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A house with a boxwood and abelia garden border

Grumpy’s Top Ten Plants

  1. Home
  2. Grumpy’s Top Ten Plants
  • By Corrina Stellitano
  • April 6, 2023

Southern Living‘s The Grumpy Gardener picked this list of well-behaved bushes you can plant in front of the house. He loves these compact growers because they need little pruning, aren’t fussy to grow, won’t swallow your house, and deer won’t eat them. We think you’ll love them, too!

Click to buy below and don’t forget to enter code GRUMPY10 for 10% off.

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Kaleidoscope Abelia, chameleon-like foliage that changes with the seasons, from golden yellow in spring to orange-red in fall

‘Kaleidoscope’ Abelia

Abelia 'Kaleidoscope'
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Graduated foliage of Orange Rocket Barberry is red on top and becomes green at the bottom

‘Orange Rocket’ Barberry

Berberis thunbergii 'Orange Rocket' PP18411
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Entryway garden bed features Lemon-Lime Nandina, Boxwood and pink annuals around a slate walking path

Baby Gem™ Boxwood

Buxus microphylla 'Gregem' PP21159
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Cast in Bronze Distylium in yard landscape

Bayou Bliss® Distylium

Distylium BLDY01 Hybrid PP32816
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A mass planting of Cast in Bronze Distylium in a garden bed with large white blooming Hydrangeas in the background under a canopy of pine trees

Cast in Bronze® Distylium

Distylium hybrid 'BLDY02' PP32785
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Emerald Snow Loropetalum, white flowers with green leaves

Emerald Snow® Semi-dwarf Loropetalum

Loropetalum chinense 'Shang-white' PP21738
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Close-up of a bottlebrush plant with clusters of bright red flowers surrounded by vibrant green foliage.

Light Show® Bottlebrush

Callistemon viminalis 'LJ23' PP27547
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Red and green layered foliage of Obsession Nandina shrub

Obsession™ Nandina

Nandina domestica 'Seika' PP21891
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Purple Pixie Loropetalum planted in a stone stepped wall of a bluff

Purple Pixie® Dwarf Weeping Loropetalum

Loropetalum chinense 'Peack' PP18441
Buy now
Plum Yew planted in garden up close

Yewtopia® Plum Yew

Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Plania’
Buy now

Ready to “buy now” and starting planting? Don’t forget enter code GRUMPY10 for 10% off.

The Grumpy Gardener, Steve Bender

Steve Bender, The Grumpy Gardener

Steve Bender grew up in Lutherville, MD and was exiled to Alabama in 1983 for reasons that remain secret to this day. He loves fried okra and often selects dinner wine based on whether it goes well with fried okra. His mission is to make gardening uplifting, accessible, and inspirational to all. He will no doubt succeed.

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Three pots with different plants in them.

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Also of Interest
  • Yewtopia® Plum Yew
  • Raphiolepis Clean Sweep™ Spring Sonata™
  • Steve Bender
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