Before you genuinely feel at home, work on your house’s front area- make it both welcoming and stunning. As you think about how to achieve this, let me recommend planting the best shrubs to enhance your curb appeal.
These foundation plants enhance your curb appeal effortlessly, providing year-round interest with their foliage, berries, or bark. While other landscaping ideas like rock arrangements and outdoor living spaces can enhance your curb appeal, there’s something irresistible and magical about nature.
Shrubs not only add beauty and greenery to your landscape but also provide structure and a sense of permanence to your outdoor space.
Best Shrubs For Front of House to Boost Your Curb Appeal
Below is a selection of the best shrubs to grow at the front of your house.
1. Boxwood (Buxus spp.)
For a manicured, neat look, choose this classic and timeless shrub. You can prune and shape it into different forms, from hedges and topiaries to formal geometric designs or more natural shapes. This versatility allows you to customize the area to suit your desired aesthetic.
Its leaves stay green all year round, providing color and structure to your front yard, even during winter. You can also create a natural border or screen from Boxwood if you plant it as a hedge.
Hardiness zone: 5- 9
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2. Forsythia (Forsythia spp.)
One look at this shrub, and you will love it, especially if yellow is your color. This early spring bloomer brings a burst of sunshine to your landscape, signaling the arrival of warmer days and the end of winter’s chill.
When the rest of your garden may still be awakening from winter’s slumber, Forsythia will burst into life with a profusion of bright yellow flowers, creating a cheerful and welcoming atmosphere at the front of your home. It’s also low maintenance and versatile.
Hardiness zone: 5- 8
3. Lilac (Syringa spp.)
How big is your front yard? If you have ample space at the front of your home, consider planting a Lilac. This ornamental plant grows large and tall and so will fill up the space in no time. Their captivating fragrance and elegant blooms will bring an undeniable charm to your home.
Lilac’s sweet fragrance with floral notes can fill the air with an enchanting aroma, especially in the spring when lilacs are in full bloom. This makes Lilacs perfect for growing near the entrance of your home, as that will create a sensory-rich experience for guests and passersby.
Hardiness zone: 3-8
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4. Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.)
Are you looking for a statement shrub for your front yard? Transform this outdoor space into a colorful, enchanting oasis with Hydrangea. Its iconic feature is its exquisite round, mophead, or lacecap flower heads.
These blooms are available in a wide spectrum of colors like white, blue, purple, pink, and shades in between.
Hydrangea’s versatility allows you to use it as focal points, hedges, borders, or even in container gardening. Hydrangea’s glossy green leaves also contribute to your front yard’s visual appeal, creating a lush backdrop for the colorful flowers.
Hardiness zone: 3-9
5. Azalea (Rhododendron spp.)
Look no further if you are on a quest for a shrub that will give the front of your home a burst of color and a touch of sophistication. You can find an Azalea variety that suits your front yard’s color palette, whether you prefer vibrant reds, soft pinks, or pristine whites.
Their blooms create a striking focal point that draws attention and makes your home more elegant.
Due to Azaleas’ compact growth habit, you can integrate them seamlessly into various garden styles, from formal to woodland gardens. Use them as standalone specimens, foundation plantings, hedges, or borders.
Hardiness zone: 5-9
6. Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
This shrub is perfect if you want to add elegance and sophistication to your front yard because of its stunning foliage, graceful structure, and versatility in garden design. Japanese Maples exhibit a graceful, branching structure that adds architectural interest to your front yard.
Some varieties have a cascading, weeping habit, while others grow in an upright, vase-like form. The choice is ultimately yours. Plant this shrub for its fresh spring foliage, summer shade, stunning autumn colors, and elegant winter silhouettes.
Hardiness zone: 5-8
7. Rose (Rosa spp.)
Plant Roses at the front of your home as an expression of affection or to enhance your home’s appeal. This iconic shrub will fill your front yard with color, fragrance, and charm. Their stunning and fragrant flowers create an enchanting, classic, and timeless appeal to your home.
Choose old-fashioned Roses for their rich, heady scent and modern hybrids for a delicate, fruity fragrance. Regarding color, pick a Rose variety you prefer, like red, pink, white, yellow, orange, or even multi-colored varieties.
Hardiness zone: 4-9
8. Weigela (Weigela spp.)
Few shrubs can rival the Weigela when it comes to transforming your front outdoor spaces into elegant, charming, and colorful spots. You can prune this deciduous shrub to keep its shape and size and grow it in full sunlight to partial shade.
Its trumpet-shaped flowers come in red, white, and pink shades and various combinations of these hues. The Weigela looks its best in late spring to early summer when it bursts into bloom. The colorful flowers get an attractive backdrop from this shrub’s lush-glossy leaves.
