Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food and Recipes
  • Culture and Lifestyle
  • Style
  • Holidays & Occasions
  • Home
  • Gardening Ideas
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      Here are the haircuts you'll be seeing everywhere this year. Read More
    • How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Read More
    • 50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      Not sure what to write in a thank you card? Here's how to show your gratitude with a handwritten note. Read More
  • Food and Recipes

    Food and Recipes

    See All Food and Recipes
    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    It’s not all in the senses, but they sure can help.
    • Recipes
    • Quick and Easy Dinner
    • Kitchen Assistant
    • Casserole
    • Holiday and Occasion Food
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Healthy and Light
    • Side Dishes
    • Party Food and Drink
    • Appetizers
    • Meat
    • Breakfast
    • BBQ
    • Drinks
    • What's Cooking
  • Culture and Lifestyle

    Culture and Lifestyle

    See All Culture and Lifestyle
    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    Let your besties know how much they mean to you with these unique nicknames.
    • Quotes and Sayings
    • Biscuits and Jam Podcast
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Healthy Living
    • Coastal Living
  • Style

    Style

    See All Style
    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The beginning of a new year often has us all feeling like starting off fresh by taking on better habits, getting rid of old ones, and—most commonly—changing up our look. While others are hitting the squats and going into the salon for a pixie cut, why not start slow and steady with a cozy winter manicure in a color that feels new to you? It takes only a little courage to step outside your usual OPI Lincoln Park After Dark or Essie Bordeaux, which is all you need to kick 2022 off on a fanciful foot.  From new wintry takes on classic dark nail colors to unique pops of color that'll have you feeling the opposite of boring, these are the best nail colors to try this January and tick off all the way into spring. 
    • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Fashion
    • Short Hairstyles
    • Nails
    • Medium Hairstyles
    • Skincare
    • Long Hairstyles
  • Holidays & Occasions

    Holidays & Occasions

    See All Holidays & Occasions
    • Thanksgiving
    • Gifts
    • Christmas
    • Mother's Day
    • Hanukkah
    • New Year's
    • Easter
    • Mardi Gras
    • 4th of July
    • Weddings
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    There's no denying how the pandemic fundamentally changed the world—including how we live (and work) inside our homes. An overall trend toward celebrating the history and originality of our homes is displacing ultramodern aesthetics and sharp lines as we all look to create cozier, colorful, more personalized spaces that better suit our lifestyles. We're turning away from big-box stores and toward vintage items—first, out of necessity due to supply-chain issues, and now, for design reasons—to add charm and character to every room in the house, including the kitchen. Here, interior designers from around the South share their predictions for what's trending in kitchen design for 2022 and beyond.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Kitchen Design
    • Before & After Photos
    • Bathroom Design
    • Curb Appeal
    • Bedroom Design
    • DIY Home Decor
    • Color Palettes & Paint
    • House Plans & Builders
    • Inspired Communities
  • Gardening Ideas

    Gardening Ideas

    See All Gardening Ideas
    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    Plus a few strategies for keeping them out-of-doors
    • Container Gardening
    • Gardening Flowers
    • Fruit, Vegetable & Herb Gardens
    • Garden Pests
    • Plant Guides A-Z
    • Indoor Plants
    • Fall Plants
    • Landscaping Ideas
    • The Grumpy Gardener
  • News

    News

    See All News
    • Celebrities
    • Local News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. Gardening Ideas
  3. Plants
  4. 14 Great Plants for the Front of Your House

14 Great Plants for the Front of Your House

Steve Bender, The Grumpy Gardener
By Steve Bender Updated April 28, 2022
Skip gallery slides
FB
‘Miss Lemon’ Abelia Plant for Front Yard
Credit: Courtesy of PDSI

One of the most common requests I receive from readers is for a list of well-behaved bushes they can plant in front of the house that won't eventually swallow it. Here it is. The following plants are quite varied but share two things. First, they're compact growers, need little pruning, aren't fussy to grow, won't swallow your house, and deer won't eat them. Second, they all belong to our Southern Living Plant Collection. Click on the link to read more about them and find local retailers in your area that carry them.

