Landscaping has the potential to significantly increase home value when done correctly. Homeowners and buyers often prioritize design, incorporating a mix of hardscaping elements and plantings. Plant size is also important, especially in colder regions where slow-growing plants are common. To make your home stand out, consider adding unique plants to your front yard that will catch the eye of anyone passing by. While adding mature evergreens and conifers can be costly, incorporating beautiful flowers is a more affordable way to enhance your home’s curb appeal.
For an attractive front yard, a combination of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs is ideal. Look for plants that provide year-long or multi-season interest, such as camellias, hydrangeas, and roses. Pair them to frame your entryway or shear them into hedges and screens. Fragrant flowers like sedum and lilacs can be used to mark walkways or driveways. Incorporate native flowering perennials in landscape beds and borders, and minimize the use of annuals to avoid additional expenses. By adding these 24 beautiful blooms to your front yard, you can enhance your home’s value.
Camellias
Camellias are a popular choice for southern gardens due to their spectacular blooms that bring life to winter landscapes. They look best when massed as hedges, but you can also stagger different varieties for extended flowering seasons. Camellias can be used as accents in foundation beds or grown as understory shrubs. Look for low-maintenance cultivars like ‘Autumn Spirit’ or ‘Kramer’s Supreme’ for easy care and beautiful flowers.
Glossy abelia
Glossy abelia is a multi-stemmed shrub that can reach over 6 feet in height and width. It produces hummingbird-friendly pink blooms throughout the growing season and looks striking in borders, screens, or tumbling over retaining walls. Evergreen in warmer climates, glossy abelia loses some of its canopy in cooler areas, revealing beautiful red leaves. Cultivars like ‘Edward Goucher’ offer lovely fragrance, but watch out for aphids.
Encore azaleas
Encore azaleas are cold-hardy shrubs that produce show-stopping blooms throughout the warm months. Certain varieties like Autumn Amethyst and Autumn Sundance offer interesting foliage colors in the fall. Grow them as hedges or containers for a low-maintenance way to add color to your front yard. Look for compact options like Autumn Chiffon or Autumn Starburst for smaller spaces.
Sweet viburnum
Sweet viburnum is a fast-growing shrub that fills your yard with a delightful fragrance. Prune lower limbs occasionally to reveal its multi-stemmed habit and show off the spring blooms. Plant sweet viburnum in full sun for a full, bushy canopy and expect visits from wildlife attracted to the red or black berries. These shrubs are drought-tolerant once established and make a beautiful addition to foundation beds or as a foil for other ornamentals.
Timeless Beauty desert willow
In arid landscapes, Timeless Beauty desert willow is a stunning focal point that blooms continuously from spring through summer. This fire-resistant, drought-tolerant plant is a great choice for areas with hot, dry conditions. Plant it to mark entry points or in front of windows to enjoy the hummingbirds attracted to its fragrant lavender blooms. Timeless Beauty can also be used as a screen to hide unsightly views and thrives in diverse soil conditions with full sun exposure.
Oakleaf hydrangea
Oakleaf hydrangeas bloom fragrant flowers in spring and summer, with glossy burgundy leaves in the fall. These ornate shrubs can be used as focal points in your yard or massed to create a stunning hedge. Oakleaf hydrangeas are drought-tolerant and look dramatic even in water-wise landscapes. Look for cold-hardy cultivars like ‘Snowflake,’ ‘Alice,’ or ‘Snow Queen,’ or compact forms like ‘Pee Wee’ or ‘Ruby Slippers’ for smaller spaces.
Roses
Roses are a classic choice for front yards, whether grown as groundcovers, shrubs, or climbers. Look for low-maintenance knock out roses that bloom repeatedly and resist diseases. Plant fragrant varieties like ‘Emily Bronte’ or ‘Princess Alexandra of Kent’ around walkways to enjoy their scent. For guidance on top-performing roses, refer to the American Rose Society’s recommendations.
Jazz Hands white Chinese fringe-flower
Jazz Hands white Chinese fringe-flowers are evergreen shrubs with glossy leaves that burst out white flowers in spring and sporadically through summer. These dwarf shrubs can be grown as overstories for perennials or in ornate containers to frame landscape edges. They prefer moist, acidic soils and don’t require much pruning but need regular fertilizing and watering.
Frostproof gardenia
Frostproof gardenias are slow-growing shrubs that reach a height of 5 feet, making them ideal for foundation beds or hedges. These evergreen beauties produce fragrant summer blooms and are deer and pest-resistant. Plant them in areas with part to full sun exposure for best results.