Hardiness zone: 4-8
9. Spirea (Spiraea spp.)
This shrub is best suited for gardening enthusiasts who love easy-to-care-for plants. If you are new to gardening or generally busy, get yourself a Spirea. Apart from its low-maintenance nature, this shrub produces abundant colorful blooms that cover it, adding vibrancy and charm to your landscape.
Also, since Spireas are adaptable, you can integrate them seamlessly into various garden styles. Furthermore, this shrub is suitable for small yards or part of larger landscapes due to its compact nature.
Hardiness zone: 4-9
10. Bottlebrush
Bottlebrush (Callistemon) is an excellent choice for enhancing curb appeal in front yards.
This drought-resistant shrub boasts vibrant, bottlebrush-shaped flowers that attract pollinators, adding visual interest to the landscape. Its evergreen nature ensures year-round greenery, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the property.
With minimal water requirements once established, the Bottlebrush Shrub is a low-maintenance option, ideal for busy homeowners seeking a resilient and visually appealing plant. Its compact growth habit makes it suitable for smaller spaces, such as front yards, where space may be limited.
11. Yew (Taxus spp.)
While most plants go dormant in winter, Yew maintains its rich green appearance, providing a sense of lushness and vibrancy to the front of your home and boosting your curb appeal throughout the year. You can plant this shrub as a foundation plant, hedge, privacy screen, specimen plant, or even as an accent in containers.
This elegant, versatile shrub is deer-resistant, low-maintenance, and drought-tolerant. Adding Yews to your home’s front part helps you create a timeless, picturesque outdoor space that stands the test of time.
Hardiness zone: 2-10
12. Holly
Holly has been a symbol of celebration and enduring beauty for centuries. So, plant this shrub to add festive charm, year-round greenery, and a touch of traditional holiday spirit to your home. It stands out for its iconic red berries and glossy green leaves.
These bright red berries appear in the fall and persist through the winter, thus decorating your home during the holidays. You can use the berries in your Christmas decorations, wreaths, and centerpieces.
Hardiness zone: 5-9
13. Camellia (Camellia spp.)
Camellia’s striking flowers, evergreen foliage, and versatility in landscaping make this beautiful evergreen shrub or small tree ideal for the front of your home.
Its large, waxy flowers typically appear in late winter to early spring and come in a range of colors, including white, pink, red, and even some bicolor variations.
Its pleasant fragrance adds an extra layer of appeal to your garden. Some popular camellia species you should consider include Camellia sasanqua, Camellia reticulata, and Camellia japonica.
Hardiness zones: 7-9
14. Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea glauca ‘Conica’)
Like Yew, this evergreen shrub retains its color and form during winter. Therefore, your home doesn’t have to look bare and boring when other plants are dormant.
When it comes to appearance, the foliage of Dwarf Alberta Spruce consists of bluish-green or grayish-green, short, needle-like leaves. These needles add a touch of elegance to your front yard and remain on the plant year-round, providing winter interest.
Hardiness zone: 3-6
15. Smoke Bush (Cotinus coggygria)
This deciduous shrub gets its common name from the frothy, smoke-like plumes of tiny, pinkish-to-purplish hairs that appear in late spring and early summer when the shrub is in bloom. Smoke Bush also has oval, green leaves with a slight bluish tinge.
This shrub provides additional seasonal interest in fall as the leaves turn yellow, orange, or red. Smoke Bush is an excellent choice if you’re looking to add a touch of intrigue and uniqueness to your front yard.
Hardiness zone: 4-9
16. Rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.)
Rhododendrons’ large, colorful, and often fragrant flowers are why this shrub appeals to many plant lovers. These blooms can vary in color, including shades of pink, purple, white, red, and even yellow, depending on the species or cultivar.
As for the leaves, Rhododendrons have dark green, shiny, and leathery leaves. Due to its large leaves, you can use this evergreen to create a privacy hedge. You can pair it with other shade-loving plants, such as Ferns, Hostas, Azaleas, and Heucheras, for a visually appealing and dynamic front yard.
Hardiness zone: 4-9
Conclusion
Picking the right shrubs for the front of your house can make your home more appealing and enhance its curb appeal. The best thing is there are perfect shrubs for every style and climate, whether you prefer Hydrangea’s vibrant blooms, Boxwood’s geometric and classic look, or Yew’s year-round appeal.
Hey there, I’m Derek Schew, a writer for Lawnholic.com, where we cover everything and anything related to lawns. As someone who’s spent countless hours tending to my own lawn, I’m passionate about sharing my knowledge and helping others achieve the perfect yard. From lawn care tips to product reviews, I’m committed to providing our readers with the most accurate and up-to-date information available. So whether you’re a seasoned lawn enthusiast or just getting started, I invite you to join our community and discover the joys of a lush, green lawn.