The 3 Best Plants to Grow in Front of Your House

by Ann Marie Damashek, GRI, CBR, SRES 09/05/2021

The right plants can make a vast difference in your home’s curb appeal. While there are countless landscaping possibilities, one major aspect of the front yard and first impression of the home is what’s right outside. What are the best plants to have right in front of your house? Here we’ll go over some of the top options for curb appeal.

Hydrangea

Hydrangeas are an incredibly popular choice for planting in front of the house. The flowers are bountiful and easily spotted from far away. The bushes grow large and take up lots of space making them a smart investment. There is a wide variety of colors to choose from, including pink, purple, blue, white and even green. The intensity and hue depend on the pH levels of the soil. There are many store-bought soil treatments available that allow you to adjust the soil for ideal hydrangea colors.

Hydrangeas grow best in partial sun and moist soil. Their giant blooms might make the plant appear high maintenance but in the right conditions they can be low-maintenance and easy to grow outdoors. They are perennials and will keep their flowers from spring and even into early fall, looking great against the backdrop of any home siding or trim.

Azalea

Azaleas are another popular flowering shrub for planting in front yards. There are over one thousand different varieties of azalea in colors including red, pink and white, with rarer varieties appearing in shades of purple or yellow. One thing that makes azaleas so popular is that they can grow almost anywhere. They’re recommended for hardiness zones 5 through 9, but some can tolerate even lower temperatures. The other popular trait of this shrub is the fragrance. Azalea flowers are incredibly fragrant and can fill your entire yard with their sweet scent.

The only major threat to azaleas are harsh winds. The flowers are plentiful but delicate and won’t survive large gusts. Otherwise, they’re an easy-to-grow perennial that grows dense blankets of colorful flowers and rich green foliage from spring through summer.

Boxwood

If you’re looking for non-flowering plants to dress up the front of your home, look no further than the boxwood. Boxwood shrubs are extremely dense and commonly planted in ornamental gardens as hedges. When left alone without pruning, they will grow into large round balls of rich green foliage. Depending on how you plant them, you can create entire hedge walls with multiple boxwood plants. They also look great as symmetrical bushes on either side of a front door.

No matter where and how you choose to plant them, it’s important to note that keeping your boxwood shrubs a specific size and shape is a time-consuming task. If you dream of perfectly manicured hedges prepare to maintain them yourself (or hire a landscaping professional for regular upkeep). Unfortunately, boxwoods are also quite expensive, mostly because of their hardiness, longevity and popularity. As long as you take good care of them they will make an attractive investment plant for the front of your home.

Ultimately, the best choice of plant for the front of your home will depend on your personal style and preference. The above are common and well-loved shrubs to grow in front of your house, but with creativity and proper care the possibilities are endless.

About the Author

Ann Marie Damashek, GRI, CBR, SRES

Ann Marie Damashek has always been a natural at helping people prepare their homes for sale. She started out with a successful business selling goods for people on eBay. "Nine times out of ten they were hiring me because they were down-sizing,” Ann Marie says. "So I decided to get my license. I said, ‘Might as well sell their house too.’” The transition was a smooth one and for nine years she’s had a thriving full-time real estate business that allows her to marry her entrepreneurial spirit with her passion for helping others. With an office in Larchmont, New York, she serves all of Lower Westchester County, with her primary market in the Sound Shore region. The majority of her business is "sphere of influence” with former clients referring her to friends and family. A gifted communicator, Ann Marie quickly builds trust and rapport with her clients by being both thoughtful and responsive; she understands that during the purchase or sale of a home, a quick response time is crucial. "I am very accessible,” Ann Marie says. "I always make time for my clients. They can call me, text me, email me up until 10 o’clock at night and I will respond. I’m available on weekends. I get back to people very promptly. I’m very customer service-oriented.” Her clients appreciate her professionalism, passion and enthusiasm and as a result her repeat and referral rate continues to grow each year. While selling real estate is serious business, Ann Marie knows that at times humor and a moment of levity can be a relief to clients. While she has a laidback and easygoing personality, she can be assertive when needed on her clients’ behalf. She loves being of service to them, and the continually changing nature of the work keeps her engaged and fulfilled. "It’s never boring,” Ann Marie enthuses. "Every day is different. That’s probably what I like most about it. But I also enjoy helping people sell or buy and educating them about the process. I love helping them achieve their goals.” This ethic of service has resulted in well-deserved recognition. Ann Marie has received the Westchester Magazine Five Star Real Estate Agent Rating four years running, in 2015 and 2016 she was the #1 agent in her office, and she’s a Zillow 5-Star Premier Agent. To keep in touch with former clients, Ann Marie sends cards to mark special occasions or reaches out via email. To market her listings, Ann Marie uses Multiple Listing Services (MLS), as well as Listingbook.com, a service that allows both agents and their clients access to MLS data. She also uses a Facebook business page and ads to boost new listings or promote upcoming open houses. "That drives a tremendous amount of traffic,” Ann Marie says. She also uses the most popular real estate websites such as Zillow and Trulia. A strong believer in giving back, Ann Marie sits on the Board of Trustees of her church and is involved in a variety of social justice projects. She’s affiliated with Furniture Sharehouse, a furniture bank for Westchester County, which collects and distributes gently used furniture free of charge to those in need. "I love it on so many levels because as a realtor, it’s helps my sellers downsize through charitable donations. I like the environmental aspect of it as well. And it helps people who truly need things.” She’s also involved in Impact 100, a women’s philanthropic giving organization. In her free time, Ann Marie enjoys gardening, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. For the future, Ann Marie wants to continue expanding her business and developing her brand, and she someday hopes to grow a strong team. But her main goal is to stay in the real estate business, helping her clients to achieve their dreams.