Shrubs for the Front Yard

Orange Delight Japanese Flowering Quince

• This small deciduous shrub (chaenomeles 'Orange Delight') is only 1 to 2 1/2 feet tall and about 2 1/3 feet in width, but its flowers and fruit make it a spectacular focal point. Try planting a group of them to create a low boundary between garden beds or along walkways. This variety has showy red and orange flowers followed by a hard, tart fruit that can be made into a jelly. The shrub thrives in dry, sunny climates. It is drought-resistant and recommended for USDA Hardiness Zones 4-10. It is susceptible, however, to aphids, black spot, scales and spider mites.

Butterfly Bush

• Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) is a colorful, vibrant shrub that reaches a height of 6 to 12 feet and spreads up to 15 feet. Also called buddleia or summer lilac, butterfly bush has narrow gray-green leaves that contrast with prolific, tiny, cone-shaped flowers that grow on long stalks. Flowers, sometimes fragrant, can be purple, white, pink or red with an orange center. Butterfly bush requires well-drained soil and full to partial sun. Prune butterfly bush aggressively to stimulate more and larger blooms. It is recommended for USDA Hardiness Zones 5-10. The butterfly bush does, as it name implies, attract butterflies so you should avoid using insecticides near it, which could harm the butterflies.

Honeysuckle

• Honeysuckle (Lonicera heckrottii) produces sweetly fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers that fill a yard with their delicate aroma. A heat-tolerant shrub, honeysuckle does best in full sun to partial shade in well-drained soil. Honeysuckle is available in many specimens, some of which are evergreen. Honeysuckle shrubs grows 1 to 3 feet high. Honeysuckle is recommended to USDA Hardiness Zone 3.

Golden Currant

• Golden currant (Ribes aureum Pursh var. aureum), or spicebush, produces fragrant golden-yellow flowers in the spring. With yellow to red fall foliage and an edible fruit, golden currant is easy to grow, reaching a height of 3 to 10 feet with arching branches that form a crown. This deciduous shrub has light green foliage and a small berry. Grow in full sun to partial shade. Recommended for USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8.

Chenille Plant

• Chenille plant (acalypha hispida), also called red-hot cattail or foxtail, is an erect evergreen shrub that grows to 6 to 12 feet high and spreads to a width of 3 to 6 feet. It has oval leaves with 8- to 20-inch long tassels with purple, crimson or bright red fluffy flowers. The chenille plant thrives in full sun to partial shade and high humidity. Recommended for USDA Hardiness Zones 10-12.