I love planting flowers and vines, but sometimes it’s nice to just have something green for an accent or foundation plant in pots on the front porch as well!
You don’t need to be overwhelmed by all the choices when it comes to landscaping your home. Foundation plants offer a great way of increasing curb appeal and there is no shortage of options out there, so take some time researching which one works best for you!
This guide will show some spectacular examples that should help with choosing between evergreen bushes or flowering perennials.
Take a look at this list of our favorite foundation plants that will make the front of your house ultra appealing!
WHAT ARE FOUNDATION PLANTS?
Foundation plants are an excellent way to hide unsightly cement or blocks around a home’s base. Nowadays people add them as accents in the garden, giving their yards more life and variety with every passing year!
The key to a landscaped yard is in the shape, size and color of plants. The perfect mix can create artistic visual interest with flowers or bushes as well as colorful shrubs for that extra punch!
When you’re on the hunt for a great plant, these are some key attributes to consider:
Shorter varieties are the answer! They will not cause any problems with gutters or windows, and can grow in tight spaces.
Use a range of textures and colors to create the look you desire.
Planting the right plants is essential for your house’s energy needs. There are many different types and each has its own requirements, so make sure you know what type will work best with both sunlight and shade levels!
The idea of symmetry can be intimidating, but don’t let it! There are so many ways you could try to apply the principle. If mirror images on both sides of your house doesn’t sound too appealing then how about adding some visual interest with an asymmetrical design?
Winter is a great time to plant evergreen shrubs or perennials which will keep your front garden from looking bare during the colder seasons.
We split up the list into shrubs and flowers in order to make it easier for you to find what you need.
So, we are going to show you the best shrubs for your front yard today, and then we will go on a little adventure through flowers.
BEST SHRUBS TO PLANT IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE
Shrubs and bushes are the most popular foundation plants for landscaping. They’re easy to care for, make a great base in corners, and anchor your garden design! Below you’ll find some good options that will work well with any space available near your front house.
1. BOXWOOD
One of the most common shrubs is boxwood. It’s easy to shape with hedge trimmers and can grow 6-8 feet tall, but it does well in partial or full sun depending on how you want your landscaping arrangement set up!
Most people use them as foundation plants for their garden with some other colorful flowers around them.
2. ROSES
Small, delicate flowers that are perfect for any occasion. Roses come in all shapes and sizes with a variety of heights from 1-3 feet tall dwarf bushes or larger shrubs reaching 8 to 20′.
They can be found at your local nursery at all times!
3. HYDRANGEA
Hydrangeas are a spectacular way to add color and beauty in the front of your house. They come with pink, green blue or purple petals depending on what you’re looking for!
The best part? They can thrive anywhere between 4-9 zones so they suit most people well – plus their height varies from as low at 2ft all up until 8′.
4. JAPANESE MAPLE
The Japanese maple is a beautiful deciduous tree that can grow up to 15-20 feet tall.
It’s best in zones 6 through 9 with full sun, and it produces colorful leaves during Autumn season when the colors change from green to red!
5. JUNIPER
The juniper is a shrubby evergreen that has berries growing on it. It prefers full sun and can be 4-6 feet tall, though the ones you want as your foundation plant are closer to the ground – they will stay small like an anchor instead of looking like tree stumps!
6. DOGWOOD
The dogwood is a lovely tree that can be used in landscaping to add beauty and fragrance.
While they’re best suited for zones 5-8, many will flower during mid-spring when the pink or white petals are highly fragrant!
7. ELDERBERRY
The elderberry is a pretty plant that bears edible fruit and birds love feasting on it too.
The berries can be used to make jams, deserts or wine! It prefers full sun but does well in partial shade too; this means you could grow your own at home with just one bush from zone 3-9 where they will reach 8-10 feet tall
8. DWARF LILAC
The dwarf lilac is a fantastic way to brighten up your sidewalks and front of house. It only grows 4-6 feet tall, making it easy for you to trim into stunning round shapes as well!
The blossoms smell heavenly in late springtime when they come alive with pink or fuchsia petals and look great alongside other flowers on any sunny day.
9. WEIGELA
Weigela is a bush that has good fall colors to brighten up your yard. It does best in sun or partial shade, and can reach 36-48″ tall with the more robust varieties (dwarf varieties may be much smaller).
The flowers bloom late spring through early summer; they’re not very fragrant, but their brilliant colors do stand out against light green leaves!
