean line. The Quickey Stickey appears to be a shortcut, perfectly fitted for typical door hinge shapes. Place the Quickey Stickey on the hinge, paint over the sticker while painting the door or frame, and remove once the paint has dried.

Wonder Buckets
This tool allows you to carry around your entire paint arsenal with you. Eliminating paint trays, which can get messy, you can pour the paint right into the Wonder Bucket and wipe the brush or roller along the side to get rid of excess paint. It even has a spot where you can hook the roller handle in to suspend it above the paint while you take a break. The other compartments in it allow for other materials such as tape, a cloth, or a hand brush.