When choosing shrubs for your full sun front yard, there are several things to consider. The first thing to consider is how much sunlight they will get. If you choose a shrub that gets direct sunlight, it will need to have good drainage and a shady spot. If you have partial shade, a tree or shrub can provide shade. A full-sun shrub is best, but if your yard receives a lot of indirect sunlight, an evergreen plant may be your best bet.
Evergreen varieties
Deciduous shrubs like azaleas are excellent choices for the front yard. Their dense, upright growth and bronze-red winter flowers will delight your guests. Evergreen bushes such as this one thrive best in partial shade and moist soil, and are suited to USDA Zones 7 to 9.
Choose a variety that’s suitable for your location and climate. Deciduous shrubs, like junipers, can survive in cold climates. Deciduous ones, like boxwood, will grow slowly in sunny regions. They’ll provide structure and year-round interest. Deciduous shrubs, on the other hand, may thrive in shadier areas. Evergreens can be used in both traditional and modern settings, and are perfect for front yards.
Deciduous shrubs should be selected for their color, texture, and drought resistance. Evergreens, like boxwoods and yews, tend to be darker than their leafy counterparts, making them perfect for front yard planting. Evergreens in this region should be well-drained and evenly moist. Mulching the roots will protect the plants from deer and pests. If you’re planting evergreen shrubs in front of a house, choose a low-growing species like Cavatine Dwarf. Its leaves are glossy and dark green and its branches are slender and rounded.
For full-sun front-yard plantings, consider dwarf mugo pine or black spruce. They grow slowly and will last up to 50 years if grown properly. They’ll need some pruning to keep their size. However, wintercreeper is a low-growing tree, so you may want to plant several of them in the front of the house to protect the ground. Another low-growing shrub is Blue Star Juniper, which has bright blue needles that grow into a rounded ball.
If you don’t want a massive tree, consider planting a dwarf variety of arborvitae shrubs. These shrubs thrive in full-sun front yards. The taller, upright arborvitae trees can be planted in corners or as an entrance to your house. These plants are native to USDA zones three to seven. Another evergreen shrub that works well in full-sun front yard is dwarf golden oriental thuja. This variety features golden yellow needle-like foliage throughout the year, and grows in partial shade. It’s also tolerant of drought. If you’re trying to hide your house from the view, the ‘Lie’ variety has feathered foliage and grows in full-sun conditions.
Low-growing varieties
If you want to grow a beautiful and low-maintenance shrub in front of your home, consider rhododendron. This informal shrub has soft needles and upright growth. It is easy to maintain and will provide a beautiful display of foliage for several seasons. Some species have colorful bark, peeling bark, and unusual branching patterns. These sun-loving shrubs are excellent choices for full-sun front yards.
The American beautyberry is a low-maintenance, pest-free shrub that can grow to about four feet tall and six feet wide. It can tolerate full sun to partial shade and is native to the US. The shrub produces berries in late fall. The fruit grows on new wood, so it is best to prune it in the early spring before the leaves start to wilt. But if you want to enjoy your beautiful berries all year round, you should plant multiple bushes.
For a smaller front yard, a low-growing shrub might be the best option. Gardenias have a unique fragrance that will attract butterflies and bees to your yard. If you want to attract some wildlife, you can plant lavender near your home. The flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies, so consider including lavender in your wildlife garden ideas. Adding lavender to your front yard will give your home a unique and beautiful look.
Hydrangeas are another low-maintenance option. They can be used to accent a front porch and work well in formal gardens. They are both hardy and easy to maintain. Depending on where you live, you can plant several of these shrubs. They will grow to a height of two to four feet and spread to a width of five to six feet. You may want to consider the climate in which you live to make sure that they’ll survive and flourish.
A low-maintenance shrub for your front yard might be Ogon spruce. Its delicate pink and white flowers make it an ideal plant for front-of-house landscaping. In fall, its feathery leaves turn bronze. A low-maintenance shrub with beautiful fall foliage, Ogon spruce is another popular choice. It is a low-maintenance plant with a distinctive smell.
