Most gardeners cant actually tell the difference between lilac bushes and trees! Also, consider how many seasons of interest the shrub will deliver. The plant is fast growing and will reach upwards of twenty feet if left unattended, and its blossoms bring a citrus scent to the darkest late winter day. Relative newcomer, M. eurybracteata'Soft Caress' gives yellow scented fall flowers with soft, spine-free, almost feathery foliage, in a compact form. With a variety of different sizes, textures, and growing requirements, sedge is an ideal alternative to turf lawns. If you want plenty of interest in a fall garden, St Johns Wort is an excellent shrub to consider. This invaluable tool for home gardeners takes the guesswork out of buying plants. Available on Etsy; $13. They attract butterflies with their stunning blooms and these long-lived creamy white flowers look good even after theyve faded. Athena 'Emer I' elm (Ulmus parvifolia) - Zones 4-9. Although it can adapt to a wide range of conditions, it prefers moist soil and part to full shade. When you want to add a ground cover or border trimming, you cant go wrong with low growing shrubs. If you jump in feet-first without planning everything, you run the risk of missing a step or neglecting your shrubs just when they need you the most. If you are concerned about whether your shrubs will survive local conditions during planting, hold off on planting until youre comfortable. Fragrant white, cup-shape flowers bloom on and off all season long. Our picks for the best landscaping shrubs and bushes that provide maximum beauty with minimal hassle. Plants reach 4 to 6 feet tall with equal spread. Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense) is a neat plant with subtle beauty in its arching, tiered branches and spidery white or pink spring flowers. Its a broad, spreading shrub, 8 to 10 feet wide or more. Lilac bushes are the best type of shrubs to plant in any condition, anywhere in your yard. It has abundant flowers and is long blooming for a delightful display all summer long. Then you can have fun choosing the most suitable low-maintenance shrubs and you dont need to compromise on looks when going for easy-care options either. The most common variety is Sarcococca confusa, a dense, low-maintenance bush that flowers prolifically but can eventually reach up to 4 meters tall if you don't keep an eye on it. The plant is famed for its medicinal values, and many additional witch hazel uses, as well. Keep them weeded, and check their moisture levels regularly to ensure that they dont get too thirsty. The Juniper bush is another amazing shrub to grow if you want a plant that is easy to grow and easy to maintain. Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. 'Little Gem' offers the grace of majestic Southern magnolias in a smaller size. It is great for beneficial insects, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, and sometimes even baby deer! Itea virginica is a good choice for this category. As one of the popular evergreen plants that flower, the butterfly bush attracts beneficial pollinators to its beautiful, fragrant blooms. Gardeners seeking interest in a winter yard should consider witch hazel, which does best in full sun or partial shade. Available at The Home Depot; $14.92. This low-slung bush is available in many varieties, including dark purple, lilac, and blue, and its a perfect ground cover plant. The bushy shrub, to 4 feet tall and wide, has narrow, silky gray-green leaves and produces clusters of mauve-pink flowers throughout the year. 1. Deciduous, hardy to -20. Make sure the shrub you go for is suitable for where you intend to plant it to ensure it has the best possible chance of growing well with few problems. When your viburnum shrubs gets older it is best to dig it up and dispose of it. You can even start the shrub off in a pot before transplanting after the weather warms up. New plantings can be pinched back every year to encourage spreading, but well-established plants need almost zero care. The vibrant lavender, purple, and magenta blooms of a Texas ranger may look like they take some work to care forbut we won't tell the neighbors your secret. Your low maintenance ground cover might have special planting requirements, so check with your local agriculture office to get the latest information on when to plant. The Spirea shrub is the lowest-maintenance plant on this list. The Oakleaf hydrangea is a spectacular shrub that is pleasing to the eye and nose all year. Getty/Raj Kamal. Gold Thread Cypress is a low maintenance shrub perfect for both foundation and accent plantings. Available