Curb appeal is extremely important, and even the most beautiful home exterior can’t stand on its own! If you want to put your home’s best foot forward, front landscaping is an absolute must.
Believe it or not, you don’t need to be an experienced gardener to beautify your front yard. Many of the most attractive plants for use in foundation beds, window boxes, and porch planters are also some of the easiest to care for.
From low-maintenance shrubs to vibrant annuals, these front of house plant ideas will bring color, texture, and a bit of life to your home’s facade:
1. Lilac
- Scientific Name: Syringa vulgaris
- Type: Deciduous shrub
- Hardiness Zone: 3 to 7
It’s hard to beat the common lilac bush in terms of fragrance, bloom time, or cold hardiness. This shrub comes in a number of varieties and is one of the first to flower in most areas.
Lilac bushes can grow up to 15 feet tall but are easy to maintain so they don’t overtake the entire front yard!
2. Hardy Hibiscus
- Scientific Name: Hibiscus moscheutos
- Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 5 to 9
For those living north of zone 9 in the US, a hardy hibiscus is a great way to add tropical appeal to your home’s landscaping.
To get the most from this hibiscus species, be sure to check that your front yard gets at least 6 hours of direct sun per day.
3. Sunflower
- Scientific Name: Helianthus annuus
- Type: Annual
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11
It’s easy to overlook the humble sunflower when designing a front garden bed. Large varieties can be used to block the view from the street. If you’d prefer a more manageable size, opt for a variety that maxes out at around 3 feet tall.
4. Tulip
- Scientific Name: Tulipa spp.
- Type: Perennial bulb
- Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
Even the most stunning landscape can be a letdown if it’s short-lived. To extend your front garden’s appeal further into springtime, consider planting tulip bulbs in beds or containers.
5. Shrub Rose
- Scientific Name: Rosa spp.
- Type: Deciduous shrub
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11
Many homeowners are intimidated by the thought of maintaining a rose bush. With modern cultivars that resist cold, drought, and disease, however, there’s little need to be scared!
A shrub rose can add color and fragrance to your home’s front entry.
6. Viburnum
- Scientific Name: Viburnum spp.
- Type: Deciduous shrub
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 9
Often mistaken for lilac or hydrangea, the viburnum shrub is a fast-growing showstopper. Viburnums can be kept low and tidy or trained up into a tree-like shape.
The flowers appear in early spring before many other perennials have bloomed.
7. Japanese Maple Tree
- Scientific Name: Acer palmatum
- Type: Deciduous tree
- Hardiness Zone: 5 to 9
While flowers can be short-lived, leaves stick around for a large portion of the year. If you’re looking for a way to maximize the amount of color in your front yard, a Japanese maple tree may just be the perfect solution!
8. Caladium
- Scientific Name: Caladium spp.
- Type: Annual
- Hardiness Zone: 9 to 11
Caladiums are technically tropical perennials but are most often grown as ornamental annuals in temperature and cooler climates.
You can use the vibrant foliage in border beds, container arrangements, or window boxes.
9. Dahlia
- Scientific Name: Dahlia spp.
- Type: Perennial tuber
- Hardiness Zone: 8 to 10
Dahlias are classic flowers that fit right in with the trending cottage garden aesthetic! In most climates, you can grow dahlias as annuals or dig up the tubers for winter storage.
10. Hosta
- Scientific Name: Hosta spp.
- Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Hostas are incredibly versatile foliage plants that love the full or partial shade. They work wonderfully as filler between taller flowering perennials or as border plants.
11. Japanese Tree Lilac
- Scientific Name: Syringa reticulata
- Type: Deciduous tree
- Hardiness Zone: 3 to 7
This lilac species is a wonderful variation of the shrub most people are familiar with. Japanese lilac trees produce fragrant, white flowers for a couple of weeks in early summer. Perfect for a Zen Garden!
12. Boxwood
- Scientific Name: Buxus spp.
- Type: Evergreen shrub
- Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9
Boxwood shrubs are the perfect choice for creating a sleek, modern landscape. This evergreen is easy to prune — most people associate boxwoods with topiaries and hedges — and can be grown in the ground or in planters.
13. Rhododendron
- Scientific Name: Rhododendron spp.
- Type: Deciduous shrub; evergreen shrub
- Hardiness Zone: 4 to 8
Rhododendrons are members of the heath family that typically have large, evergreen leaves. There are countless blossom colors to choose from, and cold-hardy rhododendron bushes are becoming easier and easier to find!
14. Pansy
- Scientific Name: Viola x wittrockiana
- Type: Annual
- Hardiness Zone: 7 to 11
Pansies are a quintessential part of any spring planter. These colorful flowers look awesome in window boxes either alone or alongside other plants.
If you live somewhere relatively warm, you can direct-sow pansy seeds into the garden for quick and easy curb appeal.
15. Fountain Grass
- Scientific Name: Pennisetum spp.
- Type: Perennial grass
- Hardiness Zone: 3 to 10
Pennisetum is a genus of ornamental grasses typically grown for their attractive flower heads. You can plant small clumping varieties around your front entry or driveway to add texture and height.
