If you’re redesigning your landscaping and need backyard ideas, sprinkling outdoor plants throughout your property could be the right touch you’re looking for. Low-maintenance landscaping is an excellent way to transform your outdoors into a beautiful living space. Vines running up a trellis, for instance, bring out the rustic quality of a craftsman-style home. Likewise, the uniform look of lavender plants echoes the straight lines of modern homes.
To help with inspiration for front yard and backyard landscaping ideas, we’ve compiled a list of viable and effective plants that are high on curb appeal but low on maintenance. First, we’ll look at four plants that do well in most growing zones across the U.S. Then, we’ll show you more climate-specific options for the Midwest and South.
Not only do these four plants beautify your landscape, but they also come in a wide variety. This helps you create a look that is all your own.
If you’re looking for bushes for the front of your house, look no further than roses. Available in far more varieties than red, roses create eye-catching curb appeal. They provide a pop of color that accents your home’s exterior details. According to Rogue Valley Roses, roses can grow in most climate zones across the U.S. However, hardier varieties are needed in areas with strong freeze-thaw cycles.
Like roses, hydrangeas showcase a range of brilliant colors that you can mix to create surprising combinations. For instance, plant a three-in-one combination of red, white and blue hydrangeas for a patriotic look.
Hydrangeas distinguish themselves from rose bushes depending on their size. Small shrubs can create accents, while larger shrubs in the front of the house can grow large enough and dense enough to create fence-like boundaries.
Boxwoods are one of the most versatile landscaping plants available. As evergreens, they retain their beautiful deep emerald hues all year long. They also come in a variety of species, from low-lying small shrubs to tree-like cones. Boxwoods are easy to maintain, and you can trim many varieties into your desired shape.
For front yard ideas, consider planting a weeping Japanese red maple. With fiery leaves (especially in autumn) hanging from their intricate network of branches, weeping Japanese red maple trees look great in mulched beds. More of a large shrub than a tree, these maples provide excellent coverage, especially in low areas, without taking up much space.
These options grow well in most climates, but what if you’d rather plant something unique to the area where you live? After all, many architectural styles have their roots in specific parts of the country. Let’s start with three popular plants in the Midwest.
The Midwest is known for distinct seasons, swinging between hot summers and cold winters. But even in the face of those extremes, the following plants are hardy enough to enhance your home’s curb appeal year after year.
Beautiful but tough, peony flowers bloom in plenty of colors, including multicolored varieties such as pink and peach. Their fragrance is beloved by homeowners as well — but not by deer. Homeowners in the country plant these to keep deer out of their yards (so long as the deer don’t eat the buds first). If you’re looking for backyard ideas, this variety is excellent for keeping wildlife at bay but still allows you to immerse yourself in a rainbow of colors.
Another hardy perennial, hostas bloom only briefly. However, their lush foliage stays to accent other plants and provide attractive ground cover, making them a favorite in Midwest flowerbeds. Like most other plants on our list, hostas come in a variety of colors and sizes. They pair especially well with ferns, and their broad leaves help them thrive in the shade.
These easy-to-grow flowers keep curb appeal high all summer by blooming on and off the entire season. Their colors range from bold solids to exotic combinations, such as the ruby spider and black stockings varieties of daylilies. These flowers make the perfect backyard patio idea, as they can line your outdoor living space perfectly.
Now let’s look at the South, where homeowners can plant eye-catching options that need warm weather to thrive.
The South’s distinct climate brings with it distinct plants, many adapted to stand out in the bright sunshine. That’s good news for homeowners who want maximum curb appeal with minimal effort.
Tropical flowers may look high-maintenance, but cannas challenge that perception, much to the delight of Southern homeowners. The canna’s triumphant foliage reaches up toward the blooms, almost like they were sculpted. That pushes attention up to large, ruffled flower petals that flash wild color. This stunning plant is the perfect low-maintenance landscaping feature.
For a classic backyard landscaping idea, consider a Southern shield fern. A common fern in forests and fields across the South, the Southern shield fern fits in well with woodland plantings. There, its simplicity and elegance not only help showcase other plants, but also rocks, paths, and ponds.
Hot temperatures bring out the best in this popular wildflower. Bright golden petals radiate like sunbeams around a dark flower head. The striking color draws focus to even small areas, including border and container gardens.
For more tips on choosing the best materials for your home, check out Designing Your Custom Home. This collection of blogs from Schumacher Homes will inspire and educate you as you journey toward the custom home of your dreams.
About Schumacher Homes
Schumacher Homes, based in Canton, Ohio, is America’s largest custom homebuilder, with operations in 26 locations in 12 states across the country. The National Housing Quality award-winning company has built over 20,000 homes, customized to fit each family’s lifestyle, since its founding by Paul Schumacher in 1992. Schumacher Homes takes each customer’s inspiration and gives it a home. Each Schumacher Homes location includes a one-stop shopping design studio and model homes displaying the latest in architectural and product trends.