5 of the Best Bushes for in Front of Your House

Let’s face it—no one likes looking at a dull yard.

The good news is that planting bushes can give your yard an instant facelift. Apart from adding an aesthetic value to your house, landscaping the yard with bushes can also add to the value of the overall property—by making your house look extremely appealing and homey.

Given the wide variety of bushes to choose from, the possibilities are limitless. It may feel like a challenging task to make the right selection. That’s why the experts at Mr. Tree have put together a list of the five best bushes for the front of the house to help you inject some new life into your yard.

1. ‘Emerald Gaiety’

This evergreen bush is a cultivar of the Euonymus fortunei. Commonly known as wintercreeper, it goes well with woody plants that are slightly taller. The foliage stays put throughout winter, and the edges of the leaves sport a pleasant pink look.

You can use this bush for covering the ground, as an accent, or even as an informal hedge to create a privacy screen for the house. If you plan to grow this as a vine, make sure to provide appropriate support and bundle the branches together with twine to maintain a clean look.

‘Emerald Gaiety’ requires full sun to partial shade and does well in well-drained soil. It also requires plenty of water during the early stages of growth. Once the roots mature, the bush develops a tolerance for drought conditions—you can even water them just once in a while.

You generally don’t need to add any fertilizers either. In case the soil quality of your front yard is very poor, you can add some fertilizer around the roots. Pruning is necessary to maintain the shape and should be undertaken right after blooming in late spring.

2. Roses

Given that Portland bears the moniker City of Roses, this one is a no-brainer. Arguably one of the best bushes for the front of the house, roses are a timeless addition to your yard, especially if you want to add a pop of color. Needless to say—adding a few rose bushes can give your property a complete makeover.

You can either plant miniature shrubs or opt for the sprawling climbers. These bushes need well-drained soil and a lot of watering at regular intervals. While ample sunlight is necessary for optimal growth, it’s ideal to provide shade when the sun is very harsh during afternoons.

Pruning a rose bush properly can be quite daunting. An expert arborist will use the correct tools for pruning the branches to allow smooth airflow and reduce the chances of mildew in the plants.

3. Oceanspray

This bush, sporting creamy white flowers, is a popular option in North America. It’s perfect for adding a little charm to your garden, especially when the flowers are in full bloom during spring.

While the stems of oceanspray are lean, they are incredibly durable and hard. In fact, Native American tribes near the coast used the stems to make various tools such as arrows, pegs, sewing needles, and nails for construction. Oceanspray thrives well regardless of the soil type and intensity of the sunlight. It can also tolerate drought-like conditions, making it a safe pick for drier landscapes across Oregon.

It requires little maintenance. With occasional pruning, you can keep the stems healthy and enjoy lush foliage.

4. Boxwood

This is one of the most versatile bushes you can consider for the front of your house. The evergreen foliage ensures that your garden looks bright even in the middle of the cool winters.

Although boxwood can tolerate full sunlight, it prefers partial shade. Increased exposure to sunlight may result in browning of the foliage. It can thrive regardless of the soil quality. However, the soil should be well-drained and enriched with fertilizers occasionally to promote better growth. Newly planted boxwood bushes need regular watering. Once the roots mature, you can get away with watering during dry spells alone.

Pruning is an essential aspect of planting boxwoods. It encourages new growth and also helps to maintain the compact look of the bush. Moreover, failure to remove the dead leaves and stems in time can also result in numerous fungal diseases and make the bush susceptible to mildew.

5. Common Snowberry

This is a popular ornamental bush that is native to Pacific Northwest. It blooms in spring with bell-shaped white flowers that are replaced by white berries during fall. The berries remain on the bush through winter.

It’s easy to grow and can tolerate a wide variety of soil types. Make sure to provide full sunlight or partial shade to get the best results. Until the roots are completely established, regular watering is essential. After that, the plant can survive dry spells for a long duration.

Pruning is also essential for the upkeep of the common snowberry to ensure better air circulation, which promotes luxuriant growth and the growth of large berries. It also helps eliminate diseased and damaged parts of the shrub, which may give rise to serious issues, such as mildew. Spring is the ideal time for carrying out pruning.

Planting bushes can help you enhance curb appeal and create a welcoming landscape. However, for best results, schedule regular pruning and maintenance to keep the bushes healthy.

If this sounds like a lot of work, there’s no reason to worry—give a call to the certified arborists at Mr. Tree. Our experienced team knows exactly what works for your front yard and also takes care of pruning to preserve the structural integrity of bushes and trees. We use the best tools to complete pruning safely without causing any damage. We can also tell you about the other plants you can consider growing in your garden.

So if you want to make the front of your house a beauty to look at, give us a call.