Best Shrubs for Your Garden

The first step to selecting shrubs is to know your garden’s site and light. Check the hardiness zone map to determine your area's zone.

In the Garden Center, choose compact shrubs with healthy foliage and color. It’s okay to gently pull them out of their pots and check root growth. Circling roots indicate the plants have been in the pots too long. Pot-bound shrubs need extra attention when planting.

You’ll want to know your garden’s soil and light before you shop. Most shrubs like well-draining soil.
When it comes to light requirements, remember these terms:

• Full sun is six or more hours of sunlight a day.
• Partial sun is four to six hours of sunlight.
• Partial shade is two to four hours of sunlight.
• Full shade means no direct sun or less than two hours of sunlight a day.

More Tips for Selecting Shrubs:

• Sketch a simple plan of your house and landscape. Include existing trees and shrubs, along with garden beds.
• Choose trees and shrubs suited for your area and sun exposure. For example, some trees and shrubs like full sun and others prefer partial shade.
• Look for the light in your landscape. Which direction does your home face? East means early morning sun and shade in the afternoon. The north side is coldest, so choose only the hardiest plants for that location. South and west are the hottest.
• Shrubs can be planted any time the soil is workable. However, shrubs planted in summer will require more frequent watering to get established. Fall and spring are the preferred seasons to plant shrubs.
• Plan well for watering. Do you have an irrigation system? Soaker hoses are efficient in planting beds. Drier areas may benefit from drought-resistant shrubs. Able to go for longer between waterings, they continue to grow or wilt until they get a drink. Many varieties are evergreens, remaining green year-round. You’ll see the term "drought tolerant" on plant tags and product descriptions. Good drainage is also key when planting shrubs. Correct any site problems, such as areas where water pools, before planting shrubs.
• Check plant tags for mature size, sun exposure and cold hardiness before buying. Allow enough space for mature growth. Don’t plant trees close to power lines or other trees. Be aware of underground pipes, your home’s foundation and walkways.
• Small shrubs, like roses, make great container plants. These are ideal for patios or balconies.

Tips When Planting Shrubs:

• Dig a hole slightly deeper than the plant’s root ball. The tops of the root ball and planting hole should be level.
• Remove the shrub from the container. Then, fluff out the roots. Trim any roots that circle the pot. If they are pot-bound, slice the roots to break them up.
• Fill the planting hole with the original soil mix, amended with compost.
• Finish the bed with mulch to keep roots cool and to slow evaporation.
• Water frequently after planting, and more often to establish the plant. A shrub needs to be in the ground for about six months to establish roots and survive in the landscape.

Abelia is a small shrub with pollinator appeal. Bees and butterflies love its sweet white flowers in summer. New varieties feature colorful foliage, turning from golden yellow in spring to red orange in fall. Plant abelia in full sun to part shade in hardiness zones 6 to 9.

Azaleas are known for abundant flowers in spring and evergreen foliage. Re-blooming varieties, like Encore, send out a second flush of blooms in late summer.

Perennial azaleas thrive in hardiness zones 6 to 9. But there are varieties that will survive to zone 4. In the Garden Center, check labels to discover azaleas suited to your climate. Plant azaleas in full sun for the best blooms. Azaleas tolerate partial shade. In fact, protection from late afternoon sun will help them through hot, dry summers.

Azaleas like acidic soil, with a pH around 5.0 to 5.5. Before planting, test and amend your soil to ensure success with azaleas. Add organic compost, leaf litter, finely ground pine bark or soil conditioner to improve drainage.

Beautyberry (Callicarpa) comes into the garden just when you need it. Butterflies and birds appreciate beautyberry. It’s an easy-growing centerpiece shrub for pollinator gardens.

This stealthy late bloomer's leaves emerge in early spring, followed by small, bright flowers. By late summer, you’ll find bright purple, pink or white berries on the graceful arching stems. Before the first frost in fall, beautyberry foliage blazes in autumn colors.

Plant beautyberry in zone 7 to 11 gardens in full sun. Pay attention to mature size on the plant label. This fast-growing shrub reseeds and can be invasive in some areas. Or you can select native American beautyberry plants that are not invasive.

Camellias are like roses; once you start growing them, you want more of them. The evergreen shrubs have glossy, leathery leaves and stunning, fist-sized blooms in shades of white, pink and red.

