Low-maintenance shrubs for the front of your home can add curb appeal without requiring much maintenance. Evergreen shrubs such as Boxwoods, Ligustrum, Hostas, and Black spruce are among the most popular choices, and many can live for up to 50 years with the right conditions. These low-maintenance shrubs can be grown almost anywhere, and many are very beautiful, too.
Evergreen shrubs
Rhododendrons are low maintenance, but add color to your landscape. These shrubs range in height from two to four feet. Taunton Spreading Yew is an evergreen shrub with dark green needles and can serve as a ground cover or screening plant. Its dense habit makes it ideal for full shade, but it is also deer-resistant. Another low-maintenance evergreen that is low-maintenance is Smokebush, a deciduous shrub that can be pruned as a tree or foundation plant.
Another low-maintenance evergreen shrub is the sevenbark. This plant is native to the Eastern United States, and can grow to ten feet tall. Its foliage is rich and colorful year-round, and its flowers are delicate and fragrant. It is perfect for front yard landscaping because it requires minimal maintenance. Evergreen shrubs can be trimmed to maintain their beauty, and they do not block the view of the home.
Bamboo Shrub. This shrub is a good choice for low-maintenance landscaping. This small plant is typically two to three feet tall, but can grow up to seven feet. The small leaves are soft and make it easy to blend with other plants. It grows best in a moist, well-drained soil. In addition to being drought resistant, this shrub can tolerate wet and average soil conditions.
Fire Power Nandina. This shrub is low-maintenance and can provide beautiful red leaves in fall and winter. This shrub also grows in zones six to eight. It is low-maintenance and requires a constant moisture source. It can also grow in containers. They can also add color to rock gardens. This low-maintenance shrub is great for rock gardens. They are low-maintenance and require little maintenance.
Boxwoods
If you are looking for a beautiful, low-maintenance shrub for the front of your house, boxwoods are one of the most attractive choices. They can be planted as a hedge, garden border, walkway edger, or even as a potted topiary. Even though boxwoods require little maintenance, you must know where to plant them in order to get the best results. For the best results, plant them in the shade during the afternoon hours. If you have trouble watering them, try spraying them with half water and half dish detergent.
Another low-maintenance shrub for the front of house is the Green Mountain Boxwood. This flowering evergreen shrub grows between three to six inches a year and is poisonous to pets. Besides being poisonous to cats and dogs, it also produces a fragrant flower in spring. It has conical leaves that keep deer away naturally. It also emits a temporary odor after pruning.
When used correctly, boxwoods provide a formal look to a house. They are extremely versatile and can be used to frame an entry, edge a walkway border, or surround a parterre. They are drought-tolerant, and thrive in zones five to nine. For winter color, try planting boxwood ‘Winter Gem.’ Its glossy, green leaves make it a good choice for zones 6 to eight. A variety with small, glossy leaves is Japanese Boxwood ‘Green Beauty’. This shrub will look beautiful and lush, even in partial shade.
The most popular low-maintenance shrubs for the front of house are the boxwood. They are native to many regions, including China, Madagascar, and Cuba. Boxwoods are easy to grow and maintain, and are disease and pest-resistant. Most varieties grow anywhere from one to four feet tall. Boxwoods have dense branches and a dense root system, so they require minimal care.
Ligustrum
If you’re looking for low-maintenance plants to plant in front of your house, try Ligustrum. Most varieties are difficult to care for, and are a potential weed. That being said, some are considered less troublesome than others. One selection is the ‘Sunshine’ variety. You can purchase this shrub online or through mail order from the Southern Living Plant Collection.
Another low-maintenance shrub is the curled-leaf privet, which grows to 45 feet (13.5 m.). This plant grows rapidly and is an ideal choice if you want a low-maintenance shrub to complement your front porch. This shrub is hardy in zones five to ten and tolerates most soils. In addition, it can tolerate moderate amounts of salt. Be sure to plant privets away from salty areas, and fertilize them once a year in spring or fall.
Another beautiful, low-maintenance shrub is the Sunshine Ligustrum. This low-maintenance shrub has yellow-green foliage, and can be planted in front of the house as an accent or a hedge. Ligustrums can be pruned to reduce their size or left in their natural state. Ligustrums make good container specimens. They’re evergreen, so they’ll stay a beautiful color for many years. They can be used in any color scheme.
Japanese maple is another low-maintenance shrub that can withstand drought and requires less pruning. Japanese maples are a great choice for the front yard. This shrub can tolerate partial shade and full sun. Its leaves are attractive and its bloom period is long. It is also suitable for foundation gardens in zones six through eight. You can purchase Japanese maples from Amazon. This shrub can grow up to ten feet tall and six feet wide, and will bloom for about four to five years.
Hostas
If you’re looking for a low maintenance, low-maintenance plant for your front yard, consider a hosta. This shrub has great foliage and low maintenance requirements. There are many varieties available depending on the climate in your area. Here are some tips for growing and caring for hostas in your home’s front yard. Hostas also thrive in pots and flower arrangements.
Hostas are slow to emerge in the spring, but once they do, they’ll provide a lovely backdrop for spring bulbs and early blooming perennials. By midsummer, they’ll occupy at least 75 percent of the space, making them a fantastic choice for front yard landscaping. Unlike many plants, hostas grow well in zones three to eight. Depending on the species, hostas are hardy in zones 3 to 8.
When choosing low-maintenance shrubs for the front of your yard, choose ones that thrive in shady areas. Shade loving perennials like Japanese Forest Grass are great companion plants for hostas because they add color and shape to your garden. Hostas are great in shady areas because they can stand up to invasive perennials. Shade-tolerant perennials like ferns also look beautiful alongside hostas.
Other low-maintenance plants for your front yard include Japanese maples and hydrangeas. These shrubs grow to about four or six feet tall and will bloom late summer or early fall. They do well in zones four through nine. These low-maintenance shrubs will need only periodic pruning. Once the shrubs reach maturity, they will need biweekly watering and pruning.
Inkberries
Inkberries are a traditional choice for landscaping. They are low maintenance shrubs that will fit any landscape style. They are related to holly, and grow up to ten feet tall. They also need enough overhead clearance to support the branching structure. In addition, they have beautiful blue berries, so they will attract birds. A small shrub, an inkberry can be planted alone, or next to small trees or shrubs for a small but attractive front yard.
This slow-growing shrub has medicinal and culinary uses. It is easy to grow, requires little water, and can tolerate part shade. Its foliage has small, feathery hairs that turn smoky pink or purplish in the fall. Despite its short life, this shrub is low-maintenance and easy to prune. It looks great in informal and formal gardens alike.
For a beautiful front yard, plant inkberries and elderberries. These shrubs produce edible fruit that can be used for deserts or jams. The flowers are also tasty for birds. Elderberries grow to 8-10 feet tall, and they do well in partial shade. You can also use dwarf lilac, a low-growing shrub that can line the sidewalk or add color to the front of the house. Dwarf lilacs are a low-maintenance choice for foundation plantings, as they grow to a modest size. If you have room for it, you can prune them into gorgeous round shapes to add interest and color to the front of your home.
If you are considering planting low-maintenance shrubs for the front of your house, it is important to think about your climate and soil conditions. In Oklahoma summers are hot and dry, and they require a good deal of water. This is one reason why many gardeners choose these plants for their front yards. If you live in a drought zone, they will thrive in a dry site.
