15 Ideas for Planting Shrubs in Front of House

Are you thinking of decorating your front yard with a variety of shrubs? Can’t decide what bushes to put in front of your house? Let me help you then! By taking a peek at this article, you will get to know about some of the most popular and low-maintenance shrubs in front of the house.

Moreover, the simple yet beautiful ideas that are shared here to plant these shrubs will brighten up your front yard while giving an aesthetic vibe. Even if you are a beginner, these creative ideas will help you in building your dream garden in no time!

15 Ideas for Planting Shrubs in Front of House

Things to Consider

Before selecting shrubs for the front of your house, you need to consider some of the aspects that will help your plants thrive without damaging your foundation. 

Make a Plan:

Before selecting the shrubs, plan your ideas for planting shrubs in front of your house. If you are a beginner, you may consider taking advice from the utility companies in your area. 

Make an appointment with them to visit your front yard and select the places where planting shrubs will not damage the structure of your house.

Basic Ideas:

Follow the basic ideas of a foundation planting or decorating the front of your house. The entrance of your home comes into focus first. Thus, you can use evergreen shrubs to create a symmetrical shape to give your entrance a neat look.

You can plant taller shrubs or trees on the corner side of your walls to give a framed look. Leave enough space from the wall or house to give them adequate room for growth. Between the entrance and the corners of your front yard, you can plant dwarf shrubs with colorful flowers to give your garden a bright hue.

Access to Sunlight:

Plant your shrubs according to their need for sunlight and shade. Some shrubs need full and bright sun to thrive whereas some grow well in partial sunlight. It is really important to provide your shrubs with adequate sunlight according to their variety.

While buying plants, know maximum information about your shrubs to select the appropriate location where your shrubs will thrive well. It is a must for their healthy growth.

Growth and Height:

Select your shrubs according to their maximum height when they get matured. Often we buy small plants from nurseries without paying attention to their growth rate and plant them in the front yard. If the roots have destructive growth, it can damage the structure.

Select smaller shrubs for planting near the house and the bigger ones (over 6 feet) a bit far from the foundation to give them enough space to grow without being a burden to the house. 

Rhododendron:

Rhododendron

Plant your Rhododendron shrubs in a partially shaded spot that has access to bright sunlight too. The shrubs can be 5 feet to 20 feet taller according to their variety. Choose the smaller varieties like Low-Growing Carolina if you want to plant them close to your house. 

The flowers can be found in bright colors like pink, purple, and red. These shrubs will dazzle in your garden for 10 or more years with proper maintenance and care.

Rosemary:

Rosemary is a popular herb and perennial shrub that you can plant in front of your house. Generally, this shrub can be 1-3 feet tall and 2-4 feet wide. 

It will brighten up your front yard with pink, purple, blue, and white-colored flowers and green or blue-colored thin leaves. This low-maintenance shrub is tolerant of drought and deers. 

Diabolo Ninebark:

Diabolo Ninebark

This fast-grower shrub can grow from 8 to 10 feet tall and have several branches. The flowers can be white or pinkish-white with purplish leaves. During the fall, the purple leaves turn into radish-bronze color which makes the appearance of the shrub more eye-catching.

 By planting this attractive shrub in your front yard, you can surely enjoy the seasonal change of colors and appearances throughout the year.

Dwarf Fothergilla:

Dwarf Fothergilla

With three different looks in different seasons, dwarf fothergilla is a favorite shrub to plant in the front yard. This low-maintenance and bushy shrub gives creamy-white fragrant flowers in the spring. 

In summer, the leaves turn into a dark green with a bluish hue. The leaves turn orange, yellow, and red during the fall season and create a scenic beauty that you can enjoy by sitting on the patio.

Shrub Roses:

There are several varieties of shrub roses that you can plant to increase the beauty of the front of your house. Angel Face, Ballerina, Buff Beauty, Cornelia, Flower Carpet Coral, Flower Carpet Scarlet, Fruhlingsgold, Chrysler Imperial, Henry Fonda, Maria Stern, and The Fairy are some of the most popular shrub roses that have won many hearts with their attractive colors and mesmerizing fragrance.

Most of these shrub roses grow up to 5 feet tall and prefer full or partial sun to thrive. With well-drained soil, proper maintenance, and light pruning, the cluster of blooming flowers will amaze you.

Hydrangea:

Hydrangea

Among several varieties and colors of gorgeous hydrangeas, my top pick is the All Summer Beauty. One interesting attribute of this low-maintenance shrub is the color of the flowers depends on the PH of the soil. If the soil is alkaline, the flowers are rosy pink. If the soil is acidic, the flowers are pale blue.

The shrub is generally 3- 4 feet tall and thrives well in the partial sun. You can plant them in moist but well-drained soil and can arrange them on flower beds or containers 

Lavender:

Lavender

English Lavender is the most popular variety of Lavender because of their long-lasting fragrance and dark purple flowers. Generally, the shrub grows to 1- 2 feet tall and 1-2 feet wide. Their smaller size is perfect for planting in containers, window planters, or stone beds.