on Amazon; $9.95. Available on Amazon; $9.95. It has beautiful shades of purple and pink, even in the fall. If you want a tough winter shrub, this is the one for you. The same guideline applies to vines for sandy soil, as well as most annuals and perennials. Available on Etsy; $21. Once planted, it needs little tending to put on a good show. This shrub is perfect in groupings and does best in moist, rich, well-drained soil in light to moderate shade. In her new role at GMG, she represents Dutch Royal Anthos, a consortium of Dutch bulb exporters in the U.S. Later, she began a consulting firm and represented American Beauties Native Plants before taking on the role of Executive Account Manager at the Garden Media Group. Note: It's also sometimes called Edgeworthia papyrifera. Despite its exceptional golden color, it is evergreen, and will shine bright in your landscape all year long. It will grace your garden with beautiful blooms in the middle of winter and gives off a divine fragrance. View Price of Shrub Popular Varieties: Limelight, Quick Fire, Pinky Winky, Panicle. Thats where the Seaside Serenade Bar Harbor hydrangea comes in. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, First is your soil type acid or alkaline, clay, sandy, chalky, dry, wet; how much sun and shade you get at different times of day; what levels of watering you need, and how much pruning and preening youre prepared to carry out. Georgia is mostly considered Hardiness Zone 7 & 8. The hydrangea shrub is one of the best plants to add as a border to your yard or garden. Like hydrangeas, Azaleas produce beautiful flowers that bloom throughout spring, summer, and sometimes even fall. Thats where our selection comes in. Plumbago begins to flower in late spring and continues to bloom on and off until fall. Their tolerance for drought coupled with their ability to adapt to almost any soil type makes for easy care. The Seaside Serenade has all the charm of the larger plant while staying low-profile for small gardens and yards. Not only are Viburnums hardy against weather, but they are pest-hardy too. The Bella Bellissima potentilla cant get enough sunlight. The low-maintenance shrub sends forth blue flowers in summer, and needs little more than seasonal pruning to keep it growing strong. The North American native Buttonbush is a hardy low-maintenance shrub, good for both weather extremes once established. The versatility of this shrub makes it the most popular shrub too. Upon returning to the United States she worked in sales and marketing for Bailey Nurseries, Inc, followed by a position at Mt. Homes & Gardens is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. When youre craving a little color, the Burning Bush shrub is there to give you what you need. Resistant to rabbits and deer, this evergreen ornamental grass will survive just about anything nature sends its wayas long as it has adequate moisture. Available on Etsy; $10. The unique two-tone green-and-silver leaves are eye-catching in a winter garden, but the bush also has fragrant flowers that bloom in the fall. This is a larger plant that can reach between eight and twenty feet in height. If cut back to the ground in autumn, it flowers on new wood the following summer. 'Yoshino' Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) - Zones 5-9. You cant go wrong with planting the Spirea. Like their azalea relatives, rhodies are low-maintenance woody shrubs that prefer partial shade or dappled light, with some wind protection, in zones 5 to 8. Whether your garden beds lie on the sunny side or the shady side of the house, black mondo grass will do well just about anywhere you plant it. Regional plant-awards programs and contacts for award-winning plants: Tower Hill Botanic GardenWorcester County Horticultural SocietyBox 598Boylston, MA 01505-0598www.towerhillbg.org508-869-6111, Florida Nurserymen and Gardeners Association1533 Park Center Dr.Orlando, FL 32835www.fngla.org401-295-7994, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society,100 N. 20th St., 5th floorPhiladelphia, PA 19103-1495www.phsonline.org/for-gardeners215-988-8800, University of Georgia224 Hoke Smith BuildingAthens, GA 30602www.ces.uga.edu706-542-2861, University of NebraskaBox 830715Lincoln, NE 68583-0715www.arboretum.unl.edu402-472-2971, Oklahoma State University360 Agricultural HallStillwater, OK 74078www.hortla.okstate.edu405-744-6460, Denver Botanic Gardens909 York St.Denver, CO 80206www.botanicgardens.org 303-370-8054, Texas A&M UniversityExtension HorticultureForestry Blvd.Room 225College Station, TX 77843. Siberian Iris Add some bright colors and butterfly-like blooms with this iris that grows best in full sun and damp soil; conditions that are abundant in Georgia. 