Question
When is the best time to transplant hostas and day lillies?  What are the best no-maintenance plants that will thrive and provide beauty in the Chicago area?  

Answer
Hey, Beth.

Both hostas and day lilies are pretty versatile plants as far as transplanting goes. One's goals in transplanting these two plants are to do as little damage as possible to the root system. The only time really when one should not transplant them is in the dead of winter or if the ground is still frozen. Both require good, but not excessive, watering to help the roots establish themselves in the new location after being transplanted. I've found that the best time for transplanting is in the spring just as the new shoots or leaves are emerging. That's the best time, though, which is what your question asked. The second best time is generally in the early fall or after the blooming season. Third best would be in the summer or at the height of the blooming season, but if you choose this time, generally it is best to cut the blooms and leaves back to force the roots to establish themselves in their new location before the frost hits.

As far as no-maintenance plants that will thrive in the Chicago area, it's difficult to answer such a broad question. Here's what I would suggest that you do:

First, visit your local nurseries for guidance. In many cases, you can even visit them online, especially in a large city like Chicago. Many times you can do a search on specific words or phrases such as "low maintenance." I've generally found that the local mom & pop nurseries are better than the home improvement nurseries when it comes to seeking such guidance, but the big boys usually have better web sites.

Second, cities, neighborhoods, and even individual properties have what are called micro-climates. Such micro-climates can exit under large shade trees even though the environment is very sunny, in a wet location at the bottom of a hill even though everywhere else is dry, or on the north side (shady side) of a house while the south side gets all the sun. Take a day off and note each hour where the sun and shade is for the areas that you want to plant. Then make sure that the plants you want to put there can take that amount of shade or sun. In some cases, it might take a day for each season.

Third, drive the streets in your neighborhood to see what the neighbors have planted. You don't have to necessarily "keep up with the Joneses," but you can get a good idea of what is working in your neighborhood. If you find something specific that you like, stop by, introduce yourself, and ask what the plant is and how much water and maintenance it takes. If it fits your needs, consider it for your yard. Note that you should like at the front of the house across the street if you are planting the front of your house. The reason why is because they face different directions. For example, if the front of your house faces north (shady), then the front of the house across the street will face south (sunny). So drive parallel streets and look at houses facing the same direction as yours. Now the front of the house across the street will provide good ideas for the back of your house, which will help prevent it from looking like all you did is copy what someone else did. Of course, if you like something well enough, there's no reason you can't copy what someone else did.

If you really like Hostas like I do, I've found that Diana Grenfells's book, "The Gardener's Guide to Growing Hostas," is indispensable.