Fountain grasses also look great in mixed perennial beds.
16. Arborvitae
- Scientific Name: Thuja spp.
- Type: Evergreen
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 7
Arborvitaes are incredibly popular landscape evergreens because they grow quickly and are easy to shape and control. You can use a slender arborvitae tree to frame your front door or line a walkway with smaller shrubs.
17. Azalea
- Scientific Name: Rhododendron spp.
- Type: Deciduous shrub; evergreen shrub
- Hardiness Zone: 6 to 8
The azalea is a type of rhododendron typically characterized by its smaller leaves and flowers. Keep in mind that even small azaleas can take up to a decade to reach maturity.
Aside from size, the main difference between azaleas and other rhododendrons is cold hardiness.
18. Hollyhock
- Scientific Name: Alcea rosea
- Type: Biennial
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 10
Another great addition to any cottage-style garden is the common hollyhock. These stunning flowers grow remarkably fast and end up towering over most other plants.
While hollyhocks are biennials, they readily self-seed when left alone!
19. Gladiolus
- Scientific Name: Gladiolus palustris
- Type: Perennial corm
- Hardiness Zone: 7 to 10
Gladiolus flowers are a simple, fast-growing way to add height to your front garden beds. They can reach up to 5 feet in height but don’t get very wide, so you can plant gladiolus corms right alongside your home or walkway.
In colder climates, the corms will need to be dug and brought indoors for winter.
20. Geranium
- Scientific Name: Pelargonium x hortorum
- Type: Annual
- Hardiness Zone: 11 to 12
While technically perennials, geraniums are almost exclusively sold and grown as annuals in most areas. Add geraniums to window boxes, porch planters, or hanging baskets along your front porch.
Or use geraniums to fill beds bordering your home’s exterior.
21. Peony
- Scientific Name: Paeonia officinalis
- Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Peonies are romantic, easy to maintain, and diverse. One awesome thing about peonies is that they look equally good planted alone as they do in a perennial bed.
Just be sure to invest in stakes or large cages to keep the heavy flower stalks upright!
22. Spirea
- Scientific Name: Spiraea spp.
- Type: Herbaceous perennial; deciduous shrub
- Hardiness Zone: 4 to 8
Spirea is flowering shrubs that come in numerous sizes and colors. Some are woody, deciduous perennials while others die back each winter.
With so many species and cultivars of spirea available, you can easily include several types in your front garden without any risk of redundancy.
23. Hydrangea
- Scientific Name: Hydrangea spp.
- Type: Deciduous shrub
- Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
In many regions, you’ll have a hard time finding a front garden bed without at least one hydrangea bush! The flowers can range from white, blue, purple, pink, and even green.
Plant a large variety as a statement piece or use dwarf cultivars to create a small hedge.
24. Catmint
- Scientific Name: Nepeta spp.
- Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 4 to 8
Despite its name and close relation to the catnip plant, it’s a myth that catmint attracts or excites wandering felines.
You can safely plant this low-growing shrub in your front garden without any worry of drawing the neighbors’ pets into your yard!
Catmint is largely pest-resistant and fits right in with native wildflowers or fragrant herbs.
25. Petunia
- Scientific Name: Petunia spp.
- Type: Annual
- Hardiness Zone: 10 to 11
With so many fun varieties to choose from, petunias are one of the most versatile flowering annuals for your front landscape!
Most petunias grow out rather than up, making them perfect for raised borders and hanging baskets. Unique varieties like the galaxy petunia can be used in statement planters.
26. Muhly Grass
- Scientific Name: Muhlenbergia capillaris
- Type: Perennial grass
- Hardiness Zone: 6 to 9
Ornamental grass is a go-to for adding texture but rarely offers much in terms of color. But muhly grass is a clear exception!
This green grass produces beautiful pink flower heads that will add color and privacy to any front entryway.
27. Crepe Myrtle
- Scientific Name: Lagerstroemia indica
- Type: Deciduous tree
- Hardiness Zone: 6 to 9
The crepe myrtle is an incredibly popular flowering tree in temperature climates like Australia and the southern United States.
You can plant a single crepe myrtle as a centerpiece in your front yard or create an attractive privacy hedge along the edge of your property.
28. Daylily
- Scientific Name: Hemerocallis spp.
- Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 3 to 10
If you’re looking for a low-maintenance perennial that grows in almost any climate, look no further than the daylily.
While yellow daylilies are the most prevalent, there are countless colors to choose from if you want a more unique palette!
29. Climbing Rose
- Scientific Name: Rosa spp.
- Type: Deciduous shrub
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11
With patience and a bit of annual pruning, you can grace your front porch or fence line with a stunning, fragrant climbing rose.
The most vigorous growers can put on several feet in a season, so be sure to choose a location with plenty of room to spare!
30. Clematis
- Scientific Name: Clematis spp.
- Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9
Clematis vines can be trained up fences, trellises, and arbors for a burst of spring or summer color.
This perennial won’t weigh down your home exterior the way some vines will — there’s no need to worry about damage to your siding or foundation!