Effortless Blooming Shrubs Perfect for Novice Gardeners
Landscaping like a pro isn't just for the experienced; even beginners can create a stunning backyard oasis with these fantastic, low-maintenance flowering shrubs. Here are some ideas to elevate your garden game and get your green thumb going.
- Invite Mega Mac, Horticulturist Extraordinaire, of Monrovia, and landscaping guru Kev L., design director at Yardzen, to your green team.
Colorful Compound for Your Garden this Summer
Fabulous Flowering Shrubs with Ease
Crape Myrtle
Though often grown as trees, there are smaller shrub varieties of this beauty that can adapt to varying conditions. Megan McConnell (Mega Mac), horticulturist expert, swears by their ability to thrive in poor soils, handle low water needs, and adore heat – while offering spectacular blooms that extend the season.
- Flower Time: Summer to fall
- Sunlight: Full sunlight
- Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Southwestern Native Shrub with a Silver Touch
If you're seeking a low-maintenance plant for arid climates, this stunning shrub with silver foliage and vibrant magenta flowers is a perfect pick. According to Kevin L., this Southwestern native shines in hot, dry spots, acting as a scruffy yet charming backdrop for your garden, or offering privacy or a screening solution. Pruning is minimal, focusing only on removing spent flowers or occasionally thinning older branches for a fresh and full appearance.
- Flower Time: Summer and fall
- Light: Full to partial sunlight
- Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Panicle Hydrangea
Known for their low requirements for pruning and attention, Hydrangeas are a generally easy-to-care-for shrub. Panicle varieties are especially adaptable, handling more sunlight, using less water, and boasting blooms that last a long time. "They are basically a breeze to grow and look fantastic in dried arrangements," states Mega Mac.
- Flower Time: Summer and fall
- Light: Partial sunlight
- Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Serviceberry: NATIVE POWERHOUSE
According to Kevin L., the native Serviceberry is the great mulit-tasker – attractive, adaptable, and beneficial to various climates and soil types. It even offers eye-catching fall foliage!
- Flower Time: Spring
- Light: Full to partial sunlight
- Hardiness Zones: 2 to 9
Camellia: Early-Blooming Cutie
Camellias are a charming shrub that can brighten the shadier spots around your home. Keep one nearby your rhododendron for a delightful flowery dance in the spring – the camellias bloom first, followed by the rhododendrons.
- Flower Time: Summer and spring
- Light: Partial sun to full shade
- Hardiness Zones: 6 to 10
Rhododendron: Colors for the Shady Sides
These shrubs add punches of color to the shadier areas around your home, often blooming from late winter to early summer, depending on the variety. Although they require a bit of pruning for shaping and deadheading after the blooming season, their vibrant blooms are well worth a little gardening love.
- Flower Time: Spring and summer
- Light: Partial sunlight
- Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Sun-Kissed Delight: Desert Willow
Ideal for the western U.S., the sun-stealing Desert Willow boasts trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of pink to deep magenta. It also welcomes desert fauna to your backyard sanctuary.
- Flower Time: Spring to early summer
- Light: Full sunlight
- Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Rejuvenation, Tiny but Mighty: New Jersey Tea
A popular shrub along the eastern U.S., the New Jersey Tea is ideal for those with limited space or wanting a plant that can handle poor soil and varying light conditions. This diminutive shrub offers delicate white flowers and deep roots that ensure drought tolerance.
- Flower Time: Spring and summer
- Light: Full to partial sunlight
- Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Elegance from the Flowers to the Berries: Flowering Currant
This speedy-growing shrub offers pink and red blooms in spring, a versatile plant that can handle a variety of soil and sun conditions. Perfect for brightening dry, shady spots and enticing birds to your garden.
- Flower Time: Spring
- Light: Full to partial sunlight
- Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Delightful Desert Gourmet: Elderberry
Native and bountiful throughout much of the U.S., the Elderberry grows quickly and puts on an impressive display of white flowers followed by dark purple or black berries in the summer.
- Flower Time: Spring and summer
- Light: Full to partial sunlight
- Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Choosing Your Easy-to-Grow Shrubs
When it comes to selecting the perfect shrubs for ease and low maintenance, consider the following tips for a flourishing gardening experience.
Providing the Proper Conditions
Ensure your shrubs thrive by identifying the locations where they can receive the ideal light, water, and soil requirements. Providing them with the right conditions will encourage healthy growth and long-lasting success.
Pick Shrubs with Varied Bloom Times
Though many flowering shrubs offer interesting foliage, you may prefer shrubs that bloom at different seasons – like rhododendrons and hydrangeas – to maintain a colorful garden year-round.
Water Usage
For areas with regular water restrictions during the summer, drought-tolerant shrubs are a fantastic choice, providing a pop of color while conserving water usage.
Fall Planting Advantage
Plant your flowering shrubs in the early fall to allow them a full season to settle into their new home before the summer heat and drought set in. Enjoy the fruits of your labor all season long!
- Outdoor gardening can be made easier with low-maintenance flowering shrubs that cater to both beginners and experts alike.
- Homeowners looking to add pops of color to their backyards can consider the Crape Myrtle, a shrub that thrives in various conditions and offers spectacular blooms.
- For those seeking a low-maintenance plant for arid climates, the Southwestern Native Shrub with silver foliage and vibrant magenta flowers is a practical choice.
- Gardening enthusiasts interested in adding a bit of elegance to their home can enjoy the Flowering Currant, a versatile shrub that offers pink and red blooms and can handle a variety of soil and sun conditions.