Lavender shrub thrives the most in the full sun and needs a little water for their healthy growth. Plant them in well-drained or dry soil and give access to adequate air circulation.

Lantana Camara:

Lantana Camara

Lantana Camara is a low-maintenance shrub that grows 2-6 feet tall in well-drained but moist soil. They bloom bright flowers that are red, purple, orange, yellow, and white in colors. The leaves are dark green and produce a nice smell if damaged. 

Place them in a place where they can get access to full and bright sun. Though they need an average amount of water for their healthy growth, they can cope well with hot weather and drought.

Forsythia:

Lantana Camara

With sunny yellow flowers, a forsythia bush will remind you of the bright sun of the morning. This low-maintenance shrub needs exposure to full or partial sun for its healthy growth. 

The bush is 2-3 feet tall and 3-5 feet wide. Though Forsythia is drought tolerant, plant the shrub in well-drained soil and water them regularly.

Juniper:

Juniper

If you want to make a natural carpet with shrubs in front of your house, you should select juniper. With thin dark green leaves, juniper grows low in the ground forming a dense bushy structure that is similar to carpets.

This low-maintenance shrub grows 4-6 inches tall and 2-3 feet wide. They are effortless to grow if some basic care is given. Plant them into well-drained soil and a sunny place where they get exposure to full sun. Junipers can grow even if the soil has fewer nutrients and the weather is extreme heat.

Winter Gem Boxwood:

Winter Gem Boxwood

Boxwood shrubs have a very symmetrical as well as a compact structure that grows commonly 3-4 feet tall and wide. This evergreen shrub has dark green lustrous leaves which can also be seen in during the winter season.

They are really low maintenance and easy to grow. Just plant them in a partly shaded place and water them regularly during the extreme heat of the summer season. Placing them in shaded areas will also protect them from strong winds. Prune them during the winter for maintaining their compact structure.

Beauty Berry:

Beauty Berry

Beautyberry is one of the most popular shrubs that produce bunches of purple berries with which you can make delicious jams and pies. It is a small and compact shrub that is 3-4 feet tall and 3-5 feet wide. Light green leaves grow in their arched branches that will create an aesthetic view in your garden.

This low-maintenance shrub grows best in fertile, well-drained soil and needs an average amount of water even though it is a bit tolerant of drought. You can place the shrub in full sun or partial sun to thrive well. 

15 Ideas for Planting Shrubs in Front of House

 1. Creating Colorful Borders with Flowers:

Creating Colorful Borders with Flowers

Want to give your walkways a rustic and formal look? Then you can plant flowering shrubs or evergreen boxwoods to create borders.

 Planting flowering shrubs will give you a feeling of walking on a calm, and rural road. Whereas planting boxwood symmetrically on both sides of the walkways will bring out your sophisticated persona.

2. Window Boxes:

Window Boxes

You can make the windows in front of your house more eye-catching by placing some window planters or boxes. Plant some gorgeous lavenders or roses to illuminate the beauty of your home.

3. Creating a Pathway with Stones:

Creating a Pathway with Stones

Creating a pathway with stones is one of the most popular ideas for designing the front of your house. Increase the charm by planting flowering shrubs on both sides of the path to create a dreamy look you will enjoy every time you take a walk.

4. Lamps Between Flower Shrubs:

 Lamps Between Flower Shrubs

Want to enjoy the beautiful garden of your front yard at the night? Put some vintage or modern lamp lights in between the flower shrubs. Take a romantic walk in the garden with your partner and enjoy the illuminating shrubs at night.

5. Stone-built High Flowerbeds:

Stone-built High Flowerbeds

If you have a large front yard, you can place high flowerbeds that are built of stone. Planting shrubs in these stone-built flower beds will give the front of your house an expensive look.

6. Wheelbarrow:

Wheelbarrow

Wheelbarrows can be used as a planter too. Want to know how? Do you have an unused or old wheelbarrow lying in the store room? 

Clean it up well and paint the wheelbarrow as you like. Place it in the front of the patio and plant your favorite small shrubs in your DIY wheelbarrow planter.

7. Ceramic or Clay Pots:

Ceramic or Clay Pots

You may select colorful and artistic ceramic or clay pots to plant shrubs in them. Place these pots in front of the house or the patio to decorate the entrance.

8. Planters in Cycle:

Planters in Cycle

To create a vintage look, paint your old cycle with bright colors. Place planters on the seat and the basket and plant your selected shrubs there. This DIY planter will look well in the corner of your patio or beside the stairs.

9. Climbing Flowers:

 Climbing Flowers

Climbing flowers will be a great addition to decorating the front of your house. Put the climbing vines of your selected shrubs on the grill of your balcony, pillars, wall, or archway to create a majestic look.

10. Create a Circle around Bird Bath:

Create a Circle around Bird Bath

Create circular flower beds in the garden of your front yard and put a bird bath in the center. The shrubs will grow up surrounding the bird bath and give an aesthetic touch to the front of your house.

