Flowering varieties add extra color and sweet fragrances. Depending on where you live and the conditions in your yard, different shrubs can add evergreen texture, groundcover on a slope, and even more privacy by blocking street noise. They also help protect the soil from erosion and support wildlife with food and shelter. Here’s a look at various important characteristics to consider to pick out the best shrubs for your yard.

Types of Shrubs and Bushes

Before diving into the different types, you may wonder precisely what a shrub or bush is. In general, they’re plants with multiple woody stems that usually don’t die back to the ground in winter (which most perennial plants typically do). However, a few trees, like serviceberries, can also have multiple woody stems, so some experts distinguish shrubs further by saying they stay under 10 feet tall. There are exceptions to this rule, which has led to the term “trub,” labeling those plants that can’t seem to decide if they’re a tree or a shrub. Shrubs can be deciduous (meaning they lose their leaves every winter) or evergreen. Some families of shrubs include both of these types, like hollies. There are also coniferous (cone-bearing evergreens) species like many junipers and yews.

Shrub Foliage Colors

The leaves of shrubs come in just about every color, even nearly black like ‘Black Lace’ elderberry ($11, The Home Depot). Even plain green deciduous varieties often turn bright colors in the fall. And evergreen shrubs, despite their name, offer a fantastic range of foliage colors beyond green, including soft blue, yellow, and variegated in yellow or cream with green. These hues look even more striking in a snow-covered winter landscape. When selecting bushes or shrubs, make sure to consider their appearance throughout all seasons.

Shrub Shapes and Forms

In addition to the usual upright, rounded configuration, shrubs can be weeping (branches drape downward), prostrate (branches grow low and outward, which can work well for covering slopes), and topiary (pruned into interesting shapes). Some species are available in dwarf forms, especially conifers, which are a good choice for smaller properties.

Drought-Tolerant Options

Compared to many smaller plants, most shrubs are pretty drought-tolerant once they are established (for the first year after planting, you’ll want to make sure your shrub stays well watered, so the roots have a chance to grow in). Unfortunately, you can’t always count on rain to water your plants in some parts of the country. So if you want to use less water in your garden, choose shrubs that can tolerate dry conditions. Some examples are potentilla, spirea, and many viburnums.

Avoiding Deer Damage

Deer can damage shrubs by nibbling their twigs, fruit, and foliage. Gardeners across the country always look for ornamentals that deer won’t touch. Lists vary by region (and even by neighborhood), but certain types of plants appear on many of them. Consider shrubs with thorns or prickers, resinous wood, aromatic foliage, and fuzzy leaves.

Advantages of Native Shrubs

Native shrubs are also a good option. Because they’ve existed in the same regions for centuries, they’ve adapted to local climate and soil conditions. They also have plenty of low-maintenance benefits: They usually don’t need extra watering, tend to resist pests and disease, and are big favorites of local wildlife. A few options that combine the virtues of beauty and low maintenance include:

American arborvitae American beautyberry American holly Bayberry Bottlebrush buckeye Carolina allspice Chokeberry Dwarf fothergilla Mountain laurel Oakleaf hydrangea Oregon grapeholly Rhododendron (some) Sweet pepperbush Viburnum (some) Virginia sweetspire

Shrubs That Attract Wildlife

Many shrubs with berries (native or not) attract birds and other wildlife. These include:

Blueberry Cotoneaster Dogwood Euonymus Firethorn Holly Juniper Viburnum Wax myrtle

Buy It: Sprinter Boxwood Live Evergreen Shrub ($21, The Home Depot) Buy It: Forsythia Lynwood Gold Root Stock ($12, The Home Depot) Buy It: Ann’s Contorted Filbert Tree Cuttings ($36, Etsy) Buy It: Dark Purple Reblooming Lilac ($12, The Home Depot) Buy It: Flowering Mountain Laurel Cuttings ($15, Etsy) Buy It: Firethorn ($70, Etsy) Buy It: Azalea ‘Blaauw’s Pink’ ($28, Target) Buy It: PJM Compact Rhododendron Shrub ($34, The Home Depot)