Start Slideshow

1 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

'Miss Lemon' Abelia

‘Miss Lemon’ Abelia Plant for Front Yard
Credit: Courtesy of PDSI

This mounding evergreen features variegated leaves with edges that age from yellow to ivory. Its light pink flowers attract pollinators all summer. It grows about three feet tall and four feet wide. 'Miss Lemon' likes full to part sun, well-drained soil, and is suited to USDA Zones 6 to 9. (The Southern Living Plants site includes a USDA Zone map.)

1 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

'Emerald Snow' Lororpetalum

‘Emerald Snow’ Lororpetalum plant for front yard
Credit: Courtesy of PDSI

Giant purple loropetalums are notorious for devouring houses, but 'Emerald Snow' won't. This evergreen grows four to six feet high and three to four feet wide. It features green leaves and showy, white flowers in spring. Give it full to part sun and acidic, well-drained soil. I recommend it for USDA Zones 7 to 9. If necessary, prune it after it finishes blooming.

2 of 15

3 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

'Baby Gem' Japanese Boxwood

‘Baby Gem’ Japanese Boxwood plant for front yard
Credit: Courtesy of PDSI

This highly improved, glossy-leafed boxwood slowly grows into a tidy muffin about four feet tall and wide. It does well in the ground or containers and is much more pest-resistant than English or American boxwood. It likes full to part sun and well-drained soil. Plant it in USDA Zones 4 to 9.

3 of 15

Advertisement

4 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

'Light Show' Red Bottlebrush

‘Light Show’ Red Bottlebrush plant for front yard
Credit: Courtesy of PDSI

A good choice for people living in the milder parts of the South, this small, thin-leafed evergreen grows two to three feet tall and wide. Showy red flowers that attract pollinators appear atop the foliage in summer and fall. Give it full sun and well-drained soil. It tolerates drought and salt air (a good choice for the beach) and thrives in USDA Zones 8 to 10.

4 of 15

5 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

'Obsession' Nandina

‘Obsession’ Nandina plant for front yard
Credit: Courtesy of PDSI

Many people hate nandina and if you're one of them, maybe this new kind will change your mind. 'Obsession' is dense and compact, grows three to four feet tall and wide, doesn't get naked at the bottom, and its roots don't spread. It also doesn't bloom or produce toxic berries, so you don't have to fret about poisoning those dear cedar waxwings. New foliage emerges bright red. Grow 'Obsession' in sun or light shade and well-drained soil in USDA Zones 6 to 9.

5 of 15

6 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

'Everillo' Carex

‘Everillo’ Carex plant for front yard
Credit: Courtesy of PDSI

I give Charlotte landscape architect Jay Sifford constant grief about planting swaths of 'Everillo' carex on every single one of his jobs, but it's easy to see why he does. This mounding grass-like perennial glows a bright chartreuse all year. Growing 12- to 18-inches tall and wide, it's great for lining paths, illuminating shady areas, growing in containers, and mixing with blue, orange, deep green, or burgundy plants. It likes partial sun to shade, takes some drought, and deer don't like it. Plant in USDA Zones 5 to 9.

6 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

'Soft Caress' Mahonia

‘Soft Caress’ Mahonia plant for front yard
Credit: Courtesy of PDSI

Boy, do I love this plant! Growing about three feet tall and wide, this graceful evergreen boasts soft-textured foliage reminiscent of bamboo that's great for combining with coarser plants like hydrangeas. Pretty yellow flowers crown the shrub in winter. It thrives in partial sun or shade in moist, well-drained soil. Plug it into a border or grow it in a container. It's suited to USDA Zones 7 to 9 and is not on Bambi's menu.

7 of 15

8 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

These Plants are Grumpy Gardener Approved

8 of 15

9 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

'Mojo' Japanese Pittosporum

‘Mojo’ Japanese Pittosporum plant for front yard
Credit: Courtesy of PDSI

Tolerant of wind, sandy soil, drought, and salt spray, this compact evergreen is great for the beach, but thrives in suburbia too. Unlike other forms of pittosporum that get huge, 'Mojo' pittosporum reaches only three feet tall and wide—perfect for planting under windows. It combines handsome, variegated foliage with sweetly fragrant spring flowers. Give it sun and well-drained soil. Deer turn up their noses at it. Grow it in USDA Zones 7 to 10.