11. Dry Garden:

Dry Garden

Dry gardens do not need much watering or rainwater to thrive as drought-tolerant plants are selected to plant here. If you are a busy bee with minimum time to spare, you can establish a dry garden in front of your house.

12. Planters Beside Stairs:

Planters Beside Stairs

Put small decorative ceramic or clay pots in the corner of each stair of your entrance. Plant your selected small shrubs in the planters to decorate the front of your sweet home.

13. Create Brick Borders:

Create Brick Borders

Keep your pathways or soil beds simple with basic brick borders. You can also create borders by placing the bricks upside down for designing.

14. Create Grass Carpet with Junipers:

Create Grass Carpet with Junipers

Junipers can be a great shrub for covering grounds. Plant some junipers in front of your house and soon they will cover the ground with thick grass. Thus, you can create a natural carpet with ground covering shrubs to welcome your guests.

15. Picket Fence:

Picket Fence

Picket fences are great options for creating borders with your neighbors. These can be used for maintaining privacies too. Place bushy shrubs in front of picket fences in the corners of your front yard. These shrubs will create a nice look in front of the house while maintaining your privacy.

How to Place Shrubs in Front Yard

Follow these easy steps to place shrubs in the front of your house with less hassle.

  1. First, select some spots that will not damage the structure and plumbing of your house. Buy the shrubs that suit the most to your available locations.
  2. Clean the weeds and grasses of the selected spots to make room for new shrubs.
  3. Measure the breadth and size of the rootballs of your selected shrub. Dig a hole that should be double in size comparing the measurement of the rootball.
  4. Take a good store-bought fertilizer and fill the bottom of the hole with it covering the rootball well. You can also make fertilizer at home by mixing 50 % fertilizer with 50% well-drained and good soil. 
  5. Remove the shrub from its potting container or potting bag and place it in the middle. 
  6. Now, fill the hole well with the rest of the soil-fertilizer mixture. ½ inches of the rootball should be kept slightly uncovered. Just sprinkle some fertilizer around the uncovered area.
  7. Water the shrub regularly until the root is fully established in the new soil. You can also provide your shrub with staking if needed. Staking will protect them from windy weather by providing support.
  8. Mulching is advised for the newly planted shrubs. Add a layer of thick mulch or leaves to create insulation for the roots while protecting the shrub from several pests. 

Tips for Planting Shrubs

Follow these basic tips for planting shrubs in front of your house and your front yard garden will thrive in no time without damaging your house.

  1. Try planting shrubs during the fall or early spring to give your plants enough time to establish in the new soil.
  2. Consider not buying plants only because of their pleasant exterior. Select your shrubs according to the available locations, shadings, and access to sunlight.
  3. Try to select shrubs that complement the wall colors and outside design of your home. The front of your house will be more attractive if the colors of the flowers and foliages match well with the exterior. 
  4. Avoid planting shrubs in locations that can damage the plumbing, electricity line, or foundation of your house.
  5. Plant the dwarf shrubs under the windows of the ground floor as they will not block your windows by growing fast.
  6. Mix and match the selection of shrubs by incorporating evergreen, perennials, deciduous, and 4-seasonal to increase the appeal of your front yard garden.

FAQs

What should you not plant near a house?

You should avoid planting trees near your house. Root growth of some trees may harm the structure of your house if you plant them too near. Thus, always maintain a safe distance while planting trees in the front yard.

What is the best month to plant shrubs?

The best months for planting shrubs are anytime between September to October. Planting during the fall season will give enough time for your shrubs to cope with the soil and establish their roots before the freezing weather of the winter season.

Can shrubs damage foundations?

If your shrubs do not get proper nutrition from the soil or need more space to grow, they can damage foundations too. Moreover, shrubs like Ivy or Boxwood may damage the plumbing system of your house if proper pruning and care are not given.
Before selecting shrubs, you need more information about their root growth and overall maintenance to design your garden accordingly.

How do you arrange shrubs in the foundation?

While arranging the shrubs, you need to plant the mature shrubs a bit far from the foundation and the smaller ones near your home. Thus, the shrubs that are  6 feet or more in the width should be planted by keeping a minimum of 1.5 meters distance from your house.

What happens if you plant shrubs too close together?

It is advised to keep some spaces between two plants or shrubs while planting. If you do not leave enough room for their healthy growth and adequate air circulation, your shrubs will dry away leaving your garden dull.

How long does a shrub take to grow?

Most of the shrubs need at least 1-2 years to be fully matured with proper care and nutrition.

The front or entrance of your house reflects your creative mind to the guests and the passers-by. A beautiful front yard is a must to compliment your beloved home where you can relax amidst various shrubs after a long day. Moreover, don’t we all love to give our house an aesthetic, sophisticated, and neat touch? 

The different ideas for shrubs in front of the house in this article will help you bring the creativity out of your mind to create a visually pleasing front yard in no time.

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