I don't know anything about landscaping, and/or plants, flowers, etc...
I plant flowers in my pots. They look nice for a month or so, and then I'm tired of watering them. They die by mid-July.
Ferg... based on what I just typed... a condo is looking better by the minute! LoL
Yeah, if you don't want to deal with a yard, get a condo! Or a home in one of those neighborhoods where someone comes and does yard work and snow removal....