9 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

'Chef's Choice' Rosemary

‘Chef’s Choice’ Rosemary plant for front yard
Credit: Courtesy of PDSI

Why run out to the herb garden for a sprig of rosemary for cooking, when you can clip one or two at the foot of your front steps? Flaunting showy blue flowers in spring, 'Chef's Choice' also boasts a high oil content in its needles—very welcome in the kitchen. In the garden or a container, this tidy, carefree evergreen forms a mound about 12 inches high and 18 inches wide. Deer hate it. Grow it in sun and well-drained soil in USDA Zones 7 to 10.

10 of 15

11 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

'Jewel Box' Distylium

‘Jewel Box' Distylium plant for front yard
Credit: Courtesy of PDSI

Looking for a nifty, easy-to-grow alternative to all-too-common boxwood, azalea, juniper, and holly? Give 'Jewel Box' distylium a go. Don't let the fact that it's new and you've never heard of it dissuade you. Soft, thin, evergreen leaves line its refined, layered branches. Small red flowers adorn it in winter. 'Jewel Box' tops out at two to three feet high and three to four feet wide. Deer usually don't bother it. It tolerates heat, drought, and wet soil and enjoys sun or light shade in USDA Zones 7 to 9.

11 of 15

12 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Purple Pixie Dwarf Weeping Loropetalum

‘Purple Pixie' dwarf loropetalum
Credit: PDSI

Need a go-with-the-flow showstopper? If you live in USDA Zones 7a through 9b. Check out the evergreen Purple Pixie Dwarf Weeping Loropetalum. It grows one to two feet high and spans four to five feet wide, thriving in full sun to partial shade. In the spring, expect showy pink flowers, though you'll enjoy its rich purple foliage all year long.

12 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Cast in Bronze Distylium

Cast in Bronze Distylium
Credit: Southern Living Plant Collection

The disease- and pest-resistant Cast in Bronze Distylium is a compact shrub that can reach a rounded three to four feet in height once mature. It's suited for USDA Zones 7a through 9b and tolerates full sun to part shade. New growth appears in bronzy shades of maroon and matures into a rich and shiny green.

13 of 15

14 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Yewtopia Plum Yew

Yewtopia Plum Yew
Credit: Courtesy of the Southern Living Plant Collection

An evergreen shrub for a shady spot does not need to come down to a choice between holly and boxwood. Meet Yewtopia plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Plania'). Boasting handsome, deep green, needle-like foliage, it grows slowly to three to four feet high and wide and needs little pruning. It has few if any pests and deer won't eat it. All it basically requires is well-drained soil. Once established, it tolerates heat and drought well. Grow it in USDA Zones 6 to 10. 

14 of 15

15 of 15

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

'Orange Rocket' Barberry

Orange Rocket Barberry
Credit: Southern Living Plant Collection

This easy-care 'Orange Rocket' Barberry will bring a dose of brilliantly colored foliage to your yard, starting with vibrant coral new growth maturing into ruby red foliage that'll keep the show going into the fall. It works best in USDA Zones 5a through 9b and tolerates full sun to partial shade. It's a vertically shaped shrub, reaching about four feet high and one-and-a-half feet wide once mature.

15 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Steve Bender

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 15 'Miss Lemon' Abelia
    2 of 15 'Emerald Snow' Lororpetalum
    3 of 15 'Baby Gem' Japanese Boxwood
    4 of 15 'Light Show' Red Bottlebrush
    5 of 15 'Obsession' Nandina
    6 of 15 'Everillo' Carex
    7 of 15 'Soft Caress' Mahonia
    8 of 15 These Plants are Grumpy Gardener Approved
    9 of 15 'Mojo' Japanese Pittosporum
    10 of 15 'Chef's Choice' Rosemary
    11 of 15 'Jewel Box' Distylium
    12 of 15 Purple Pixie Dwarf Weeping Loropetalum
    13 of 15 Cast in Bronze Distylium
    14 of 15 Yewtopia Plum Yew
    15 of 15 'Orange Rocket' Barberry

    Share & More

    Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print
    Southern Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Books from Southern Living
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    MeredithSouthern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. Southern Living is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab All Rights Reserved. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Southern Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.southernliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    14 Great Plants for the Front of Your House
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.