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18 Low-Maintenance Front Yard Shrubs That Won't Care If You Forget to Water Them



Low-maintenance shrubs are perfect for planting in the front of your house. They are truly nature's gift to busy homeowners who don't want to skimp on their curb appeal.

We're talking shrubs that can tolerate a little drought, aren't too picky about soil and sun conditions, and grow relatively slowly.

With this in mind, we rallied up 18 low-maintenance shrubs that are all ideal candidates for your front yard garden beds.

Hydragnea


The Spruce / Claire Cohen Bates

Hydrangeas have a notoriously long bloom season, so they will add a beautiful pop of color to your lawn all summer long. Their exact hue can range from pink to blue depending on the pH of the soil.

To add some texture to your lawn during the winter, you can opt to stop deadheading your bush in mid to late fall and keep a few spent blooms around.
  • USDA Zones: 3-9
  • Mature Size: 2-20 ft. tall, 2-6 ft. wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full, partial
  • Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained with a pH balance of acidic, neutral, alkaline

Beautyberry


The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

Fittingly named, beautyberry puts on a gorgeous show when its purple berries appear in the spring and summer. You can plant a few of these shrubs close to your house since they thrive in partial shade, but keep in mind you may need to trim them once they start to get too tall.

  • USDA Zones: 6-10
  • Mature Size: 3–6 ft. tall, 3–6 ft. wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • Soil Needs: Loamy, clay, moist, and well-drained


Yew


The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

Yew is another plant that isn't too picky about its growing conditions. You'll commonly see it planted around the foundation of homes, especially varieties that don't grow very tall. It's fairly low-maintenance and only requires occasional watering and annual fertilizing.
  • USDA Zones: 2-10
  • Mature Size: 4-60 ft. tall, 4-20 ft. wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun
  • Soil Needs: Well-drained and loamy with a pH balance of slightly alkaline



Indian Hawthorn

seven75 / Getty Images

Indian Hawthorn is another stunning low-maintenance shrub that blooms. It requires full sun, so consider planting it in an open area near a sidewalk or away from any trees. It's also a slow-growing shrub, which means you won't have to get out your shears too often.
  • USDA Zones: 8-10
  • Mature Size: 3–6 ft. tall and wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full
  • Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained with a pH balance of acidic, neutral, and alkaline



Caper Bush


The Spruce / K. Dave

Capers add a flavorful kick to dishes, while their blooms add a touch of beauty to a garden bed. This shrub needs a generous amount of sunlight. So, just plant it in an appropriately lighted area, and you won't need to think twice about it. In fact, caper bushes prefer to be watered very sparingly.
  • USDA Zones: 8-10
  • Mature Size: 2–3 ft. tall, 3–6 ft. wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Soil Needs: Well-drained and with a pH balance of neutral, acidic


Pinkberry


Nahhan / Getty Images

Pinkberry is, of course, known for its stunning pastel berries. However, its blue-green coin-shaped foliage is also a show stopper that looks great in cut arrangements. It's a pretty tough and durable shrub that can withstand chill temps.
  • USDA Zones: 3-7
  • Mature Size: 3–4 ft. tall, 3–4 ft. wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun
  • Soil Needs: Well-drained and with a pH balance of neutral




Boxwood


The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Boxwood is a classic evergreen shrub that will keep your front garden beds looking lush even in the dead of winter. This bushy shrub can take on pretty much any shape you want, from a hedge to a round topiary. They do well in both full sun and partial sun situations, so planting location shouldn't be an issue.
  • USDA Zones: 4-9
  • Mature Size: 2-8 ft. tall, 2-8 ft. wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full, partial
  • Soil Needs: Loamy, with a pH balance of neutral, alkaline


Weigela


The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Weigela produces beautiful pink blooms in late spring and early summer that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. This bush grows about 13-24 inches each year until it reaches full maturity, so plant it in an area where you won't mind the coverage. Otherwise, you will need to trim it fairly frequently.
  • USDA Zones: 4-8
  • Mature Size: 6–10 ft. tall, 9–12 ft. wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Soil Needs: Moist but well-drained with a pH balance of acidic



