16 Best Shrubs for the Front of Your House to Create Curb Appeal 

Make the front of your house more inviting with any of these beautiful shrubs, from evergreen to flowering options.

Published May 16, 2023
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You want your front yard to look attractive and welcoming every time you come home. Your neighbors will appreciate it, too! Plus, if you ever decide to sell, the outside of your home is the first thing a buyer sees! One of the quickest and most budget-friendly ways to improve your home's curb appeal is with a little shrubbery magic. Plant any of these beautiful shrubs in the front of your house to give it a facelift.

Forsythia

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Forsythia is a flowering shrub that produces a magnificent golden yellow color in the early spring. Plant it in full sun (early spring or late fall) as a stand-alone or 4-6 feet apart for a hedge. You'll love the pop of color it adds to your landscaping.

Hydrangea

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We're obsessed with hydrangeas as a lush statement plant. They come in a variety of beautiful colors and can get huge (up to 15 feet!). They like morning sun and afternoon shade, and will bloom through summer into fall.

Soft Touch Holly

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Soft touch holly is a cute evergreen shrub that only grows to 3 feet maximum. It stays green year-round, so you can have some color even in the winter months for better curb appeal.

Adam’s Needle Yucca

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The unique looks of Adam's needle yucca makes it the perfect addition to your landscaping. It actually looks more like a succulent or cactus and grows a tall flower stalk that comes in different colors. Plant it in full sun with well-draining soil, and it'll take good care of itself from there!

Wintergreen Boxwood

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If you want a shrub that tolerates cold weather and still looks pretty in the winter, go for a wintergreen boxwood shrub. You can grow it as a hedge or border for your front yard's landscape for instant curb appeal. It likes either full sun or partial shade and is relatively easy to keep alive.

Pieris Mountain Fire Plant

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The pieris mountain fire plant is a gorgeous flowering shrub that blooms fiery red flowers in the springtime. In the summer, it transforms into a lovely green shrub to beautify your yard. It doesn't need too much pruning, but plant it in filtered or partial sun.

Tri-Color Dappled Willow

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The tri-color dappled willow makes a great hedge or stand-alone plant for your landscape. It's named for its variegated leaves, which are pink and white in the spring and white and green in the summer and winter. It likes full sun (although it can deal with partial shade) and will need some pruning to keep it looking fresh. We say it's worth it!

Rhododendron

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Similar in appearance to hydrangeas, rhododendrons produce large bulbous flowers, but they are deeper in hue. This plant needs about 6 hours of shade and a little more maintenance than some of the other shrubs on this list, but they're certainly beautiful. Plant them in a neat row or by themselves for a lush addition to your lawn.

Ivory Halo Variegated Dogwood

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The elegant variegated leaves of ivory halo dogwood will add instant visual interest to your front lawn. Some pruning is required to keep it looking healthy, and it will do best with at least 3 hours of direct sunlight.

Sunjoy Tangelo Barberry

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Sunjoy tangelo barberry is a gorgeous orange-red shrub that looks attractive in any yard and breaks up a green landscape perfectly. Its colors deepen as it matures, making it enjoyable from spring to fall. Plant it in the full sun for the most colorful results. Beyond that, you'll love that it's easy to maintain and tolerant of poor conditions. It's a better alternative to the burning bush, which is beautiful but can be invasive.

Lilac

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Lilacs are classic shrubs loved by many for their delightful fragrance and lovely purple color. Create an enchanting hedge by planting them in a row, or add a few stand-alone lilac shrubs throughout your yard to spread the love. They'll do best in full sun, and you can plant them in the late fall for a springtime bloom. Lilacs are truly some of the best shrubs for the front of your house!

Dwarf Japanese Cedar

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Plant a small evergreen bush like the dwarf Japanese cedar for an adorable addition to your outside space. This cutie maintains a round manicured shape naturally, and grows slowly, so you don't have to do much pruning. It looks great in rock gardens or mulch landscapes and likes full or partial sun.

Purple Leaf Sand Cherry

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Break up your green landscape with a purple leaf sand cherry. As its name hints, this shrub has deep purple leaves that maintain their color from spring through fall to give you curb appeal that lasts the whole growing season. This plant prefers full sun to partial shade and will bloom lighter colored flowers in the spring, making it one of the best shrubs for the front of your house!

Camellia

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The camellia plant blooms elegant flowers in the fall, so is a great option to boost your curb appeal in the later months of the year and break up the brown. Though some varieties may bloom in January, they aren't necessarily winter-hardy plants and may need winter protection if you live in an area with very cold temperatures. Give them partial shade, and they'll flourish!

Baby Gem Boxwood

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Spruce up your outdoor space with a few baby gem boxwood plants. They're easy to maintain - just plant them in the sun or partial shade; otherwise, they can survive in various conditions. This short, round hedge will add a pop of green to your landscaping.

Weigela

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A flowering shrub like weigela brings the charm to your yard. Its lily-like flowers make it a beautiful hedge for curb appeal and privacy (bonus!). It can grow up to 6 feet tall, and even its foliage can come in various shades of red, gold, and green. While it can live in partial sun, weigela will really thrive in full sun.

Mix & Match Shrubs to Make the Front of Your House Beautiful

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The best part about deciding what shrubs to include in your landscaping is that you can mix and match however many plants you have room for. Whether you prefer the clean look of an evergreen hedge or the colorful look of blooming floral shrubs, you're guaranteed to drastically improve the curb appeal of your home with a little gardening.

16 Best Shrubs for the Front of Your House to Create Curb Appeal