The 11 Best Low-Maintenance Shrubs, According to a Landscape Designer

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

When it comes to finding the best low-maintenance shrub for the front of your house, Dallas-based landscape designer Melissa Gerstle offers this advice: “Don’t think, ‘I need a shrub.’ Instead think, ‘I need a plant.’”

As the foundation of a landscape, shrubs are small- to medium-sized woody plants with multiple stems. Usually, they max out at about 10 feet tall. While most people think of shrubs as the building blocks for an evergreen backdrop that defines the home or adds height to a garden bed, they can be deciduous or evergreen.

“Shrubs are the plants that provide structure—the bones of your garden,” says Gerstle. “No matter what you’re doing, if you’re working with shrubs or a combination of plants, you always want to work in order of height, with the tallest plants in the back and the shortest in the front.”

Your goal is to create a layered effect that has a balance of color and texture. “Depending on the home’s architectural style, I’ll gravitate toward plants that feel more naturalistic and loose, or cultivated and manicured,” she says.

Whether your garden is formal or informal, let a plant’s height guide the dreaming and brainstorming stage of your landscape planning. “But before you plant, check with a landscaper or your local garden center to confirm that your soil type, region’s weather, and the light your front yard gets will allow it to thrive,” Gerstle advises. “Low-maintenance is a relative term. If you live in Michigan or the northeast, hydrangeas can be pretty easy—but not in Texas!”

Organized by height, here are the best shrubs to plant in your front yard.

Variegated Pittosporum

Variegated pittosporum can grow up to 8 feet tall. Known for its creamy white-and-green leaves, the pittosporum provides a soft balance to surrounding waxy-green shrubs.

“The large ones have a billowy form, so they’re beautiful as a stand-alone, but you can also use them as a border or hedge,” Gerstle says. In the spring, you can look forward to the shrub’s small, white flowers’ orange-blossom fragrance.

Light preference: full sun, partial sun

Sandankwa Viburnum

Sandankwa Viburnum, similar to the variegated pittosporum in its natural, organic growth pattern, can grow 6-12 feet. With large, rounded leaves that feel leathery and rough, punctuated by delicate white flowers, this viburnum is happy to be the star of the show or part of a border, hedge or privacy screen.

An evergreen, it thrives in moist, well-drained soil and is resistant to salt and deer—the perfect choice for coastal areas.

Light preference: full sun, partial shade

Otto Luyken Cherry Laurel

Otto Luyken cherry laurel, also known as English laurel, is known for its laurel-like, shiny evergreen leaves and white cup-shaped flowers.

“This is my favorite large shrub; I love it for the same reason I love the viburnum—the contrast of its soft foliage with its branches that are also a bit stiff,” says Gerstle.

Abelias

Abelias, a tried-and-true standard in Southern gardens, does require annual pruning, but its graceful branches and beautiful bell-shaped summer through fall flowers make it well worth your while.

As a member of the honeysuckle family, the abelia boasts multiple varieties that range in height and flower color. Abelias can grow up to 8 feet; to fit a smaller space, go for the dwarf varieties.

Light preference: full sun and partial shade

Japanese Yew

Japanese Yew, an evergreen that requires little care, adds a lush, dark green to your garden with fern-foliage and tiny red berries in early to late fall. The tree varieties can get up to 40 feet tall, but if you go with the medium or large shrub, it won’t exceed 8 feet.

Light preference: sun and partial shade

Tri-Color Dappled Willows

Tri-colored dappled willows look like the shrub version of a bridal bouquet. Pink, white, and green-tinged branches give the bush a rounded, yet willowy appeal that can reach up to 8-10 feet.

Light preference: full sun and partial shade

Beautyberry

Beautyberry, on the cusp between compact and understory shrubs at 4-6 feet tall—and equally wide—is recognized for its late-summer, bright-fuchsia berry clusters.

“It’s a fantastic and very easy deciduous shrub that attracts songbirds,” says Gerstle.

Light preference: part shade

Plum Yew

Plum Yew, a low-growing shrub, is a textural, pointy-leaf plant that drapes almost like a fern and spreads throughout a landscape. “It’s a great border or second-row plant because it gives you the height and is also very graceful,” Gerstle says. “I like to pair them with ferns because they have a similar form but different texture, so they work well together.” More wide than tall, the plum yew feels at home in woodland landscapes.

Light preference: full sun in regions with cool summers, moderate and deep shade

Distylium

Distylium’s evergreen foliage with densely packed branches have a soft but sturdy appearance perfect for slopes or low-foundation plantings. The definition of a low-maintenance plant, distylium seems resistant to deer, disease, and pests. They also stay compact and keep their natural form with little to no pruning.

Light preference: full sun and partial shade

Miscanthus Grasses

Miscanthus grasses, a group that includes about 20 species, takes its name from the Greek words stalk and flowers.

“This is one of my favorite not-a-shrubs that can be used as shrubs,” Gerstle laughs. “The nice thing about using ornamental grasses is that, even though they don’t technically fall under the shrub category, they keep their form throughout the year and lend a beautiful structure to the garden.”

Light preference: full sun and partial shade

Chinese Indigo

Chinese Indigo, traditionally used for indigo-colored dye, grows about 2-feet tall and stretches 3-4 feet. Its early-summer lavender flowers resemble wisteria, making it a pollinator-friendly choice for well-draining soils.

Light preference: full sun and partial shade

You Might Also Like

• Spectacular Gifts for the Most Stylish Women in Your Life

• 16 Gorgeous Indoor Plants for Homes of All Sizes