Home is where the heart is. A lovely front-yard full of greenery, flowers, and shrubs is the perfect way to let the love you have for your home spill out into the outdoors.
One of the simplest ways to make the front of your home inviting, elegant and charming is through a lovely garden complete with a multi-level plantscape. There is something timeless about the greenery and blooms that grow in the junction of the home and yard.
Whether you’re looking to instantly boost curb appeal, add bursts of color, or simply love to come home to a home flourishing with plants, check out these 11 lovely plant options for your front-yard landscape.
Hydrangea
Probably the ultimate front-of-home power bloomer, there are few plants that give the “bloom for the buck” that the stunning hydrangea bush does. Hydrangeas are incredibly popular and bloom in a cheerful variety of colors such as pink, purple, and light blue, with the color’s shade and intensity level varying depending on the soil’s pH level.
Hydrangea bushes will thrive in rich, moist soil in a place where they can experience morning sunshine. They grow best in hardiness zones 3 through 9.
Azalea
These lovely, highly popular flowering shrubs produce incredibly bright blankets of flower clusters in shades of pink, fuchsia, red, and white. Azaleas are a prized symbol of femininity and joy. They are very fragrant and look lovely against any shade of home trim. Azaleas will typically do very well in growing zones 5 through 9 in planting areas that don’t receive harsh winds.
Deutzia
Also known as Chardonnay Pearls, this lovely shrub is sprinkled with delicate buds that flower in the spring into a small, star-shaped blossom. Chardonnay Pearls are commonly used as a border accent flower and their lime-green leaves look stands out nicely against the more common greens of garden plants. Deutzia will do well when planted in a place it can receive full to partial sun in zones 5 through 7.
Gardenia
Gardenias are prized for their exceptional fragrance, making them a perfect front choice to be nestled under a window in the front of your house. The creamy white flowers are incredibly elegant against the dark green, glossy foliage. These subtropical shrubs grow best in the warm weather of zones 8 through 11.
Boxwood
Boxwood shrubs are incredibly popular front-of-home plants, especially when juxtaposed against a brick border or the brick of the home’s entryway. They are prized for their straight lines and are also able to easily be pruned into geometric styles or simply kept in the traditional cottage style. They grow slowly and will do well in zones 5 through 9.
Bottlebrush
The bottlebrush shrub is very commonly used as an accent in gardens in the front of these low-maintenance shrubs grow in almost any type of soil and thrive with full sun exposure. The bottlebrush shrub is native to Australia and is commonly seen in the desert, growing well in zones 8 through 11.
Pittosporum Tenuifolium
This small evergreen tree goes by many names such as black matipo and kōhūhū. It is peppered with miniature flowers in a deep reddish-purple color. While the flowers usually go unnoticed, their scent certainly does not, with fragrance being emitted only at night. It grows in hardiness zones 4 through 9 and needs nearly full sun to thrive.
Rhododendron
Rhododendrons are a mainstay of garden décor for the front of the home or a front yard accent, their beauty never goes out of style. They have large, flashy blooms and their green leaves typically stay throughout the winter months.
Their flowers are shaped like funnels or bells and are colored in shades of purple, yellow, red, orange, and white. Most rhododendrons will grow and bloom well in zones 4 through 8.
Japanese Pieris
Also known as the lily-of-the-valley shrub this plant is a showstopper for the front of the home due to the fact that its blooms change color as the seasons change. These ever-changing bell-like petals hang above glossy, deep green leaves that give an elegant appearance to the front garden of any house. Pieris grow best in hardiness zones 5 through 9 when planted in well-drained soil that is rich in content and has an acidic pH level. They also prefer partial or full shade.
Knockout Rose
Known for show-stopping red or pink blooms, these rose bushes are an incredibly flashy accent for the front of the home. They are popular because they require minimal care while blooming repeatedly through the spring and summer seasons. Knockout roses grow best in full sun in hardiness zones 5 through 11.
Geranium
Geraniums are very popular front garden bedding plants that bloom in shades of white, pink, and red. Geraniums are commonly dug up as the colder weather approaches and potted indoors, making them a lovely in-home accent that can be re-planted in the spring. Geraniums prefer warmer weather and grow best in zones 10 through 11.
