Landscaping can make a world of difference when it comes to curb-appeal, neighborhood enjoyment, and ecosystem health.
Curb appeal is incredibly important for anyone intending on selling their home in the near future. HDTV has a TV series called Curb Appeal that is on season 26 now. This goes to show how much people value curb appeal.
Your neighborhood (yourself included) will appreciate and value simply getting to look upon and/or pass by while walking their dog or taking an afternoon stroll your environment enriching oasis. They will surely appreciate the potential increase in value your home can make theirs, simply by being nearby and more appealing.
Finally, the amount of enjoyment and environmental improvement you can provide with this installation will surely give joy for many years.
Plenty of health benefits have been documented by simply spending more time in nature… and the more beautiful plants you have, the more oxygen and often butterflies and other helpful insects you will have, too.
If you are relatively new to landscaping or simply doing some research in staying up to date with favorites these days, this article should prove helpful.
Which Shrubs for Landscaping?
The plants listed here are cold-resistant down to negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit (zone 5 USDA Plant Hardiness).
North Pole Arborvitae
This medium-height reaching shrubbery is tough. It is in the evergreen family, drought resistant, and great for building boundaries or walls in your yard, such as to keep the neighbors from seeing in your bedroom window or into the pool area.

It has a nice, fresh, uplifting aesthetic, and mass appeal. It works especially resiliently in more extreme cold weather, due to its ability to be massively unaffected by the road salt people use during icy times where sidewalks need the aid to prevent slippage.
They reach ten to fifteen feet high, grow quickly, and (even though they are a “needled” evergreen) they are not comprised of prickly needles like some, but rather a softer evergreen type of foliage. This is great because it is more kid-friendly than some other varieties. (Also known as Thuja Occidentals ‘Art Boe’)
Common Lilac
Back to color with the purple-red spectrum lilacs! This flowering shrub is native to Southeastern Europe. It blooms in the Spring. One of the most special things about this plant is the aroma it gives off. Like spring is in the air, as you walk by this gorgeous bush, you’ll be taken on a dreamlike oasis state… your worries melted away by the fragrant smells.

This lilac likes a soil PH near 7.0, full sun, and reaches diameters of sixteen feet high by twelve feet wide. Loamy soil is its preference type. They do well in cool summer type climates, but don’t like the more humid extra hot areas of the southern United States so much.
As far as water goes, they like a good soaking, but don’t like to stay wet forever… Let them want for more before you drench them again. (Syringa vulgaris)
Oakleaf Hydrangea
If you’re looking for something more in the four-seasons department (AKA something that will look gorgeous year round), look no further… The oakleaf hydrangea is here for you.

It is a large bush, adorned with large white flower heads during the heat and beauty of the summer season. In the fall season is when it really shows off its stuff… giving the best of fall foliage a run for their money!
The interesting characteristic about this shrubbery is that during winter and spring seasons, its peeling bark will catch the eye in a most peculiar way. The Spruce and Fine Gardening agree, a hydrangea will hit the spot for your yard. (Hydrangea quercifolia)
Ogon Spirea
This fuzzy green fella is an adorable embellishment to your worthwhile front yard! He is just about as tall as. Your next-door neighbor, coming in at average 5.5 feet.
He will liven up any front of house aesthetic! He loves the sun… he is kind of more lemongrass yellow-green (heavy on the green), he gets along super-friendly with our neighbor above on number 3, the hydrangea, and he wants to make your yard beautiful.

Let him grow ‘unpruned’ for a more exotic spicy look… or tame him down a little with some clippings… a cleaner more sophisticated appreciated look… either way… you’ll be happy with this fella, I can almost guarantee you.
Give him lots of happy full sun rays… and he’ll let you tell him all your secrets. He won’t even tell a soul. I promise. Oh, he likes being around red and purple bushes, too, because they make him pop! (Spiraea thunbergii ‘Ogon’)
Red Twig Dogwood
During late winter, this spiny, red, sea urchin-looking plant will be at its brightest! As one can imagine, this bright, magnificent red does pop quite nicely among the mostly barren winter backdrop.
It is a low maintenance plant, but truly unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. It does blossom in the spring, green leaves with white edges… berries in the fall, too.

It tends to reach eight feet in height, and about the same in width. It likes moist soil, mostly. It prefers a soil pH of about 6.0. It blooms in the springtime with white flowers, and can resist cold temperatures of as low as negative forty Fahrenheit.
Finally, it does well in most areas in North America, making this a fabulous choice to adorn your door. (Cornus alba)
Pink Flowering Almond
This shrubbery is medium brown sticks with green leaves and dreamy pink puffs and flowers adorning. They tend to reach about twelve feet in height.
One thing to consider or be aware of with this spectacularly vibrant flora is that it is really only spectacular in the spring season. Outside of spring, it has not a lot to offer.

However, due to the incredibleness of its spring pink fluffy display, it is well worth considering as a garnish to your garden display.
Strengths of this plant is that it grows quickly and it also survives dryer periods well. (Prunus glandulosa.)
Doublefile Viburnum
This deciduous shrub is incredibly unique and catches the eye upon first glance. The big bush supports horizontal branches of white clustered lacecap flowers.

Spring season with the yard with this shrub will be greatly appreciated by passersby. It reaches eight to sixteen feet in height, blooming in April and May months.
Full sun to partial shade is needed with well drained soil. The Japanese snowball is a related similar plant worth looking into if you like this one. (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum ‘Mariesii’)
Mountain-Laurel
A broadleaf evergreen, this shrub is native to Eastern United States. Some call it “the most beautiful of the native American shrubs”, according to Wikipedia.
It does best in shady areas, actually. While it is a native American bush, it has a bit of a Japanese look to it. It reaches heights of nine to thirty feet tall! The flowers are a pinkish white, like tiny umbrellas, a few inches in diameter, and tend to be grouped together.

A downside to this gorgeous shrub is that it’s poisonous. It is poisonous to horses, humans, deer, cattle, goats, and more. But it sure is great to look at.
It tends to be found naturally occurring along the Eastern strip between Alabama and New York in rocky, mountain forest areas. (Kalmia latifolia)
Gold Mops, King’s Gold, and Cripps
Beautiful and gold evergreens, these pair well with evergreens of all colors and varieties (Blue Star & red barberry included)!

There truly aren’t a ton of golden shrubs, which is a key element of uniqueness that makes this one stand in a league of its own, and is highly likely to catch the neighbors’ eyes, too… not bad for the good ol’ neighborhood reputation… never hurts to give back in the form of a little eye catching goodness for the soul to rest upon for a moment or two of peace and tranquility amidst an early morning stroll.
It’s at its brightest in the fall season. They tend to reach about twelve feet in height, so you can use them as shields to your windows, if that’s something you’re interested in.
Blue Star Juniper Blues
The Blue Star Juniper may give you the blues because it is slightly more expensive than other Junipers, but… there is a reason… and it is well worth it.

Its foliage is continuously blue, with exquisite detail. This plant will bring curb-appeal, with a deal (if you’re trying to sell, that is). The shine on this plant is truly divine… regardless of the season; frosty mornings’ dew, or warmer summer day.
This shrub gets sixteen inches tall, grows very slowly, but will steal the show. About three feet in width, it’ll get to. This blue beauty likes full sun to partial shade. She also prefers soil that drains well, as opposed to a standing water-type situation.
She is a low maintenance lassie… which never hurts, at all.