10 Smart Shrubs to Add for Instant Curb Appeal

Are you thinking about spring and sprucing up your landscape? Or maybe you are getting your property ready for sale, and you need to add some curb appeal, fast. Check out this list of smart shrubs to add to your landscape for instant curb appeal.

Landscaping is one of those things we all know is important, but we don’t always have the time to keep up with. Realtors often suggest planting to increase property values. So when you actually have a weekend to spend in the yard you don’t want to spend all of your time trying to decide what to plant!

Because you can’t add just any old shrub. Of course you need to take into consideration your climate and what grows in your zone. But in addition, think about the placement on your property (microclimate), the soil conditions, rainfall, pruning and fertilization needs.

In California, we get rain about 3-4 months a year, if we are lucky. And it all comes down at once! So that leaves as much as 9 months straight with no supplemental water for the plants. Sure, I could run irrigation systems all over the place, including hard to reach areas, but there are also some other options to consider! While we do capture rain water to irrigate throughout the dry months, still, it would be irresponsible to plant new plantings without considering using some of the many plants which are suited to our climate without supplemental water or harmful fertilizers.

Also, the soil in our orchard tends to be a sticky clay that in wet weather can suck you in like quicksand, and in dry weather turns to rock. Shaded areas can be frosty on the coldest days, and sunny areas can be scorching on the hottest. Plus we have many gophers in our orchard, which are voracious critters always looking for their next meal; usually grubs hiding underneath my plant roots.

That’s why I am always looking for what I call “smart” plants. These are plants that can acclimate to the conditions of whatever area I put them in without much help from me. They are drought and heat tolerant, frost and critter tolerant, and otherwise unflappable under tough conditions.

Here is my list of the best ’smart’ shrubs to add to your landscape for that instant curb appeal.

Boxwood

Box woods add structure and symmetry to your landscape. They are one of the best shrubs to add for curb appeal because they are generally easy to grow and compliment almost any bedding plants. These bushes can be pruned to round balls or into aesthetically pleasing dense hedges. They are especially gorgeous when planted along with blooming flowers, such as annuals in front or rose bushes behind. One established they need very little care or even water. They don’t need much fertilization; thriving even under low water conditions or little rain. Their root systems are usually unbothered by gophers and deer won’t eat them.

One of the best things about boxwood? It even looks nice when it is not strictly maintained with perfectly edged corners. Boost growth once or twice a year with a balanced fertilizer if needed.

Roses

Who doesn’t love roses? Rose bushes are always elegant and they add sophistication to your landscape. Opt for more carefree varieties in a single color – such as all white icebergs or all-pink knockout roses, both of which tend to be more disease-resistant and longer blooming.

A climbing rose could be an option if you have a fence or other strong structure to hold the weight as it grows. However keep in mind that a climber could need a bit more maintenance to keep its vigorous growth in check.

While roses do need annual trimming and fertilization, if you choose a good sturdy variety, it will require little water and continue to bloom all season long.

Camelia

Camelia are very versatile, and they are great flowering shrubs to add instant curb appeal for the drought-tolerant landscape. While they are often used as a specimen plant, they also do great in the back of a bed or border. Not only do they never lose their leaves, but they can be pruned into a bush, a tree, or against a wall, espalier-style.

I have even seen them planted in rows and pruned, along a path, as in the picture above. They are a great choice for frost free regions, however you can find camelia species which are hardy down to zone 5. They are not fussy, and are a great place to park your coffee grounds from your morning coffee.

Calendrinia

Calendrinia, also known as rock purslane, is actually a succulent which grows fast and large. Requiring almost no water, this plant can grow ten-fold in a single season, and it blooms all summer long. The bright pink blooms compliment roses, dianthus or agave, among others, and look fabulous along a path. After the first year, and other than a few nibbles, generally deer leave calendrinia alone, as do gophers. Nothing is fool proof, and I have had one or two succomb to gopher activity, but this was generally a young plant which got buried by soil, and not a large, established plant.

Even though the plant grows fast, it is not considered invasive, because it is easy to cut the fleshy stems back, and there are no fibrous root tendrils or rhizomes.

