Do you want to make your front yard feel like a welcoming handshake for your home, create a privacy screen from passersby, or simply beautify this space with natural elements? Everything is possible with landscaping plants. However, the key is to choose ones that suit your space’s design and your personal preferences.
Shrubs and Bushes
Holly shrubs
Climate and Hardiness Zone: 3-9
Sunlight Exposure: partial shade, with some full sun exposure during the day
Soil Type and Quality: loamy, well-draining soil
I love holly shrubs because this plant can keep its lush green foliage throughout the year. In particular, the landscape in front of my house looks vibrant with “natural festive ornaments” - holly’s bright red berries in the fall and winter while other plants have lost their leaves in colder months.
Yew
Climate and Hardiness Zone: 4-7
Sunlight Exposure: full sunlight
Soil Type and Quality: rich, loamy soil
Due to the dense growth habit of yew, particularly Taxus baccata and English yew, this plant has become a popular choice for creating natural hedges. This allows you to establish a privacy screen in front of your house, blocking unwanted views and reducing noise.
Boxwood shrubs
Climate and Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Sunlight Exposure: 4-6 hours of morning sun
Soil Type and Quality: a sandy or loamy consistency
Boxwood shrubs have a rounded, compacted growth habit, so pruning them is ideal for ornamental purposes. Growing these plants in the front yard can create a well-designed landscaping, resulting in a welcoming and attractive appearance for visitors and passersby.
Juniper
Common Juniper
Source
Climate and Hardiness Zone: 3-9
Sunlight Exposure: at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily
Soil Type and Quality: well-drained soil
Like other plants, the juniper is an evergreen conifer, keeping the front of your house vibrant even in winter. But wait, here’s the juicy part: although this plant doesn’t flower, it produces bright blue berries that are drinkable and edible. You can sip on juniper berry drinks or whip up some jams. So yummy!
Juniper berries
Source
Flowering Plants
Roses
Climate and Hardiness Zone: 5-8
Sunlight Exposure: direct sunlight
Soil Type and Quality: prefers well-drained soil
Roses have been admired for centuries due to their eye-catching beauty. Planting this flower in your front yard can easily brighten up the landscape.
Instead of “once-flowering” roses, consider growing “continuous-flowering” varieties that can produce many flushes of blooms, starting in the late spring and continuing until frost. This ensures your entrance remains appealing throughout the year, preventing it from looking dull or bare during off-seasons.
Hydrangea
Climate and Hardiness Zone: 3-9
Sunlight Exposure: partial sun
Soil Type and Quality: loam soil
Apart from gorgeous and eye-catching blooms that light up your front yard, hydrangeas have a secret talent: they attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. These little visitors help create a buzzing, vibrant ecosystem right in your own outdoor space.
Lilac
Climate and Hardiness Zone: 3-7
Sunlight Exposure: at least 6 hours of sunlight everyday
Soil Type and Quality: slightly alkaline (6.5 to 7.0 pH), moist, well-drained soil
When you plant lilacs in your front yard, it’s like rolling out the red carpet for your guests. Only instead of red, it’s a fragrant purple carpet! In the spring, lilacs burst into bloom, releasing their sweet, delightful scent into the air. It’s like nature’s way of saying, “Welcome home!” Who wouldn’t fall in love with that?
Ground Covers
Asian Star Jasmine
Climate and Hardiness Zone: 8-10
Sunlight Exposure: bright, indirect sunlight
Soil Type and Quality: amended well drained soil with a slightly acidic soil pH of 6.0-7.0
Asian Star Jasmine is great at climbing when it encounters obstacles, so I let it climb my fences to create a privacy screen of bright, dense foliage. You can do the same for your space. For example, grab some trellises or use your walls as a canvas and let this plant work its magic.
Moss Pink (Creeping Phlox)
Climate and Hardiness Zone: 3-9
Sunlight Exposure: Full sun, partial shade
Soil Type and Quality: Well-drained, moist, sandy, rocky, organic
Moss pink is like the superhero of ground covers. Harsh winters and hot summers? No problem! This adaptable beauty thrives in various climates, and come early spring, it’s like a floral fireworks show - pink blooms everywhere.
Dwarf modo grass
Climate and Hardiness Zone: > 6
Sunlight Exposure: Full sun, partial shade
Soil Type and Quality: Clay, loamy, sandy
If you plan to let your kids and pets play in the front yard, consider dwarf modo grass. Its dense evergreen foliage is pretty resilient, able to withstand moderate foot traffic. Another reason to choose this plant is that this “playing area” requires less maintenance compared to traditional lawn.
Trees and Tall Plants
Juneberry
Climate and Hardiness Zone: 3-9
Sunlight Exposure: full sun
Soil Type and Quality: a wide range of soil types
Juneberry enhances the curb appeal of my house by adding seasonal interest year-round. In early spring, it produces beautiful clusters of white or pinkish flowers and in autumn, its leaves turn shades of yellow, orange, and red. Additionally, some varieties of juneberry produce edible berries that ripen in early summer, attracting birds and wildlife to your garden.
Golden Rain Tree
Climate and Hardiness Zone: 5-9
Sunlight Exposure: 6-8 hours of sunlight daily
Soil Type and Quality: moist, well-drained, and acidic to alkaline soils
Golden rain tree is ideal for a small or medium front yard without overwhelming the space because its maximum height is only 40 feet. Moreover, its relatively compact canopy provides ample shade without taking up excessive space, allowing other plants to thrive nearby.
European Horse-Chestnut
Climate and Hardiness Zone: 3-7
Sunlight Exposure: 2-6 hours of direct sunlight daily
Soil Type and Quality: moist, well-drained soils
The European horse-chestnut stands about 70 feet tall and spreads out nearly 60 feet wide when it’s all grown up. So, if you’ve got a spacious spot in your yard, this will be right at home. Its big, leafy canopy provides some serious shade, turning your front yard into a chill oasis during scorching hot days.
Perennials
Clematis
Source
https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/grow-clematis/8203.html
Climate and Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Sunlight Exposure: 4 hours of direct sun per day
Soil Type and Quality: deep, fertile, moist but well-drained soil
If your fence type is designed with open structures, providing limited privacy, you can grow clematis to cover bare spots. This is also a great way to transform your plain barrier into a lush, green focal point.
Hibiscus
Climate and Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Sunlight Exposure: at least 4-5 hours of bright, direct light
Soil Type and Quality: slightly acidic soil
Thanks to their tropical appearance, hibiscus plants can bring a tropical feel to your garden. These flowers are native to warmer regions, making them well-suited for container gardening. This method allows you to move them indoors to protect these plants from frost, thereby extending their growing season in cooler climates.
Daffodil
Climate and Hardiness Zone: 3-8
Sunlight Exposure: 6 hours of direct sunlight
Soil Type and Quality: well-drained soil
If deer and rodents are a concern in your front yard, consider growing daffodils. These flowers are resistant to deer and rodents due to their toxic properties, making them a reliable choice for deterring garden pests.
While all landscaping plants in this article are suitable for the front of your house, each brings its own magic. Therefore, remember to consider your preferences and how your front space is designed when choosing the right option.