Native plants
If you have a front yard that receives a lot of sunlight, you can grow native plants that can tolerate the full sun. Native plants are easier to care for and are beneficial for the environment. They can be adapted to the local climate and may be tolerant of pests in the area. They can also conserve water since they are used to local rainfall. Native plants will look beautiful all year round and have multiple benefits for the environment.
For perennial color, try hydrangeas, which bloom late summer and early fall and thrive in zones four through nine. These flowering shrubs are disease resistant and grow to be 4-6 feet tall. If you want something a little taller, consider Japanese maple, which comes in bush or small tree form. If you have limited space, consider planting a few of these bushes to provide a splash of color and interest.
There are many reasons to plant trees in front of the house, and they’re not limited to the back yard. You can also establish a formal native shade garden in the front yard. In this article, author Scott Woodbury outlines how to plant a formal native shade garden in front of a home. Listen to an audio file to learn about the different plants featured. The article also contains many photos of featured plants, and Scott Woodbury provides audio files that explain their growth habits.
Another native plant for your front yard is the black-eyed susan. These plants have dark blue flowers, and they grow anywhere. Native Americans have used these flowers for a variety of conditions, including snakebites and colds. Other species, like wild blue aster, are easy to grow and require a little more maintenance. They bloom between September and November. They’re also pest-free and have yellow fall foliage.
There are many native plants available for front yard landscaping. You can purchase these from local nurseries and plant catalogs. The main advantage of native plants is their ease of maintenance. The only downside is that they can be a little more expensive. Luckily, though, they’ll grow easily and adapt to their new home. You can even find native plants that are good for wildlife habitat. Oak trees are magnificent natives that grow well in your front yard. They produce acorns and broad leaves, which are valuable sources of wood.
Easy to grow
There are many different kinds of easy to grow shrubs for full sunlight in front of the house, but you should start with the simplest. For instance, if you want a beautiful hedge, consider growing a Japanese maple. This shrub is drought-tolerant but prefers full sun. Although it can grow in partial shade, it will still thrive. The berries can be eaten by birds. Another easy to grow shrub for front-of-the-house shade is the elderberry.
Junipers are a classic choice for the front of the house, and they’re fairly low-growing. There are varieties for every climate zone, and you can enjoy berries throughout the fall and winter. Lilacs are another great choice for front-of-the-house planting because they produce small white blooms that make a beautiful cut flower. Azaleas, on the other hand, produce bell-shaped flowers in varying shades of red, purple, and orange.
Hydrangeas are another choice for front-of-the-house landscaping. Hydrangeas bloom in late summer or early fall, and do well in zones four through nine. They grow between four and eight feet, so you’ll want to consider pruning them regularly if you want a full-on hedge. Alternatively, Japanese maples are a wonderful option for a taller hedge.
Anglo-Japanese yew is another low-growing shrub ideal for front-of-the-house location. This evergreen shrub has green needle-like foliage that grows to three to four feet. In addition to being drought-tolerant, it is deer-resistant and requires little pruning. These shrubs also need well-drained soil, and are hardy in USDA zones six to nine.
The boxwood is another low-maintenance option. The boxwood has a dense, evergreen habit and grows well in full or partial sun. Boxwoods are easy to prune and require little maintenance. Boxwoods are great for front-of-house landscaping as they can grow in full sun or partial shade. They grow quickly and have a beautiful appearance year-round. These shrubs are also low-maintenance and don’t need much care.
Azaleas are another great option. They grow up to four feet and bloom in red, pink, and white. They also smell delightfully and look beautiful against any color of home trim. However, they are not very hardy and need a warm location, and are not recommended for colder climates. If you live in an area with freezing temperatures, make sure to plant them in the south or west, where the temperature stays above zero degrees.