Bloody cranesbill geranium
Bloody cranesbill geraniums offer magenta flowers that attract bees and butterflies throughout spring and summer. These herbaceous perennials turn burgundy in the fall and are ideal for borders with full sun and moist soil conditions. Plant them in areas where deer are a problem but watch out for self-seeding.
Summerific ‘Berry Awesome’ rose mallow
Summerific ‘Berry Awesome’ rose mallow is a compact shrub that blooms from late spring through September with red-eyed, lavender pink flowers. These hardy plants are ideal for borders or containers and thrive in full sun. Avoid growing them in areas with Japanese beetles.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a drought-tolerant, deer-resistant perennial that blooms lavender or white flowers from spring through summer. This fragrant plant attracts hummingbirds and butterflies and can be shaped into topiaries for added texture. Grow rosemary in areas with good drainage and avoid humid conditions and clay soils.
Supertunia petunia
Supertunia petunias are self-cleaning plants that bloom through fall in a variety of colors. These low-maintenance plants can be grown in borders or containers and come in bold or neutral colors to suit your style. Plant them in areas with full sun exposure for best results.
Bloomerang lilacs
Bloomerang lilacs bloom in spring and repeat flushes in summer and fall, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies with their pink or purple blooms. These flowers are great for foundation beds or containers and thrive in full sun. Protect them from afternoon glaze in hot climates and plant them in rich, well-draining soil.
Red maple
Red maple is a versatile plant that blooms in late winter with red flowers and offers long-lasting fall colors. This tree is adaptive in a wide range of zones and is best planted in areas with enough space to accommodate its spreading roots. Look for cultivars like ‘Autumn Flame’ or ‘Red Rocket’ for reliable color and columnar growth.
Seven-son-flower
Seven-son-flower blooms in late summer and offers interest throughout the year with its white flowers and purple-red sepals. This plant is great as a specimen or accent in your front yard and is cold-tolerant and resilient to harsh weather conditions. Consider planting ‘Temple of Bloom’ for consistent color and use it to frame corners or entry points.
Weigela
Weigela is a mid-size shrub that blooms with rosy-pink flowers in spring, attracting hummingbirds. These deer-resistant plants can be grown for privacy or in borders, foundation beds, or edge plantings. Prune the branches to maintain a tidy appearance and provide full sun exposure for the best blooms. Look for cultivars like ‘Sonic Bloom’ and ‘Wine & Roses’ for attractive options.
Stonecrop Sunsparkler
Stonecrop Sunsparkler is a low-maintenance perennial that produces colorful leaves and showy flowers in summer and fall. These pollinator-friendly plants survive on little water and are great for deterring deer. Grow them with other plants like lavender and catmint and ensure proper drainage to avoid rot.
Tuberous begonia
Tuberous begonias are worth the effort for their beautiful sunset-colored blooms that add a pop of color to borders. These plants bloom from mid-summer through fall and come in different varieties with ruffled petals. Grow them in containers or hanging baskets in areas with dappled or partial shade for best results.
Mandevilla
Mandevilla is a tropical vine that thrives in hot, sunny conditions and produces pink trumpet flowers throughout the year in frost-free areas. Train them over fences or support them in containers for a lush, colorful display. Look for compact cultivars like Sun Parasol ‘Burgundy’ for smaller spaces and be cautious when handling them to avoid skin irritation.
Double Play Doozie spiraea
Double Play Doozie spiraea is a statement-making plant that blooms continuously from late spring through frost with hot pink flowers. These drought-, deer-, and disease-resistant plants are perfect for adding color to perennial or foundation beds. Plant them in areas with morning light or afternoon sun for best results.
Shrubby cinquefoil
Shrubby cinquefoil is an easy-maintenance shrub that blooms from spring through fall, making it ideal for foundation or border plantings. These versatile plants can withstand drought, salt, and soil infertility, and are best grown in full sun. Avoid planting them in hot, humid climates to prevent mildew and spider mite issues.
Black-eyed Susan
Black-eyed Susan is a native plant that adds pollinator value to your yard with its cheery yellow flowers blooming from May through July. Plant them in small groups for maximum impact and enjoy the seeds that attract birds in the winter. Ensure the foliage is protected from silvery checkerspot or emerald butterflies.
Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea is a drought-tolerant vining shrub that blooms colorful flowers even in dry soil and throughout the year in frost-free areas. Grow them over fences or in containers for a low-maintenance display. Prune them into shrubs or train them on walls for added visual interest.