16: Inkberry (Ilex glabra Shamrock) Inkberry is a favorite evergreen for front gardens because it propagates fast with stolons, and it has healthy, dark green foliage. We love the peach lemonade rose bush, which brings all of the beauty of a full-sized rose bush in a compact package. With its amazing blossoms, these low growing shrubs with spectacular blooms will steal your heart and soothe your senses. Because pollinators will become addicted to the nectar and will not visit other native plants make sure to provide them with housing and water too! I'm The Gardening Dad! In 2011, the Perennial Plant Association chose Amsonia hubrectii as the Perennial Plant of the Year, another outstanding endorsement. Varieties to Try: Diablo, Summer Wine. Related:The Best 10 Plants to Grow for Backyard Privacy. Witch hazel should be planted in zones 5-8, as they rely on cold winter lows to bring forth the beauty of their blooms. Foliage groupings of seven or eight leaflets turn golden yellow in the fall. Deciduous, hardy to -30. A carefully planned yard with pleasing shrubs and a variety of colors and scents makes your home a much more pleasant place, and it could raise your property value to boot. With dark green foliage and a long flowering season, weigela makes a great choice that will boost summer flower beds with color and structure and bring in butterflies. Lavender twist is a weeping form of the much-loved native redbud. Depending on variety, use heavenly bamboo as a ground cover, accent plant or in mixed plantings. They can become stunted, have droopy leaves, not produce flowers, and even die if expose to long periods of extreme heat. With that being said, honeysuckle bushes still grow large and should be planted in an area of your yard that has room for it to grow. Paperbush is a pleasant surprise in the coldest stretch of the year. Available on Etsy; $15.99. With wonderfully scented spring flowers, semi-evergreen foliage in warmer climate zones that colors up in fall in colder areas, plus berries. Ideal for foundation plantings or hedges, barberry can tolerate many soil types. Popular Varieties: Korean, Birchleaf, Bridal Wreath. Related to the carnation, Dianthus comes in multiple varieties, so theres one for nearly every garden scenario. The bark provides a great deal of winter interest, exfoliating to display a tapestry of gray, green, orange, and brown shades. Sadly, honeysuckle bushes are some of the favorite plants of deer and even rabbits when they grow. Popular Varieties: Common, Persian, Chinese. Right for the Northwest, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. WebArborvitae Fire Chief Arborvitae Thuja Occidentalis Congabe PP19009 Arborvitae Forever Goldy Arborvitae Thuja plicata 4EVER PP19267 Arborvitae Highlights Whether you have a knack for gardening, or you are looking for some easy, fuss-free plants to liven up your landscape, WeedPro has some suggestions for planting a Panicle Hydrangea Panicle hydrangeas produce fluffy clusters of blooms in a range of colors. Fortunately, Azaleas are pest-resistant. In the late summer and early fall, the shrubs white flowers change to uproarious pink and kick your gardens looks up another couple of notches. It tolerates climate and soil extremes, and needs full sun for most colorful foliage, but can take light shade. Sumac shrubs are considered a native plant to most hardiness zones. As a native of the southeastern United States, the swamp hibiscus is well-suited to Georgia gardens. Seeking a hardy plant that can survive on the shady side of the house or on a slope with acidic soil? It prefers a sunny location in any well-drained soil and can tolerate drought. Because butterfly bushes re-bloom throughout the growing season, they continuously pop out new blooms that look as good alongside spring colors as they do with fall foliage. This ultimate guide will give you the best shrubs to plant, why you should grow them, and even how to plant them. To top it off, the Bloom-a-Thon Pink Double is a hardy plant and is heat and drought tolerant. The Lo & Behold is perfect for warmer climates. Most of the shrubs on this list produce colors during mid-summer to mid-fall. The mountain hydrangea, as its name suggests, originated in mountain terrain, where cold weather and winter storms are the norm. The butterfly bush does both. These proven performers win awards for their beauty and success in Peach State gardens. If you want to grow a shrub that is also useful then look no further than Holly! 