10. MOCK ORANGE
Don’t be fooled by its name, the mock orange has white flowers that smell and look like those on an orange tree but they produce no fruit. It’s also known as English dogwood, which grows 8-10 feet tall in zones 4 through 8 with partial shade being required for best results.
The highly fragrant blooms appear late spring through early summer, so place them near your window where you can enjoy their heavenly aroma inside of home!
11. AZALEA / RHODODENDRON
There are so many types of rhododendrons and azaleas that you can choose from. All have a dashing beauty, with colors ranging from white through pinks to shades of purple or blue!
These plants prefer shady spots in the yard where they grow 36-48″ tall for dwarfs varieties (or 12’+ tall if grown by itself). They usually flower late spring – early summertime when their colorful blooms make them perfect additions around homes anywhere in USDA zones 3 through 8.
12. SPIREA
Spirea is a popular choice for foundation shrubs because it stays fairly small.
Most will only reach 24-36” tall, and they’re also deer resistant with enough adaptability to thrive in most zones from 4 through 9! The pink or white blossoms appear mid springtime – making this plant quite the showstopper addition if you ask me.
13. JAPANESE YEW
The Japanese yew is a low maintenance coniferous bush that can be used as both an evergreen privacy hedge and in front gardens.
It’s perfect for small spaces, since it only grows up to 8-10 feet tall (though you may want to go taller if your yard has more room).
BEST FOUNDATION PERENNIALS
A garden is the perfect place to find a Plant Nursery. If you’re looking for plants that grow fast and tall, with beautiful flowers or elegant leaf shapes; these are our favorites!
14. LILIES
Lilies add artistic beauty to the front of your home, and there are so many varieties that you can pick from. The sizes range from 1-3′ for shorter ones all the way up a whopping 8′.
Though hardiness varies depending on species, most will bloom in late spring or early summer with stunning flowers that come in an array patterns colors – some even fragrant!
15. HOSTAS
Hostas are plants with leaves that look like they came straight out of a painting. They only reach 18-28″ tall and wide, but in shady spots they can do well up to zone 8 if conditions suit them!
The trumpet-shaped blossoms appear late summer through autumn months, when it comes down to shades from light purple or white – depending on the variety you have growing at home!
16. ASTILBE
The astilbe is an excellent plant for anyone who loves flowers. It has bold, electric-colored blooms that come out in mid spring and summertime!
The colors can make any room more vibrant or colorful to look at, as well as adding great texture when used inside a bouquet too.
This foundation variety will grow 18 -24 inches tall no matter what zone you live in (best if grown in zones 4-9) depending on the variety; it thrives even if it is just partially shaded from direct sunlight.
17. IRIS
If you’re looking for the perfect flower to make your garden more colorful and romantic, look no further than this beautiful plant. There are hundreds of species that vary in size, but all have spiky leaves with a single bloom on top.
They come in different colors, from lavender or blue to yellow, white, pink, salmon, dark purple, brown, (or reddish). Some even smell wonderful!
18. CORAL BELLS (HEUCHERA)
Heucheras are versatile little plants that add a touch of beauty and color to any landscape.
They come in both pink or white, but it’s their foliage which steals the show; you can find these flowers from just about every imaginable shade! Hukereras thrive best between zones 4-9 (again depending on where you live).
19. PHLOX
Phlox are a fascinating plant that can be found all over the world. Petite, tall or creeping varieties exist depending on your preference and location in regards to sun exposure; they also have fragrant white blooms with pink, purple magenta colorings!
The middle of summer is when you’ll typically see these beauties pop up for some breathtaking eye candy as well.
20. YUCCA
The yucca is a tough evergreen that can withstand dry soil and cold weather. It has sharp-pointed leaves, making it easy to spot in your garden!
Commonly used as a desert plant, in zone 9 through 11, but there are varieties suitable for zones 3 – 6 too with similar care requirements like other houseplants.
The delicate flower spikes of the yucca perennial are usually pale yellow, pink or white and smell amazing.
The tall bloom can be between 18-36 inches with shorter varieties reaching up to 30 feet in height when not in bloom!
21. PEONY
You can find a bunch of different varieties of peonies, with the Chinese variety being one you might want to consider.
This type grows 24-36 inches and thrives in full exposure – which means it would be perfect for your outdoor space!
The showy flowers are well known for their intoxicating fragrance that blooms late spring or early summer in zones 2-8.