How To Place Shrubs In A Front Yard For The Most Aesthetically Pleasing Look

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If your yard is a blank slate just begging for some shrubs, you may feel a bit intimidated or overwhelmed. Flowering shrubs can bring drama to your yard; on the other hand, evergreen shrubs make the yard look great year-round. There's a lot to choose from. Then, once you've picked your shrubs, you have to decide where to place them — and getting it wrong could mean you wasted a lot of time and money. Sara Bendrick, owner of Sarita Landscapes, author, and national spokesperson for STIHL Inc., has exclusive advice on this for House Digest readers.

"My suggestion is to place a shrub at least 3'-5' away from the structure, as most shrubs are 3'-5'+ wide," says Bendrick. In fact, you may want to figure out exactly where your shrubs will go and what size you will need before you even consider what type to buy. Of course, your placement choices will depend on what look you're going for. "If [you're] looking for a solid hedge, 2'-3' spacing is good and will fill in relatively quickly," she says. "If you want accent shrubs, give them space to fully grow out. Read the plant tag and space them out according to the indicated mature width."

"Shrubs get a lot larger than most people anticipate," warns Sara Bendrick, speaking exclusively to House Digest. As your shrubs grow, you want to ensure they have enough room to not only grow evenly but also create the effect you're trying to achieve. Starting with the most common mistakes, Bendrick says, "Oftentimes people plant shrubs way too close to the structure, and don't leave enough planting space for the shrubs to fully flush out." 

And it's not just the proximity to buildings you need to be aware of. "Planting them too close to each other [or] too close to sidewalks" can also be a problem, says Bendrick. Determining the best layout for your garden always takes careful consideration. So, when it comes to shrubs, doing your homework before heading to the nursery can prevent a lot of issues further down the line. Whatever you do, don't rush. Take the time to pick the right plants for the right place, and space them appropriately.

"If you have a smaller yard, consider dwarf or semi-dwarf shrubs that stay below 3'-4' tall and wide," Sara Bendrick exclusively tells House Digest. Opting for a dwarf variety may make it easier to fit the shrubs you want into the space you have. It's not all about size, though. You should also consider the maintenance your plants will require. "Many shrubs have a nice natural look when left alone if they have the space to grow," says Bendrick. "Others looks best with occasional or regular hedging." Not sure what look you want? Consider one of the best bushes to plant in front of your house.

While you may be able to minimize the amount of work needed by choosing low-maintenance shrubs, you still want to have the right tools on hand to keep them looking their best. "If you have a smaller yard or only a few shrubs to hedge, I'd recommend a battery hedge trimmer like the HSA 26 from STIHL," Bendrick says. "If you have a medium-sized yard or a decent amount of shrubs to hedge, I'd go for STIHL's HSA 60, a battery hedger from their homeowner-geared line." If it's already too late for preventative maintenance, you can also learn how to tame your overgrown shrubs.