8 Flowers Sure to Bloom in Winter. Whether you are trying to add shapes and designs in your front yard or backyard this is the perfect plant! You can count on bergenia to grow in almost any condition, sunny or shaded, and its dark, broad leaves bring beauty to the yard. American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) - Zones 3-9. These drought-tolerant flowers look bright and chipper even in the sweltering summer heat, which makes them a great choice for the forgetful gardener. Get the latest This Old House news, trusted tips, tricks, and DIY Smarts projects from our expertsstraight to your inbox. Add some interest to your yard with the lovely blue-green color and unique shape of the dwarf globe blue spruce. This widely adapted plant tolerates extreme cold, a variety of soils and exposures, and thrives on much or little water. It grows best in full sun and needs no supplemental water. Available on Amazon; $23.95. This plant is one of the few shrubs that keeps its colors constant throughout the entire year. Out of all the shrubs on this list, the butterfly bush is the best at attracting pollinators. The Rainbow Fizz can grow taller than many other flowering shrubs, so it is an excellent candidate for a border plant or you could plant it at the back of a corner for a showy display. The Ozark witch hazel does best in moderate climates, so youll need to protect it during hot summer days. Its dark green leaves and pink blossoms make this shrub a winner in the looks department, and its flowers produce a sweet scent that will stay with you. Azaleas. In colors like yellow, orange, pink, purple, and red, Coreopsis makes wonderful cut flowers that can be enjoyed inside as well as out. This widely adapted plant grows upright from 4 to 6 feet high with an equal or greater spread. Gardening writer Eva Monheim recommends it particularly for larger backyards. As you might gather from its name, the peach lemonade rose is famous for its remarkable multicolored blossoms. This is a fast grower, ideal for hedges. Pruning lavender isn't too time consuming they need little more attention than a light trim in spring and once more at the end of the summer. The Little Henry enjoys both part shade and full sunlight, and its tidy appearance rarely, if ever, requires pruning shears. Fountain butterfly bush (Buddleia alternifolia) is a spring bloomer with lilac flower clusters along gracefully arching stems. USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 7. This plant does great in heat and in cold weather climates. A perennial bloomer, Coreopsis will delight you with color from early summer to early fall. We all want our homes looking as beautiful and well tended as we can, but we dont always have time to spend in our yards or gardens maintaining our plants. Provide well-drained, slightly acid soil in full sun to partial shade. Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) - Zones 3-9. Available in a range of colors from green to burgundy, ajuga is a creeping plant that will spread if you don't control it, so be mindful of where you place it. Artificial turf is a labor-saving choice for intimate spaces that may be difficult to maintain. These plants need little careyou may not even need to water it once established, as long as you live in an area that receives rainfall. Its also a low-maintenance plant, so its convenient to keep looking beautiful. This easy-care plant will steal your heart and raise your spirits every time you see it. Read THIS Before Growing Shrubs in Georgia, Georgia is mostly considered Hardiness Zone 7 & 8, Common Growing Factors of Georgias Best Shrubs. Features: An abundance of rose-purple flower clusters are produced on this attractive shrub with Soft textured dark green foliage. Even the spent flowers are ornamental and stand out smartly against the burgundy foliage of fall and the bark of winter. Use it to bookend the seasons and as a backdrop for summer-flowering perennials, either as a solo specimen, repeated at intervals or in small groups of three that will also encourage cross pollination. It rarely gets taller than one foot, but ribbon grass does quickly spread across, even steeply sloped terrain, either to your frustration or delight, depending on your aims. Plant in full sun for a thriving shrub, using as individual specimens or repeated through larger areas of mixed planting. Wintercreeper is a genus of easy-care small evergreen shrubs that have glossy, dense foliage. This shrub loves water when the weather starts heating up, so keep an eye on your soil moisture. A waft of fragrance from this sweetly scented variety is midwinter magic.