Low maintenance low cost perennial shrubs for front of home

[Anonymous]

Been researching on google. I have partial sun and partial shade and the soil is OKish. Due to my age and health will not be able to do much. What would you recommend?

I will luckily get some help next weekend for lawn work and thought of getting two different kinds so can alternate in the front, 3+3. One of them can be a flowering kind. Not had anything for a few years after original shrubs, bushes died and need to make it look decent.

[Anonymous]

I'd do azaleas. You can alternate colors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd do azaleas. You can alternate colors.

A single color is best, otherwise it looks like the Easter Bunny vomited.

[Anonymous]

I hate azaleas. Hydrangeas are just as easy and the blooms last longer then a week.

[Anonymous]

Japanese Holly, Photinia, Cherry Laurel

[Anonymous]

Coral bells, hellebore, hostas, astilbe, ferns.

[Anonymous]

Any that are not deer dinner?

[Anonymous]

Just go buy whatever they have in Costco right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coral bells, hellebore, hostas, astilbe, ferns.

These aren't shrubs.

[Anonymous]

Laurels work for me. Pretty bottle-brush white flowers in spring with the azaleas -- the bees love them. Nice red berries in the fall, if the birds don't eat them all first. Glossy evergreen leaves, can be shaped wide and flat, tall and skinny, however you want them.

[Anonymous]

Viburnum or dwarf crepe myrtles

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Laurels work for me. Pretty bottle-brush white flowers in spring with the azaleas -- the bees love them. Nice red berries in the fall, if the birds don't eat them all first. Glossy evergreen leaves, can be shaped wide and flat, tall and skinny, however you want them.

Another vote for laurels. About as low maintenance as can be - I just have to shape them when I want.

[Anonymous]

Otto Luykens. Deep rich green color, w white pods each spring. Minimal maintenance. Spread is wide, growth is excellent each year. Deer adverse. Occasional disease.

[Anonymous]

Vote against laurels. Pedestrian. Though only skip laurels - mountain laurels are native and all good and have much prettier flowers. I would mix it up though. Have some evergreens as anchor points - boxwoods are my favorite but mountain laurels or yews are good too. Not a huge fan of holly but it can work well if you keep them in shape. Then add some deciduous bushes that bloom. I like hydrangeas better than azaleas too but you could layer. Have some bigger hydrangeas and back and smaller azaleas in front. Camellias are good if shady.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for laurels! A garden worker steered me toward boxwood and holly instead and I still regret it. My neighbors’ laurels look amazing and they are a wonderful green backdrop/ foundation plant.