Simple-to-Nurture Blossoming Shrubs for Inexperienced Gardeners
Phonenixing your landscape with a bit of color and minimal effort? That's right up our alley! Check out these top-notch flowering shrubs that'll thrive in even the most beginner-friendly gardens. Don't worry about pruning or figuring out soil conditions—these easy-care options will blossom no matter what.
Instead of sweating over chores, you'll be sipping on a cold drink and marveling at your garden's beauty. Here are eight fast-growing options to get your green thumb going:
Megan McConnell—horticulturist and plant information director at Monrovia
Kevin Lenhart—landscape architect and design director at Yardzen
🌺 Popular Easy-Care Flowering Shrubs 🌺
Crape Myrtle
This versatile shower of flowers can grow as either a tree or a shrub, and it handles challenging conditions like a champ. "Crape myrtles are miracle workers in harsh climates," says McConnell. "They tolerate poor soils, have low water needs, and adore heat. Plus, the blooms are spectacular and arrive late, extending the seaso."
Bloom Time: Summer to fall
Light: Full sun
Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Texas Sage
Looking for a low-maintenance plant for dry climates? The Texas Sage, with its silvery foliage and bright magenta flowers, takes the cake. Lenhart calls it, "the perfect scruffy but not-too-scruffy background plant for hot, dry areas." Plus, with minimal pruning focusing on spent flowers and occasional thinning of older branches, you'll have a modern-day Arizona pride plant in no time.
Bloom Time: Summer and fall
Light: Full to partial sun
Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Panicle Hydrangea
You'll love this hydrangea variety for its adaptability to water, sunlight, and soil—not to mention its breathtaking blooms. According to McConnell, "They can handle more sun and less water while still providing stunning flowers that last for a long time." Perfect for fresh or dried arrangements.
Bloom Time: Summer and fall
Light: Partial sun
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Serviceberry
If you're into native plants, serviceberry is your gal. This super-hardy shrub offers sculptural branching, lovely fall foliage, and is adaptable to lots of climates and soil types.
Bloom Time: Spring
Light: Full to partial sun
Hardiness Zones: 2 to 9
Camellia
Camellia is an all-star shrub known for its beautiful flowers in shades of pink, red, and white. For a splash of color near your house's foundation, catch some rays with this bad boy in partial sun. Pruning is minimal, making it an excellent option for busy gardeners.
Bloom Time: Fall, winter, and spring
Light: Partial sun to full shade
Hardiness Zones: 6 to 10
Rhododendron
This shade-loving gem features colorful blooms that brighten shady spots along your house's foundation. Rhododendrons require minimal pruning, so they'll keep you looking stylish even when you're swamped with life's hustle and bustle.
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Light: Partial sun
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Desert Willow
Splashing some Southwestern flavor into your garden? Look no further. This sun-loving bud is perfect for drier areas in the Western U.S. With bold, trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of creamy pink to deep magenta, fauna will flock to the scene.
Bloom Time: Spring to early summer
Light: Full sun
Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
New Jersey Tea
If you've got poor soil and are short on Pirate humor, New Jersey Tea is your new bestie. This tough, easy-to-maintain shrub can handle depleted soils and a variety of light conditions, making it a must-have in any garden.
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Light: Full to partial sun
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Flowering Currant
Fast-growing and adaptable, flowering currant offers pink and red flowers in the spring, which will brighten up those dreary winter months. Hardy and willing to handle a range of soil and sunlight conditions, flowering currant is the ideal easy-care option for many gardens. Attract birds to your garden in no time.
Bloom Time: Spring
Light: Full to partial sun
Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Elderberry
This native beauty grows quickly and offers pretty white blooms followed by dark purple and black berries later in the summer. While the berries are edible, they pack a powerful punch, so save them for the wild creatures in your neighborhood.
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Light: Full to partial sun
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
🌱 Tips for Choosing Easy-to-Grow Flowering Shrubs 🌱
Ready to get planted? Keep these handy tips in mind for garden success:
- 🌞 Give them the right growing conditions: "Shrubs are an investment that'll last for years, but you must provide the proper conditions for them to thrive," says Kevin Lenhart. Start by identifying where your plants will get the light, water, and soil conditions they need.
- 🌺 Consider bloom times: Many flowering shrubs have interesting foliage that adds texture even when they're not blooming. Plan shrubs with different bloom seasons near each other so there's always something in bloom.
- 💧 Pay special attention to water needs: Drought-tolerant shrubs are a great choice if you're in an area with water restrictions.
- 🌹 Plant your flowering shrubs in early fall: Planting in the fall gives your new shrubs the full fall, winter, and spring to settle into their new spot before they face summer heat and drought.
- Crape Myrtle, a versatile flowering shrub, can grow as a tree or a shrub and handles challenging conditions excellently, making it suitable for outdoor gardening even for beginners.
- Texas Sage, with its silvery foliage and bright magenta flowers, is an ideal choice for low-maintenance plants in dry climates and provides a modern-day Arizona pride plant within no time.
- Panicle Hydrangea is known for its adaptability to water, sunlight, and soil, offering breathtaking blooms that last for a long time and are perfect for fresh or dried arrangements.
- Serviceberry is a native plant that offers sculptural branching, lovely fall foliage, and is adaptable to various climates and soil types, making it an excellent addition to any home-and-garden lifestyle.
- For a splash of color near your house's foundation, Camellia with its beautiful flowers in shades of pink, red, and white is a great choice, requiring minimal pruning, making it an excellent option for busy gardeners.
- Rhododendron, a shade-loving gem, features colorful blooms that brighten shady spots along your house's foundation and requires minimal pruning, keeping your garden looking stylish even when you're swamped with life's hustle and bustle.