Agave

This tough succulent is one of my favorite carefree plants for tough-to-landscape areas. While technically the agave is not a shrub, some species, such as the Agave Americanum, can grow to be 5 feet tall or more. Drought and poor-soil tolerant, this plant is tough as nails. I recommend them for areas with no drip system in desert regions, especially near a shed or to beautify an overlooked corner. They look fabulous up against rust and metals!

Many can even withstand light frosts down to about 30 degrees, and I have read that the most tolerant will survive short frosts down to 10 degrees, although I cannot test that here in our California climate.

Euphorbia

Euphorbia is a genus of hundreds of species, (even a pointsettia is a type of euphorbia). But I am specifically referring to the group of garden spurges. They are sometimes referred to as ‘mole chasers’, which is exactly the reason why I love them so much! Moles and gophers tend to leave these plants alone, because they don’t like the smell.

Euphorbia come in many different sizes, from 5 feet tall to 2 foot compact varieties. Their flowers are tiny chartreuse wonders, setting off pretty much any companion plant on the other side of the color wheel, like red, pink or purple. Euphorbia are hated by deer and burrowing animals alike. And, they thrive in almost any kind of soil and all kinds of wet and heat.

Orchid Rock Rose (Cistus Purpurea)

Cistus purpurea (orchid rock rose) is a lovely, bushy plant which is able to grow quickly in clay or in sand. They are extremely drought tolerant, requiring almost no supplemental water once established. They look great as a back of the border plant or as a screen. The lacy dark green leaves along with the lovely pink flowers provides a nice contrast and fills in quickly, even when cut back hard.

Deer don’t like cistus, and small gopher populations shouldn’t hurt cistus. However, be warned that large warrens of burrowing rodents could undermine the plant’s root system.

Ribes Sanguineum

The flowering currant, or Ribes sanguineum, is a lovely native plant here in the northern California redwood region. This gorgeous bush has showy flower clusters that drape down like a bunch of grapes. the plant has an open habit, which can be pruned for shape.

Because this is a native plant, it does just fine with clay, drought, deer and other critters. While the blooms prefer full sun, it performs best when its roots are a bit shaded. And because it is a fairly fast grower, it is quickly becoming one of my new favorite shrubs to add for instant curb appeal.

Azalea

If the area where you are planting is in the shade, consider adding azalea. Azaleas shrubs are good to add for curb appeal because they thrive in dappled sun and more shaded areas. Although they prefer richer soil and more frequent watering, once established they are hearty, carefree, and prolific bloomers. They are especially nice when planted toward the back of the border with shade-loving hostas planted in front.

Or, try them as in the photo above, as a hedge like you might plant box woods. This works in the shadow of your house and looks lovely for the perimeter of a kitchen garden. The azalea hedge in the photo is from the tasting garden of Taylor Fladgate in Porto, Portugal when we visited a few years back.

Hydrangea

Hydrangea are absolutely gorgeous, voluptuous flowers which add a cheerful note to any property. They signal a well-maintained property, too. And surprisingly, they are relatively easy to care for. They are beloved by gardeners in the midwest and snowy new England for the cottagey charm and varieties which do well in the snow.

They perform best when in morning sun with some afternoon shade, but when established, can be water-wise and soil tolerant. Although do note that they perform best when in slightly acidic soil, which can affect their colors. Also keep in mind that a hydrangea in full hot sun will struggle more, and those perennial canes are bare during the winter months. Proper pruning must be done after blooming else you risk losing next year’s flowers.

Arborvitae

Ok, I know I said ten plants, but here’s another one that I just can’t leave off this list. Arborvitae are an important shrub to add for curb appeal not for their flowers, like so many others on this list. Rather, like the boxwood, they add structure. And in the case of arborvitae, they also add height – and drama – to your landscape. Once an arborvitae bush goes in, no matter the size, you have instant curb appeal because of the stature and the lush green color.

They look great symmetrically flanking a front door or edging a lawn. They can also work to balance a lopsided feature of your home, such as a single dormer or heavy bay window. And arborvitae are really easy to care for. They are compact and require no pruning. They are very drought tolerant. Gophers and moles usually steer clear of mature bushes. And while I have heard that some deer like to eat arborvitae, it is not usually damaging to the bush.

So these are some of the shrubs to add for curb appeal that I have found do really well under some tough conditions. What are your thoughts? What plants would you add to this list that are tough as nails? Add your picks down in the comments!