We moved into our current home 13 years ago. In the backyard is a large perennial garden anchored by a now dying flowering crab apple tree. The previous owner planted day lilies, ferns, and snow on the mountain in this garden. All of course spread and the garden was dense with these plants such that I believe the flowering crab tree was not able to receive much rain water. I have battling the removal of the above named plants for 13 years. I have made progress but as I clear and then plant new perennials, at least 50%, if not more, die after the first year. Plus the weeds are horrendous. I am constantly digging out weeds. This year has a bumper crop of Creeping Charlie. I am over trying to maintain this garden but seeing as it is a center point of our backyard I want to plant plants that are maintenance free, guaranteed to come back year after year, and I guess with climate change and our increasingly hot summer, drought resistant. I really need advice on how to keep this garden going without spending all my free time weeding, etc. I assume there are other type of perennials I should be planting, but I am not sure what they are. I also need to know how to control the weeds that are forever taking over the garden. Looking forward to your advice. Thanks!