Shrubs are a must for any front yard landscaping.  Since shrubs are smaller than trees but larger than flowers, they provide your front yard with a nice variety and can serve many purposes for your front yard landscaping.

Shrubs are often used to outline and soften a home, but they have more purpose beyond that.  A hardy variety of shrub can be planted in the places where grass refuses to grow and cover the bare earth that detracts from your home's appeal.  Shrubs also work well as a nice backdrop for your flower gardens.  They can help define your yard's boundaries, and provide some natural privacy. 

Shrubs come in so many varieties, including hybrids, that the most difficult part can be in choosing the right variety for your home.  Your first step should be to decide the purpose of the shrubs in your yard.  Do you need hardy varieties that can grow in your soil without much tending?  Are you interested in evergreens, or do you desire a shrub that produces beautiful blossoms?  If you are looking at flowering shrubs, you need to decide what colors and seasons you desire.  The best thing to do is to make a list of qualities that you want in your shrubs and then talk to your local nursery.

The caring and planting of shrubs is similar to that of trees.  The main difference between the two is that while a tree typically has one trunk, a shrub is more likely to have several trunks and stems.

If you live in an area with a year-round growing season, you can choose to plant your shrubs at any times.  In most areas, however, spring is the best time for planting shrubs.  This is done so that your shrubs have a long time to adjust to their new environment before harsh winter arrives.

When planting your shrubs, be sure to avoid dry roots.  This is the main cause of planting failure.  Water your shrub as soon as you get it from the nursery.  If possible, keep them in a shaded area in the beginning and use mulch on the ground surrounding your new shrubs.

Whether or not you should prune your shrub depends on the age of the plant.  If you want to avoid pruning at first, pick out a smaller and younger shrub.  If you have an older shrub, you may need to prune it when you first bring it home.

When you prune, start first with the older branches.  Cut closely to the ground.  Plan on pruning your shrubs yearly or hire someone to do so.  After winter, when some species of shrubs have dead branches, is an ideal time to prune your shrubs.  Deutzias, hydrangeas, and privets all suffer from dead branches.  Magnolias, rhododendron, and azaleas simply need their flower heads pruned.

Shrubs are fairly simple to care for and can provide beauty and variety in your front yard landscaping.  If you choose the correct species for your lawn and tend to them well and you will have a beautiful and functional plant that will raise the appeal of your home for many years to come.