6 Best Shrubs To Plant In May For Added Curb Appeal
May isn't just a great time for spring cleaning, it's also an ideal month to plant shrubs in your yard. With warm weather and ever longer days, doing some landscaping can be the perfect excuse to head outside and meander around among the birds, bees, and butterflies. Plus, adding shrubs to your landscaping is one of many ways to increase your home's curb appeal. Whether you're hoping to make a better impression on friends, family, or neighbors with some added plantings, or are hoping to increase the resale value of your house, increasing your home's curb appeal can feel like a worthwhile way to spend your time and money. And there are so many wonderful choices to select, including evergreen hollies, hydrangeas with showy blooms, or sunny and compact cinquefoils.
Planting in May, when most shrubs look their best, gives you instant gratification and quickly upgrades your landscaping. As you choose, keep in mind that there are different features to look for in shrubs that can boost your curb appeal. Big, showy blooms are one, but don't overlook things like evergreen foliage, tidy growth habits, or fall color.
Azaleas bear gorgeous blooms for brilliant curb appeal
Azaleas (Rhododendron sect. tsutsusi and subg. pentanthera) are deciduous or evergreen shrubs with showy blooms in nearly any color you could wish. Whether you're looking for large bushes to plant next to the corner of your home, or shorter ones to grow near your front door, you'll find lots of choices among azaleas. You can plant them in May in locations that are well-draining with acidic soil, and are situated in some shade. Choose an azalea that matches your USDA Hardiness Zone, such as U.S. native, flame azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum) for zones 5 to 7.
Hollies will light up winter with bright berries and green leaves
A few evergreen plants will go a long way to creating a beautiful impression in your yard and improving your curb appeal — which is why you should consider adding holly bushes (Ilex spp.) if you have neutral or acidic soil. Planted in May, these broadleaf evergreens are among the shrubs that will brighten up your yard throughout the entire year. If you pick a low-growing one like dwarf yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria 'Nana' or 'Schillings') for zones 7 to 9, you can grow several and prune them into an elegant low hedge.
Hydrangeas create huge, showstopping floral displays
With their showy flowers, hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp.) are among the beautiful plants for your front yard that will add major curb appeal. You can choose from many different types to add in May, including oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia), which are native to the southeastern U.S. and thrive in zones 5 to 9. Oakleaf hydrangeas are shrubs that also have outstanding fall color, and beautiful cinnamon-orange stems in winter, making them champs at providing year-round interest.
Rhododendrons provide showy blooms and evergreen leaves
Rhododendrons (Rhododendron) are one of the best shrubs to grow in your yard for a colorful spring. If you have well-draining soil that is on the acidic side, you can use these plants with bell-shaped white, pink, purple, or red blooms to frame your home and make it stand out. Plus, they have large, green, evergreen leaves that will help keep your curb appeal strong and stunning all year long. There are options for zones 3 to 8 when Rhododendron is on your May planting list.
Grow viburnums in May for graceful clusters of flowers
When landscaping in April or May, keep viburnums (Viburnum spp.) on your list of shrubs to plant for added curb appeal – they have beautiful, creamy flower clusters in spring. Viburnum leaves are arranged in pairs, lending the shrubs a tidy look, and the deciduous types enhance your landscaping with their beautiful fall colors. Southern arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum) is an adaptable native of the eastern and central U.S. that reaches 10 feet tall and wide. It has a beautiful, rounded shape with arching stems and flourishes in zones 2 to 8.
Add curb appeal with shrubby cinquefoil's yellow blooms
Low on space? Shrubby cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa) is one of the best flowering shrubs to plant for small yards. Since they reach a manageable 4 feet tall and 5 feet wide, they're great to use as foundation plantings around your home. They adapt to different soil types in full sun or part shade locations of zones 3 to 7. You can add shrubby cinquefoil in May for bright yellow flowers from summer to fall — or choose one of the cultivars that has white, pink, or orange blooms.