1
Caryopteris
Apgaci // Getty Images
Also known as Bluebeard, this little-known shrub grows in deep hills and produces vibrant blue flowers late in the season, although newer varieties may also produce pink blooms.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light: Direct sunlight
Varieties to try: Beyond Midnight, Beyond Pinked
2
Butterfly Bush
Photo by Jackie Parker // Getty Images
Butterfly bushes are covered in flowers from late spring until frost, and of course they are loved by butterflies and other pollinating insects. Look for newer varieties that are less invasive and more compact.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light: Direct sunlight
Varieties to try: Pugster Blue, Miss Violet
3
Rosemary
Photo: RA Kearton//Getty Images
This culinary herb is often considered an annual, but in warmer climates it will grow into a large shrub, or you can pot it up and bring it indoors for the winter and enjoy it again on your patio the following summer.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 10
Light: Direct sunlight
Varieties to try: Alp, Roman Beauty
Read more: How to Plant an Herb Garden
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Four
Rose of Sharon
Digipub // Getty Images
Rose of Sharon produces large, eye-catching flowers in late summer, providing much-needed color when most of the flowers in the rest of the garden have faded.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light: Direct sunlight
Varieties to try: Polly Petite, Sugar Chip, Azzurri Blue
Five
Ninebark
Apgaci // Getty Images
Ninebark has beautiful arching branches, dark green, peach, or burgundy leaves, and small pinkish-white flowers that bloom in spring and are a favorite of pollinators.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light: Direct sunlight
Must-try varieties: Summer Wine, Tiny Wine, Diablo
Read more: Design a Pollinator Garden that Actually Works
6
Shrub Rose
Alison Rose // Getty Images
Shrub roses bloom from spring through summer and are completely maintenance-free once established. Pinch off dead flowers to keep them looking good, although most newer varieties and cultivars don't need pruning to keep them blooming. (Learn how, why, and when to prune dead flowers from your plants.)
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light: Direct sunlight
Varieties to try: Brick House Pink, Double Knockout, Apple Series
Read more: How to Grow and Care for Knockout Roses
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7
Abelia
John Cary // Getty Images
Abelias have glossy leaves and tubular flowers that are popular with pollinators like hummingbirds, and many of the newer varieties are more compact, so they won't get overgrown or overgrown in your garden.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Light: Direct sunlight
Varieties to try: Apple Perfection, Sunshine Daydream
Read more: Beautiful Flowers That Attract Hummingbirds
8
Potentilla
Valery Ruschkov // Getty Images
Potentilla is one of the longest-flowering shrubs in the garden, producing bright white, pink and yellow flowers and being deer-resistant.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 2 to 8
Light: Direct sunlight
Varieties to try: Happy Face Hearts, Pink Princess
9
Daphne
Photos from Japan, Asia and around the world // Getty Images
Daphnes have the sweetest scent and flower in late winter/early spring when they need the most sunshine, with green or mottled leaves and beautiful pinkish-white flowers.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Light: partial shade
Varieties to try: Eternal Fragrance, Marianne
Read more: How to Grow Daphne Shrubs
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Ten
Spike Hydrangea
Olga Seiftdinova // Getty Images
There are many different types of hydrangeas, but the easiest to grow in most parts of the country is the pansy hydrangea. These large flowers bloom in mid-summer and continue to bloom until frost. Once established, this plant is more drought tolerant than you might think.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
Light: Direct sunlight
Varieties to try: Limelight, Quickfire, Little Lamb
Read more: How to grow and care for hydrangeas
11
Siberian Cypress
Alvin Raj // Getty Images
If you want a shrub evergreen, Siberian cypress is a great choice. This plant is very hardy and will survive even the coldest winters. It also maintains a beautiful, flat shape, making it perfect for erosion control.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 2 to 7
Light: Direct sunlight
Must try: Celtic Pride
Read more: 25 Best Evergreen Shrubs for Your Garden
12
Smoke Bush
Antanas Tusla // Getty Images
In summer, these shrubs produce distinctive “smoky” flowers and have yellow, green, or burgundy foliage.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light: Direct sunlight
Must try varieties: Winecraft Black, Winecraft Gold
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13
Magopine
Sicha69//Getty Images
Magnolias have interesting dense foliage and cute little pinecones, so look for dwarf varieties that will still grow to 4 to 5 feet tall.
USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 7
Light: Direct sunlight
Varieties to try: Little Lick, Karsten's Wintergold
14
Forsythia
Minh Hoang Cong/500px//Getty Images
Forsythia's bright yellow flowers bloom in early spring before the shrubs sprout leaves. Forsythia is very hardy and easy to care for; look for newer, compact varieties that won't take over your garden.
USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8
Light: Direct sunlight
Varieties to try: Showoff Starlet
Read more: 15 Best Plants for Hilly Areas
15
lilac
Uzufurski // Getty Images
Nothing smells as sweet in the spring as lilacs, and these hardy shrubs can live for decades, with new varieties blooming again sporadically throughout the season.
USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 7
Light: Direct sunlight
Varieties to try: Bloomerang, New Age
Learn: How to Grow Lilacs
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16
Juniper
Adele Bekefi // Getty Images
Juniper is another hardy evergreen that deer don't usually mind, with a bluish hue and beautiful berries. Junipers come in a variety of sizes and shapes, so read the plant tag to know what you're buying.
USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8
Light: Direct sunlight
Must try varieties: Burley Blue, Gin Fizz
17
Cotoneaster
Photo by Kristin Rose // Getty Images
This shrub produces beautiful red berries in the fall that remain on the branches well into winter, which deer tend to avoid.
USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 10
Light: Direct sunlight
Varieties to try: Coral Beauty, Tom Thumb
Read more: 38 Deer-Resistant Plants That Bambi Hates
18
Lantana
Katerina Mashkevich // Getty Images
Lantana is grown as an annual in many parts of the country, but in warmer climates it can grow as a small shrub. The flowers are showy and come in bright colors.
USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 11
Light: Direct sunlight
Must try: Fiesta
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19
Viburnum
Grace Carey // Getty Images
There are many species of Viburnum, which are very drought tolerant once established. With dark green leaves and white flowers in spring, they are one of the easiest shrubs to grow.
USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8
Light: Direct sunlight
Varieties to try: Glitter and Glow
20
Crape myrtle
Photos from Japan, Asia and around the world // Getty Images
Beautiful, long-blooming crape myrtle (also known as Crape Myrtle) adds a lovely splash of color to your landscape. The fluffy flowers come in a variety of colors, including pink, red, white and purple. Look for smaller varieties that grow less than 10 feet tall.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 to 10
Light: Direct sunlight
Varieties to try: Bellini Raspberry, Summerlasting
Read more: 16 Best Trees Under 10 Feet Tall to Plant in Your Garden
Arricca Elin SanSone is a health and lifestyle writer for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, etc. She is passionate about gardening, baking, reading, and spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
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