Camellia sasanquas bloom from fall to midwinter. Camellia japonicas thrive in zones 7 to 9. Hardier varieties may survive colder winters when protected from cold and wind.

Camellias prefer well-draining, slightly acidic soil. When planting, amend native soil with organic compost. Finish with a layer of mulch to protect the roots. Water frequently for the first few years, especially during extreme heat. Camellias are long-lived, drought-tolerant plants when established.

Crepe myrtles are colorful, sun-loving, woody shrubs grown as small trees. In the right spot, crepe myrtles make a nice warm-weather privacy screen.

Crepe myrtle shrubs are hardy in zones 7 to 10. The foliage can be green to almost black. It blooms in white, pink, red and purple. Drought-tolerant crepe myrtles grow best in full sun. Give them plenty of water in their first year to help establish roots.

Dipladenia is related to mandevilla, a tropical evergreen vine with lush, vibrant blooms. Commonly known as rocktrumpet, it's ideal for container gardens. Try pairing dipladenia with cordyline, creeping Jenny and small colorful annuals, like calibrachoa.

In warm zones, it's grown in the landscape as a small shrub. Outside of zones 10 and 11, treat dipladenia like a precious annual. Dipladenia has a wooden stem and a tidy growth habit. It can handle extreme heat, as well as dry spells, and bounce back. Plant it in full sun. In cooler zones, try bringing the plant inside in winter. Treat it like a houseplant until warm weather returns.

Described as being very tough, distylium is a problem-solving evergreen shrub. In Southern gardens, distylium is planted in place of other shrubs that are susceptible to diseases, like boxwood and hollies.

Distylium is recognized by its narrow, glossy, dark-green leaves and tidy, contact shape. It’s a full-sun favorite, due to it being resistant to heat, drought, pests and diseases. Like boxwood, it's popular for mass plantings. Growing into low mounds, this shrub is popularly used to cover hillsides and slopes.

In the Garden Center, look for low-growing dwarf varieties that need very little pruning. When distylium needs a trim, prune before the first flush of growth, in early spring. ‘Cinnamon Girl’ is the most winter-hardy of these varieties. But you may also look for ‘Vintage Jade’ and ‘Coppertone.’ All types are ideal for gardens in zones 7 to 9.

Often called paperbush, edgeworthia shrub makes a statement in late fall and through winter. Its silvery flower buds emerge, bringing bright yellow blooms and fragrance into a chilly landscape. Its foliage is an understated blue green through spring and summer.

Edgeworthia thrives in zones 7 to 10. Plant edgeworthia in a part sun site, along a wooded edge, for example. In the Garden Center, check mature size of the plant. Mature edgeworthia shrubs grow up to 7 feet high. Plant paperbush in the back of a border or as a specimen plant.

Forsythia is a beacon of spring in the last days of winter. It’s known for bright yellow flowers that cover arching branches. Forsythia has a wide range, from zones 5 to 8, and can tolerate most soils. In the Garden Center, look for improved varieties with a tidy growth habit. Consider a mass planting of forsythia for a blaze of sunshine yellow flowers.

Tip: You can force forsythia buds to open on cut branches. Select branches filled with buds and trim with an angled cut at the base. Fill a vase with warm water. Remove the flowers below the water level. Give the branch a fresh, angled cut at the base. Experts advise using a hammer to lightly smash the base of the stem. Place the stems in water, in indirect light, away from heat sources. Then, lightly mist the buds until the blooms open.

Gardenia’s creamy soft blooms scent your garden with perfume in spring. Evergreen foliage and a pleasing shape make it a must for Southern gardens.

Most gardenia shrubs are hardy in zones 7 to 10. Zone 7 gardeners will want to plant in full sun for the most blooms. In warmer zones, plant in a protected area. Ideal light is morning sun and afternoon shade.

Gardenia shrubs prefer slightly acidic soil. Amend your soil with organic compost when planting, and top dress in spring and fall. Use a slow-release fertilizer to nourish the plant throughout the year.

Hardy hibiscus plants are tough shrubs with gorgeous blooms. They're also known by the old-fashioned names "Rose of Sharon" or "rose mallow." While hardy in zones 5 to 9, zone 4 gardeners can plant hardy hibiscus, too. They'll need to treat it like an annual and plant it in containers. Pollinators, like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, love perennial hibiscus blooms.

In your garden, be sure to keep hardy hibiscus watered. It can dry out in extreme heat. The plants break dormancy a little later than others in spring. But they are reliable bloomers year after year. Keep hardy hibiscus blooming with a dose of slow-release fertilizer in early spring.

Hollies are classic evergreen landscape shrubs with year-round appeal. They sport evergreen foliage, fragrant spring flowers and bright berries in winter. Hollies grow best in zones 6 to 9. Plant hollies in full sun, but they tolerate part shade.

Check for the mature size on the plant tag before planting near a foundation. Some hollies can become very large. They make excellent evergreen privacy screens on the edge of properties. Prune hollies in early spring or late summer to keep shapely. Rejuvenate old, overgrown hollies by cutting them back by half and thinning out the main branches.

Grow hydrangeas for a garden that explodes with color. These carefree perennial shrubs bring pops of pink, blue, lavender and snowy white to your summer garden. Hydrangeas fade beautifully into fall, with some varieties changing from creamy white into dusty pink.

Hydrangeas may look delicate, but they’re tough plants. These woody perennial shrubs thrive in zones 3 to 8. They take to well-draining, acidic soil. But be sure to work plenty of organic matter into the planting hole.

In the Garden Center, look for these types of hydrangeas:

• Mopheads (Hydrangea macrophylla) bloom in summer with fluffy blue or pink flowers. This category includes re-blooming varieties like “Endless Summer.”
• Smooth hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens) flower in early summer in shades of pink and white. “Annabelle” is a popular smooth hydrangea variety.
• Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) features plumes of creamy white or pink blooms and lobed leaves. Oakleaf hydrangea, a native hydrangea, grows best on the edge of woodlands.
• Limelight hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) is a long-lived plant that loves heat and full sun. Initially celadon green, some bloom creamy white in summer, and then pink or burgundy in the fall. Also known as panicle hydrangeas, they’re problem-solvers, screening unattractive elements, like air conditioning units. But they also thrive in containers and flower beds. In northern zones, these plants need full sun. But in the South, make sure they’re protected from harsh afternoon light. Regardless, they should be pruned back by about a third every spring.

Florida gardeners appreciate ixora's long-lasting blooms and glossy green foliage. Ixora is often used as a hedge, like boxwood. Outside of zones 9 and 10, gardeners can treat ixora like an annual by growing it in a container.

Ixora's coral-colored flowers earned it the name, "Flame of the Woods." In the Garden Center, you can find white and yellow varieties, too. Plant ixora in full sun for abundant flowers. It’s often pruned, but frequent pruning will reduce flower production.

Purple lilac flowers appear when forsythia fades in late winter. The blooms are beautiful, but it’s their scent that makes lilacs so loved. These easy-to-grow shrubs are perfect as a focal point in a garden. Lilacs make an excellent privacy hedge.

Plant lilacs in full sun in colder zones and part shade in hotter climates. Most lilacs bloom best in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 7, the regions with winter chill. Prune mature lilacs at the end of their season, as soon as flowers fade.

Also known as "Chinese fringe flower," versatile loropetalum thrives in part-shady settings. The bright pink, fringy flowers, popping open in spring, are a treat. But its evergreen foliage, in shades of green, purple and burgundy, is the real star.

Some varieties can grow up to 15 feet tall, with arching branches. For this reason, pay attention to the “mature” size shown on plant tags. Purple Pixie, a loropetalum variety known for its weeping habit, makes a fine spiller for a container. Or look for Purple Diamond, which grows 4 to 5 feet tall and wide.

Plant larger fringe flower varieties in mass plantings or privacy hedges. Small-space gardeners should plant compact loropetalum varieties in containers for balconies and porches. Considered low maintenance, loropetalum grows best in zones 7 to 10. It should be planted in well-draining soil in full sun. Prune this shrub after it blooms; summer and fall are best to trim it back. You may consider planting loropetalum with ‘Sunshine’ ligustrum, for a lively combination of maroon and chartreuse.

Mountain laurel is a native shrub that grows alongside rhododendrons and azaleas in the mountains. Like those plants, mountain laurel is an evergreen that prefers well-draining, slightly acidic soil.

Mountain laurel’s pink and white flowers bloom in late spring. When planting mountain laurel, amend your soil with rich organic compost. Finish with a thick layer of mulch (about 4 inches). Mountain laurel grows in hardiness zones 5 to 9. This shrub likes deep shade to partial shade sites.

Ninebark is a hardy deciduous shrub. Gardeners in northern states rely on it to fill in the landscape, particularly during dry spells. Ninebark is favored for attractive dark foliage and small pink and white flower clusters. This hardy, deciduous shrub thrives in zones 7 to 9 and prefers full sun.

Ninebark can grow to up to 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide, depending on the type. ‘Fireside’ ninebark emerges reddish green, matures to red-deep purple and holds its color all summer long. In spring, pinkish-white flowers bloom from this variety. With other ninebark shrubs, small white blooms may appear.

Pieris japonica shrubs offer evergreen foliage and drips of bell-shaped, white flowers in spring. Plant pieris in a filtered sun setting. It's also a fine choice for a deep shade site.

The pieris shrub likes the same soil conditions as azaleas. Plant them in slightly acidic, well-draining soil. Layer the plants with mulch to help them retain moisture. Water pieris frequently in its first year. Once established, it’s a low-maintenance plant. Like most shrubs, it will appreciate a dose of slow-release organic fertilizer in spring. Pieris is winter hardy in zones 4 to 8.

Potentilla is a tidy, compact shrub that sends out bright orange or yellow blooms, spring to fall. It’s low-maintenance, deer-resistant and a pollinator favorite.

Plant potentilla in full sun in hardiness zones 3 to 8. Potentilla needs frequent watering until established. Its compact size is perfect for containers. Plant a trio of potentilla plants in a large container for your summer patio.

Quince blooms about the same time as forsythia. Its colorful flowers will cause you to do a double-take. New scarlet and coral varieties, as well as double blooms, are ample reason to plant quince. Plant flowering quince in full sun to partial shade. It’s drought-tolerant once established. Grow it in zones 5 to 9.

Rhododendrons are azaleas’ sassy big sister. They’re both evergreen shrubs with eye-catching blooms. But azaleas bloom earlier than rhododendrons, with the latter flowering in late spring.

Rhododendrons like partial shade and staying cool during summer's heat. Rhododendrons have shallow root systems. Mulch them with two or three inches of pine needles or chipped bark to help keep the soil moist and prevent weeds. Rhododendrons are hardy in zones 4 to 9. In areas with late frosts, look for varieties like “Florence Parks.” They bloom in late May and early June, helping to avoid frost damage.

Shrub roses, like Knockout and OSO Easy, are low-maintenance plants that look great in mass plantings. Shrub roses are pest and disease resistant. But most will need pruning and fertilizing. These plants reward with summer-long blooms. You should plant roses in full sun for the most blooms. However, they can handle part sun. They’re hardy in zones 4 to 8.

Serviceberry is a deciduous small tree or shrub. It's hardy in zones 4 to 9. This plant is native to the Eastern U.S. coast, growing from Maine to northern Florida and Louisiana. It flowers in early spring. The white blooms last about a week. However, the real show for serviceberry is in fall, when its foliage turns yellow and red.

Wildlife appreciates the serviceberry fruit. It's an important early-spring food source for bees and butterflies. Plant serviceberry in full sun to part shade, in moist, well-drained soil. It’s adaptable to differing soils and tolerates wet soils.

Tea olive is a fragrant, cold-hardy shrub that blooms in fall. Its white flowers are known for their sweet fragrance. Give tea olive plenty of room, as it can grow 10 feet high and wide. For this reason, it’s often used as a privacy hedge. Tea olive hardy in zones 7 to 10. It grows best in full sun but tolerates partial shade. It’s deer resistant and drought tolerant, as well.

In the spring, viburnum features masses of large, pure white, snowball-like flower clusters. Viburnum's foliage is glossy and bright green, turning to a purplish red in the fall. Viburnum makes for a spectacular landscape specimen. It’s deer-resistant, too. Viburnum is hardy in zones 3 to 8. Plant shrubs in well-drained soil. Flowers bloom from May to June.

Weigela brings gorgeous, dark foliage and bright pink flowers to your garden. This full-sun shrub is resistant to deer pressure. It also brings in the pollinators and can re-bloom in summer. Plant weigela in full sun, in zones 4 to 8. Check plant tags for mature size. Varieties like “Wine and Roses” grow 4 to 5 feet tall, perfect for back of the border interest.

Along with forsythia, witch hazel is one of the earliest plants to bloom in spring. Depending on your zone, witch hazel flowers in February or March. Plant witch hazel in full sun for more fall color. This low-maintenance plant needs light pruning to keep its shape.