These sturdy plants help fill in beds and solidify foundation plantings, which makes your yard more inviting.
Flowering varietiesadd extra color and sweet fragrances.
They also help protect the soil from erosion and support wildlife with food and shelter.
Cascading sprays of white spirea blooms appear in spring.Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Here’s a look at various important characteristics to consider to pick out the best shrubs for your yard.
Shrubs can be deciduous (meaning they lose their leaves every winter) or evergreen.
Some families of shrubs include both of these types, likehollies.
‘Diablo’ ninebark has eye-catching reddish leaves and stems.Credit: Kim Cornelison
There are also coniferous (cone-bearing evergreens) species like manyjunipersandyews.
Even plain green deciduous varieties often turn bright colors in the fall.
These hues look even more striking in a snow-covered winter landscape.
Dwarf fothergilla produces fluffy white flowers in spring.Credit: Doug Hetherington
When selecting bushes or shrubs for landscaping,consider their appearance throughout all seasons.
Some species are available in dwarf forms,especially conifers,which are a good choice for smaller properties.
So if you want touse less water in your garden, choose shrubs that tolerate dry conditions.
Firethorn produces bright red berries that birds love.Credit: Denny Schrock
Some examples arepotentilla,spirea, and manyviburnums.
Avoiding Deer Damage
Deer can damage shrubs by nibbling their twigs, fruit, and foliage.
Gardeners across the country always look for ornamentals thatdeer won’t touch.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Advantages of Native Shrubs
Native shrubs are also a good option.
Boxwood is an evergreen covered with tiny, oval, glossy leaves.
It toleratesshearing into hedgesvery well.
Credit: Jerry Pavia
Common boxwood grows to 20 feet tall, but all kinds of cultivars stay smaller.
Hardy in Zones 4-8.
Andromeda, or pieris, is a 4- to 12-foot-tall, broadleaf evergreen.
Credit: David Speer
It produces clusters of fragrant, white, urn-shaped flowers in the spring.
Hardy in Zones 6-9.
Forsythia produces rows of bright yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers on its bare stems in early spring.
Credit: Denny Schrock
It usually grows 8 to 10 feet tall.
Plant it in full sun or part sun and well-drained, evenly moist soil.
Hardy in Zones 4-9.
Credit: Studio Au
Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick
Harry Lauder’s walking stick is afilbertused as an ornamental shrub.
It sports curling, twisting branches thatcan be prunedfor use in crafts and flower arrangements.
It has coarse, veined leaves and grows 8 to 10 feet tall.
Credit: Jerry Pavia
Filbert shrubs tolerate full sun and part shade and do best in well-drained soil.
Hardy in Zones 4-9.
Lacecap Hydrangea
Hydrangeasflourish in sun or shade.
Credit: Eyesweet Inc
Hugebouquets of hydrangea flowers, which include mophead and lacecap varieties, show beauty from summer to fall.
Lacecap hydrangea features flat clusters of tiny, tight, fertile flowers ringed by petaled, sterile ones.
Hardy in Zones 6-9.
Credit: Chipper R. Hatter
Heart-shaped, smooth, bluish-green leaves continue through the season and drop in the fall.
Lilac grows slowly but lives a long time.
Plant in full sun or part sun with well-drained, evenly moist soil.
Credit: Ed Gohlich
Hardy in Zones 4-9.
Mountain Laurel
A showy shrubnative to eastern North America,mountain laurelis closely related to azaleas andrhododendrons.
Mountain laurel is abroadleaf evergreenthat grows up to 15 feet tall.
Credit: Nancy Rotenberg
It’s vigorous, producing globes of intricate, starlike florets in late spring.
Plant in full sun or part sun with well-drained soil.
Hardy in Zones 5-9.
Credit: Bob Stefko
Oleander
Oleandertolerates heat, full sun, drought, and salt and takes any soil.
Narrow evergreen foliage lines thin branches tipped with colorful flowers all season.
Just be careful because all parts of the plant are toxic.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Hardy in Zones 9-11.
Firethorn
Pyracantha(firethorn) branches are covered with thorns.
They produce white flowers in spring that become bright orange or red berries by fall.
Its small, oval leaves are evergreen.
Hardy in Zones 5-9.
Shrubs have evergreen foliage and grow to 10 feet or more.
Plant in part shade and moist, well-drained soil.
Hardy in Zones 5-8.
PJM Rhododendron
PJMrhododendronis a compact evergreen that grows 3 to 6 feet tall.
It resembles an azalea with its small, leathery leaves that turn purplish in the fall.
Spring flowers are pinkish-lavender.
Plant in part shade and moist, well-drained soil.
Hardy in Zones 4-9.
Seven-Sons Flower
Seven-sons flower grows to 15 feet.
Its soft green foliage shows off 6-inch-long clusters offragrant ivory flowersin late summer.
It prefers moist soil but tolerates drought, too.
Plant it in full to part shade.
Hardy in Zones 5-8.