Dwarf Alberta Spruce


The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

If you want to add a touch of evergreen to your front lawn but don't want anything that will grow too out of hand, the Dwarf Alberta Spruce is a great option. It only reaches about 13 feet tall. Plus, it makes for a great prop for a Christmas light display.
  • USDA Zones: 3-6
  • Mature Size: 10–13 ft. tall, 7–10 ft. wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Soil Needs: Moist but well-drained with a pH balance of acidic, neutral, alkaline


Azlea


The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

Azaleas are such captivating plants that will draw the best kind of attention to your front lawn. You can select from pink, white, red, purple, and yellow to match your existing shrubs. If you live in a region that gets a generous amount of spring rainfall, you shouldn't have to water them to get blooms.
  • USDA Zones: 5-9
  • Mature Size: 3–20 ft. tall, 3–20 ft wide
  • Sun Exposure: Partial, full
  • Soil Needs: Well-drained with a pH balance of acidic


Inkberry Holly


The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

This slow-growing evergreen shrub couldn't be more easy to tend. If you want your Inkberry Holly plant to produce berries, you'll need to plant female shrubs next to at least one male shrub, which will act as a pollinator.
  • USDA Zones: 4-11
  • Mature Size: 5-10 ft. tall and 5-8 ft. wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • Soil Needs: Moist, acidic soil


Juniper


The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Juniper plants are pretty self-sufficient evergreen shrubs that are drought-tolerant. You also don't need to worry about fertilizing it very often, and the only pruning it needs is the removal of dead foliage.
  • USDA Zones: 2-7
  • Mature Size: Varies widely depending on species and cultivar, from 6 in.-15 ft. tall, 1–12 ft. wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Soil Needs: Well-drained, sandy soil with a pH of acidic, neutral, or alkaline


Viburnum


The Spruce / K. Dave

Viburnum is a popular landscaping shrub for front yards and backyards alike, and for good reason. It comes in a vast range of colors and isn't very particular about their growing conditions. If you want a slow-growing variety that requires less trimming, go with an option like 'Spring Bouquet,' which only reaches about 3 to 5 feet tall.
  • USDA Zones: 2-9
  • Mature Size: Varies widely depending on species and cultivar, from 3-20 ft. tall, 3–12 ft. wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun
  • Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained soil with a pH of neutral or acidic


English Lavender


​The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong

English lavender emits such a relaxing aroma, and you can harvest its blooms to dry. All those benefits aside, it makes for a great front yard shrub because it's drought tolerant once it becomes established.
  • USDA zones: 5-9
  • Mature Size: 1-2 ft. tall, 2-3 ft. wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • Soil Needs: Loamy, sandy, silt, and well-drained with a pH balance of neutral, alkaline


Miss Kim Lilac


The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Lilac is another fragrant bloom that makes a great front yard addition. Once its blooming season wraps up in spring, its leafy shrub remains. The Miss Kim variety reaches a shorter mature height, so it requires less pruning.
  • USDA zones: 4-8
  • Mature Size: 6-8 feet tall and wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Soil Needs: Loamy with a pH balance of neutral to slightly alkaline



Oleander


The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Oleander is a great option if you crave a colorful front yard. It blooms for an extended period, sometimes even into early fall. This plant can grow pretty fast, so plant it were you want a living privacy screen, such as on the side of your porch.
  • USDA zones: 8-10
  • Mature Size: 8-19 ft. tall, 6-10 ft. wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun
  • Soil Needs: Fertile, adaptable with a pH balance of alkaline


Bottlebrush Buckeye


Simon McGill / Getty Images

The Bottlebrush Buckeye shrub is a head-turner with its unique feathery foliage. It's great for attracting pollinators to your front yard. It's just not a fan of dry soil, so keep that in mind before planting.
  • USDA zones: 4-8
  • Mature Size: Up to 12 ft. tall and 18 ft. Wide
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained soil with a pH balance of acidic, neutral


Daphne


The Spruce / Nadia Hassani

If you want to add a blooming shrub to your front lawn that doesn't require a lot of pruning, Daphne is an excellent choice. It grows very slowly and only reaches 4 feet max. Just be sure to avoid planting the spurge-laurel variety, which is an invasive plant.
  • USDA zones: 4-9
  • Mature Size: 2-4 ft. tall
  • Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun