Garden Landscaping 12 Low-Growing Shrubs That Make Beautiful Borders Plant these shrubs in your garden for multiple seasons of interest. By Madeline Buiano Madeline Buiano Madeline Buiano is an associate editor at MarthaStewart.com, sharing her knowledge on a range of topics—from gardening and cleaning to home and pets. She has five years of writing and editing experience in the digital publishing industry. Editorial Guidelines Published on June 13, 2024 Close Photo: Catherine McQueen / Getty Images Low-growing shrubs are the unsung heroes of a well-designed landscape. They're big enough to be used as a privacy hedge but compact enough that they are perfect for border gardens, edging, and filling in gaps between flowers. While many shrubs can grow to be quite big, there are plenty of smaller varieties that don't grow beyond 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. Ahead, we're sharing some expert-recommended low-growing shrubs that will look beautiful in your garden. Linda Langelo, horticulture specialist at Colorado State University Linda Vater, expert with Southern Living Plant Collection and Butterfly Candy Buddleia Kristen Pullen, woody ornamental portfolio manager for Star Roses and Plants 15 Colorful Flowering Shrubs to Make Your Garden Look Like a Painting 01 of 12 'Hino Crimson' Azalea Aleksandr Zhurilo / Getty Images Compact 'Hino Crimson' Azalea (Rhododendron 'Hino Crimson') is a low-growing variety of this shrub that produces crimson red flowers and small glossy dark leaves. "This Kurume hybrid is a great plant for bonsai because of its structure and smaller leaves," says Linda Langelo, horticulture specialist at Colorado State University. Zones: 5 to 8Size: 2 to 3 feet tall x 5 feet wideCare requirements: Partial shade; humus-rich, acidic, well-draining soil 02 of 12 Dwarf Fothergilla Maria_Ermolova / Getty Images A slow-growing deciduous shrub, dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenia) has a compact, mounded habit. Terminal bottlebrush-like spikes produce white flowers and yellow anthers that fill gardens with interest in April and May. "This plant has suckers. They need to be removed if you do not want colonies of these shrubs," says Langelo. Zones: 5 to 8Size: 18 to 36 inches tall x 24 to 48 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun to partial shade; sandy to loamy soil 03 of 12 Dwarf Chenille NancyAyumi / Getty Images Dwarf chenille (Acalypha reptans) is a heat-loving, trailing evergreen shrub with crimson flower spikes above ovate dark green leaves. Langelo recommends deadheading the flower buds immediately after the blooms die to stimulate re-bloom. Zones: 9 to 11Size: 1 to 2 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-draining soil 04 of 12 Dwarf Bottlebrush kornyeyeva / Getty Images Dwarf bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis) is a showy evergreen shrub with elongated flower spikes and long bristle-like stamens—hence the name says Langelo. This beautiful, low-growing shrub provides nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds. Zones: 8 to 11Size: 3 feet tall x 5 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun to light shade, acidic, moist but well-draining soil 05 of 12 Dwarf Crape Myrtle kazue tanaka / Getty Images Dwarf crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is a deciduous shrub with terminal, crepe-papery inflorescences of showy flowers with crimped petals, says Langelo. The leaves emerge as green with a tinge of red and fade to yellow-orange-red by fall. "Be sure to water at ground level as watering the foliage can scorch it," says Langelo. Zones: 6 to 9Size: 1 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 3 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; clay, loamy soil 14 Hedge Plants That Provide Natural Privacy for Your Home 06 of 12 Garland Flower Martin Siepmann / Getty Images Garland flower (Daphne cneorum) is a beautiful shrub with spoon-shaped leaves and fragrant pink flowers that put on a show until fall. "Deadhead spent blossoms after flowering to encourage reblooming," says Langelo. Zones: 5 to 9 Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 2 to 3 feet wideCare requirements: Part shade; clay, loamy, well-draining soil 07 of 12 Minuet Mountain Laurel JPLDesigns / Getty Images A multi-stemmed evergreen shrub, minuet mountain laurel (Lalmia latifolia 'Minuet') has a rounded habit with cup-shaped flowers that bloom from May through June. This plant can tolerate a broad range of light conditions, so you can plant it just about anywhere in your garden. Zones: 4 to 9Size: 2 to 3 feet tall x 2 to 3 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun to full shade (prefers partial shade); moist, rich, humus-based soil that is well-draining 08 of 12 Snow Girl Gardenia Courtesy of Star® Roses and Plants Snow girl gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides 'WAH-LM') has finely textured, glossy, dark green leaves that form a spreading mound in the garden. "It has an abundant display of fragrant, single, white flowers that bloom in early summer, then periodically until frost," says Kristen Pullen, woody ornamental portfolio manager for Star Roses and Plants. Zones: 7 to 10Size: 18 to 24 inches tall x 36 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-draining soil How to Make a Sensory Garden—the Landscaping Trend That Engages All 5 Senses 09 of 12 BerryBux Courtesy of Star® Roses and Plants BerryBux (Vaccinium corymbosum hybrid 'ZF08-095') looks like a small boxwood with its compact growth habit but has the bonus of blueberries, says Pullen. It's perfect for planting as a hedge or in groups in the garden. "With the addition of white flowers that ripen into a dramatic display of wild and aromatic tasting berries, this variety is a treat unlike any other. It’s easy to care for with very little pruning needed," she says. Zones: 5 to 8Size: 2 to 3 feet tall x 2 to 3 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; acidic soil 10 of 12 Dapper Lavender Butterfly Bush Courtesy of Star Roses and Plants Butterfly bush is a pollinator-friendly plant that will welcome bees, butterflies, and birds to your garden. For a low-growing variety, try Dapper Lavender Buddleia (Buddleia davidii 'Buddaplav'). "A rounded, compact habit makes this Buddleia a perfect fit for a variety of uses," says Pullen. "Light purple flowers are formed in early summer and continue to re-bloom into the fall. Spent flowers are hidden by new blooms, reducing the need for deadheading." Zones: 5 to 9Size: 3 to 4 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil 10 Fast-Growing Ground Cover Plants That Give Your Yard Quick, Beautiful Results 11 of 12 'Soft Caress' Mahonia Courtesy of Southern Living® Plant Collection For winter interest, try 'Soft Caress' Mahonia (Mahonia eurybracteata ‘Soft Caress’ PP20183). "An evergreen that produces cheery yellow flowers in winter, its soft bamboo-like foliage, low height, and shade tolerance mean it can be planted near shaded outdoor seating areas and patios without the painful prickles of traditional mahonia varieties," says Linda Vater on behalf of Southern Living Plant Collection and Butterfly Cand Buddleia. "Its slender, feathery foliage catches the breeze, creating a unique textural and movement element in the landscape." Zones: 7 to 9Size: 36 inches tall x 42 inches wideCare requirements: Partial sun to full shade; slightly acidic, well-draining soil 12 of 12 Yewtopia Plum Yew Courtesy of Mark Sandlin A naturally compact selection, Yewtopia plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Plania’) offers dark green to emerald green needle-like foliage. "A dense grower prized for its excellent shade tolerance, it adds short structure and rich texture to the landscape and makes an ideal border or mass planting selection," says Vater. "The branches on this variety angle gently upward into an attractive, soft U-shape." Zones: 6 to 10Size: 3 to 4 feet tall x 4 to 4 feet wideCare requirements: Partial full shade; slightly acidic, well-draining soil Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit