Need zone or location to get specific. My "standard" reply: In the front of a home I am always going to recommend conifers and broadleaved evergreens- you want the front of your home to look nice 12 months a year, not just in the growing season. I do not use deciduous shrubs as my main plants in the front of a home. I use them in stadium style plantings- rows of short things in front of rows of medium things in front of rows of tall things- but not at focal points like doorways or corners. Keep everything below the bottom of each window- dwarf varieties work well for this. You want larger things to frame the home at each outside corner. On walkways and entries you need to choose those shrubs that will not overgrow their space and crowd the room needed for walking. Dwarf and columnar varieties are best there- you want something that will stay neat and contained without monthly pruning. Then use colorful annuals in pots to set around for visual interest. As far as specific shrubs, conifers, broadleaved evergreen varieties your best bet is to go to the closest botanical garden or large park near you and see what is growing there. If you see a lot of something that means it is very well suited to your area and is easy to keep happy. Answer from gooberfaced on reddit.com
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Proven Winners
provenwinnerscolorchoice.com › home › 14 low-maintenance shrubs for the front yard
14 Low-Maintenance Shrubs for the Front Yard - Proven Winners ColorChoice Flowering Shrubs
May 21, 2025 - Potentillas are incredibly durable shrubs, and with delightful flowers that last from spring through fall, they are also very appealing shrubs to light up the landscape in front of your house.
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Better Homes & Gardens
bhg.com › low-maintenance-small-shrubs-for-front-of-house-7152668
10 Low-Maintenance Small Shrubs for the Front of Your House
July 28, 2025 - How to Plant a Border Garden that Will Add Color to Your Landscape ... When you need a low-growing small shrub for your front yard border garden, bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is perfect.
Discussions

Just bought a house. What type of shrubs should I plant in front of my house?
Need zone or location to get specific. My "standard" reply: In the front of a home I am always going to recommend conifers and broadleaved evergreens- you want the front of your home to look nice 12 months a year, not just in the growing season. I do not use deciduous shrubs as my main plants in the front of a home. I use them in stadium style plantings- rows of short things in front of rows of medium things in front of rows of tall things- but not at focal points like doorways or corners. Keep everything below the bottom of each window- dwarf varieties work well for this. You want larger things to frame the home at each outside corner. On walkways and entries you need to choose those shrubs that will not overgrow their space and crowd the room needed for walking. Dwarf and columnar varieties are best there- you want something that will stay neat and contained without monthly pruning. Then use colorful annuals in pots to set around for visual interest. As far as specific shrubs, conifers, broadleaved evergreen varieties your best bet is to go to the closest botanical garden or large park near you and see what is growing there. If you see a lot of something that means it is very well suited to your area and is easy to keep happy. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/landscaping
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April 10, 2020
Colorful low shrub/dwarf tree for in front of house
Should have added: deer safe. Otherwise I would probably do rhododendron. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/landscaping
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3
March 28, 2024
Advice on a low shrub for in front of our new porch? Needs to be deer resistant and this area gets no direct sun
Visit your state’s Cooperative Extension Service wrbsite and search deer resistant natives for shade. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/landscaping
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December 21, 2022
What Evergreen Shrub for Front of House?
California bay laurel (would need to be pruned over time, has very fragrant leaves that are used by some in cooking), pacific wax Myrtle, ceanothus/blue blossom (gorgeous flowers), Oregon grape (ecologically important early bloomer with pretty yellow flowers, fruit used in jams), manzanita, and pacific rhododendron (might suffer if it’s full sun) all are native evergreens. Consider getting a mix / layers of them to have more blooms throughout the year! More on reddit.com
🌐 r/pnwgardening
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January 17, 2025
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Eartheasy
learn.eartheasy.com › home › 12 best shrubs for the front of your house
12 Best Shrubs for the Front of Your House – Eartheasy | Eartheasy
May 2, 2025 - Uses: Ideal for borders, mass plantings, or standalone in the front of foundation plantings. If you want a native plant that offers reliability and beauty, consider New Jersey Tea. This compact plant is an increasingly popular native shrub valued for its size (often growing about 3 feet), fragrant white flowers and ecological benefits. Thriving in poor, dry, or rocky soils thanks to its nitrogen-fixing ability, it’s a tough, drought-tolerant plant ideal for low-maintenance and pollinator-friendly landscapes.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/landscaping › just bought a house. what type of shrubs should i plant in front of my house?
r/landscaping on Reddit: Just bought a house. What type of shrubs should I plant in front of my house?
April 10, 2020 - broadleaved evergreens- you want the front of your home to look nice 12 months a year, not just in the growing season. I do not use deciduous shrubs as my main plants in the front of a home. I use them in stadium style plantings- rows of short things in front of rows of medium things in front of rows of tall things- but not at focal points like doorways or corners.
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My Perfect Plants
myperfectplants.com › collections › low-maintenance-shrubs
Low Maintenance Shrubs for Sale Online | Perfect Plants
These easy-care plants offer beauty without the hassle, making them perfect for busy homeowners. For vibrant color year-round, try Sunshine Ligustrum—its golden foliage stays bright without constant pruning.
Price   $$$
Address   262 Willie Rd., 32344, Monticello
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Preen
preen.com › learn › lawn-garden-tips › plants-trees-shrubs › trees-shrubs › the-best-compact-shrubs-for-front-yard-gardens
The Best Compact Shrubs for Front-Yard Gardens
These dwarf varieties of favorite evergreen and flowering shrubs are perfect for beautiful, low-maintenance curb appeal. - Preen
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Missouri Botanical Garden
missouribotanicalgarden.org › gardens-gardening › your-garden › help-for-the-home-gardener › advice-tips-resources › visual-guides › low-growing-shrubs-for-st-louis
Low-growing Shrubs for St. Louis
Finding plants suitable for a foundation planting of a home can be difficult because many shrubs have a maximum height that will block the windows. The following list is a wide selection of shrubs that will reach a maximum height of 4 feet and should allow you to still enjoy the view with little ...
Find elsewhere
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Savvy Gardening
savvygardening.com › home › low growing shrubs for the front of the house: 16 great choices for reduced maintenance
Low Growing Shrubs for the Front of the House: 16 Great Choices
December 4, 2024 - Unlike mophead hydrangeas (H. macrophylla) whose buds often freeze out in cold climates, the flowers on Little Lime are produced on stems that develop in the spring, so there’s no risk of the buds freezing out. This compact hydrangea looks so lovely in front of a house. Guests will no doubt ask about this beauty. The smooth hydrangeas (H. arborescens), such as ‘Annabelle’, are another group of low growing shrubs for the front of the house worth growing.
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Garden Goods Direct
gardengoodsdirect.com › collections › dwarf-shrubs
Dwarf Shrubs for Sale Online | Garden Goods Direct
These two series of buddleia only reach up to 3 feet tall and lower. Dwarf flowering shrubs, such as the Dwarf Butterfly Bushes, are ideal for urban and suburban gardeners with limited space or limited time to spend maintaining the landscape. The flower production on these little gems is amazing. Don't think that being dwarf makes them slow growing.
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Proven Winners
provenwinners.com › learn › evergreen-shrubs
21 Best Evergreen Shrubs for Year-Round Garden Color
Narrow shrubs that naturally grow as a column, like Stonehenge Skinny® or Aquavita™ · Dwarf types that grow as tidy little globes, like Tater Tot® arborvitae · Low-growing evergreens excellent for edging or groundcover, like Montana Moss® juniper
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Southern Living Plants
southernlivingplants.com › shrubs
Shrubs for Southern Gardens - Southern Living Plants
We’ve selected low-maintenance shrubs that offer real improvements. They fit their spaces without constant pruning and shaping, and they bloom earlier or longer, or with more blooms and colors.
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Proven Winners
provenwinners.com › learn › top-ten-lists › 10-easy-foundation-plants-front-your-house
10 Easy Foundation Plants for the Front of Your House
For a taller, narrower space, perhaps in a grouping at the corner of your house or as a privacy hedge, choose a Pinpoint false cypress. They grow 15-20’ tall with a 5-6’ diameter at the base. Soft Serve is hardy in zones 4-8; Pinpoint grows in zones 5-7. If the idea of a low maintenance plant that blooms for months sounds appealing, take a look at the Chiffon series of rose of Sharon shrubs.
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PlantingTree
plantingtree.com › collections › evergreen shrubs
Evergreen Shrubs for a Dynamic Landscape | Collection | PlantingTree™ - PlantingTree
June 1, 2017 - Bushes used as hedges or privacy screens can be pruned in late spring after new growth has emerged; this affords you easy yearly pruning of a maintained hedge. Boxwoods, Junipers, Mugo Pines, and most Holly bushes are all deer resistant evergreen ...
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Monrovia
monrovia.com › home › 18 types of dwarf shrubs to add in small spaces
18 Types of Dwarf Shrubs to Add in Small Spaces | Be Inspired
August 12, 2025 - Oh, those pretty blooms! Grows low and wide so the ideal antidote for a shorter border or in front of taller camellias. Up to 3′ tall, 8′ wide.
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Start at Home Decor
startathomedecor.com › 15+ low-maintenance bushes for the front of your house
15+ Low-Maintenance Bushes for the Front of Your House - Start at Home Decor
April 15, 2025 - This conical evergreen shrub adds a formal touch to any front yard. It's slow-growing and drought-tolerant once established—perfect for symmetry near an entryway. Zones: 3–8 Care: Full sun, well-drained soil, minimal pruning. Why it’s great: Compact, slow-growing, and perfect for entryways. Spirea is a deciduous shrub that produces fluffy clusters of flowers in spring or summer. It’s low-maintenance, deer-resistant, and tolerates a range of soil types.
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Pinterest
cz.pinterest.com › pin › 440508407322922500
19 Best Low-Growing Shrubs for the Front of Your House
April 11, 2025 - Enhance curb appeal by growing Shrubs: 19 compact, low-maintenance shrubs for the front of your house—evergreens for year-round structure, flowering shrubs for seasonal color.
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Gullosgc
gullosgc.com › 10-great-low-maintenance-dwarf-shrubs
10 Great Low-Maintenance, Dwarf Shrubs – Gullo's Garden Center
April 20, 2019 - This plant is one of Gullo’s Professional Landscaping’s favorites to use in the front of beds. It only reaches 10″-12″ in height, so it will not block out or hide plants behind it, is very hardy, and provides season-long interest. Its rich burgundy foliage is beautiful on its own, but the real show comes in late spring when beautiful pink flowers adorn it and contrast perfectly against the dark foliage. It also requires very little, if any pruning, making it an excellent low-maintenance option.
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Martha Stewart
marthastewart.com › small-shrubs-8668740
10 Small Shrubs That Make a Big Statement, According to Expert Gardeners
March 6, 2025 - A small variety of crepe myrtle, Lagerstroemia 'Pocomoke' has a compact shape that doesn't grow bigger than 5 feet tall or wide. It was released by the U.S. National Arboretum in 1998 and features rose-pink flowers that bloom in mid to late summer. ... Caucasian daphne (Daphne caucasica) is a densely branched mounded shrub with lovely white flowers that bloom in early summer, filling the garden with a nice fragrance.
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The Spruce
thespruce.com › shrubs-for-front-of-house-7496834
21 Best Shrubs and Plants for the Front of Your House
September 12, 2024 - Juniper, like Bar Harbor juniper, is a slow-growing, low plant that works well in front of taller shrubs in front of a house. It tolerates hot weather, full sun, and all types of soils.
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Garden Design
gardendesign.com › shrubs › small-flowering.html
22 Small Flowering Shrubs for Big Color | Garden Design
October 4, 2022 - Zones: 6-9 Exposure: Full sun to partial shade Growth habit: Bushy spreading habit Height/Spread: 30 inches tall, 36 to 48 inches wide Bloom time: Spring through frost · Clusters of brilliant flowers appear in spring. After a brief respite, plants bloom again from mid-summer until fall. This short evergreen shrub is useful as low hedging, in foundation plantings, or massed in a bed or border.