The backbone of any landscape is shrubs. They are planted mostly for their beautiful displays. Some have colorful leaves, flowers, or berries while others have beautiful scents that attract birds. Most plants derive their growing energy from the sun and shrubs are not an exception. They thrive well in full sun and rich, moist, well-draining soil. Some will grow in acidic soil, while others will not tolerate acidity at all.

There are shrubs that change the color of their foliage as they mature while others retain their color till maturity. Their branching patterns may also differ depending on the species. Generally, shrubs are low-maintenance plants that require little to no regular pruning or regular watering.

You would define a full sun landscape by looking at these factors;

. Little to no shade from mature trees or neighboring boundaries

. Typically faces south

. Gets 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day.

However, choosing shrubs for your garden can be overwhelming for first-time gardeners. There are a variety of options to choose from but not every shrub you come across makes a good fit. 

It's important to take time to select the best shrubs suited for your garden and the suitability of their growing conditions. Flowering shrubs can be bought at your local garden centers or retail nurseries.

The Flamingo Willow has stems and leaves characterized by a reddish-pinkish color. These shrubs prefer full sun and some afternoon shade, especially during the hot summer. It thrives well in rich, moist, well-draining soil but may tolerate dry soils. Prune in the late winter or early spring to maintain its shape and promote growth.

USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 7

Color Varieties: Yellow

Sun: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Rich, moist, well-draining

Characterized by its wine-red leaves, the Physocarpus opulifolius prefers full sun but would appreciate some shade from the afternoon sun. As the weather gets hotter, its foliage gets greener. It thrives well in average, slightly acidic, well-draining soil. This drought-tolerant shrub grows up to 6 feet tall and produces small pinkish flowers of about 1 to 2 inches during winter. Can be grown as a flowering tree, on slopes and borders of a garden. Prune the shrub when it's overgrown, mostly after the blooming season.

USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 7

Color Varieties: Light pink

Sun: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Slightly acidic, average moisture, well-draining

The Rock Cotoneaster is a shrub that acts as a ground cover because of its dense, spreading nature. This drought-tolerant shrub grows well in well-draining, loose, moist, loamy soil and prefers full sun. It's a plant that also appreciates partial shade, especially in the afternoon. This plant is mostly best planted on rock gardens, on slopes, or rock walls and acts excellently as an erosion control shrub. It grows up to 2 to 3 feet high, 6 to 8 feet wide with small pink flowers that attract insects like bees. As a low-maintenance plant, it requires minimal pruning only when it’s overgrown. Pruning promotes new growth and reshapes the plant.

USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 7

Color Varieties: Pink

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Soil: Loamy, moist, well-draining

The Gold Mound Spirea is a shrub characterized by its golden leaves. It's a crossbreed between S. japonica ‘Alpina’ and S. japonica ‘Goldflame’. This plant thrives well in moist, well-draining soil. It also prefers full sun but can tolerate some light shade. Pruning can be done between the late winter and early spring when the flowers are about to appear. This is meant to bring it into shape and remove any dead parts. The sun-loving shrub has small, pink flowers that attract butterflies 

The Spiraea japonica can be planted in large containers on patios outside your house or in a garden. It can be planted in small groups on a border or just anywhere in the garden. Propagate this plant by dividing the root ball or by softwood cuttings.

USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8

Color: Pink

Sun: Full sun

Soil: Moist, well-draining

Described by its name, the Dwarf Fothergilla is a short shrub that grows up to 3 to 6 feet high and wide with white blooms in the spring. The best of its flowering occurs in full sun, especially in the hot summer. It has green foliage with red, yellow, or purple fall color. This sun-loving shrub grows in slightly acidic, moist, well-draining soil and produces flowers with a sweet scent. It’s a low-maintenance shrub that works well when mass planted along with garden foundations and can be planted beside other acid-loving plants.

USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 8

Color Varieties: White

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Soil: Average, slightly acidic, medium moisture, well-draining

This shrub has pyramid-shaped clusters of white flowers that bloom in the late spring. It grows up to 8 feet with leaves that grow up to 4 to 12 inches. These white flowers tend to turn red or purple as they mature. The Oakleaf Hydrangea thrives in rich, moist, well-draining soil. It also prefers full sun with partial shade and appreciates a bit of mulching to retain soil moisture. After the flowering season, prune the overgrown parts to promote growth.

USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9

Color Varieties: White to purplish-pink

Sun: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Rich, medium moisture, well-draining

This is one of the tallest shrubs in existence that grows up to 15 to 25 feet high. It has green leaves that turn red, yellow, orange, scarlet, and red velvet as the plant matures. This drought-tolerant shrub grows on average, dry to medium moisture, well-draining soil. It is a plant that prefers full sun but also appreciates some shade. The Tiger Eyes Staghorn Sumac is popularly known for its reddish-brown hairs that cover the branches. Additionally, it forms thickets in the wild through root suckering.

USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8

Color Varieties: Yellow-green

Sun: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Average, dry to medium moisture, well-draining

This Pussy Willow shrub has roots that spread out rapidly and grow in average, medium to wet, well-draining soil. It prefers full sun with partial shade and pruning may be necessary after flowering. This shrub tends to produce ornamental catkins on its stems in the late winter. Consistently keep this shrub moist by watering it regularly. Pruning would also be necessary to get rid of any damaged or overgrown parts.

USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8

Color Varieties: Yellow-green

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Soil: Average, medium to wet, well-draining

This ‘Golden Mop’ shrub first grows up to 2 to 3 feet high in a pyramid-like shape, then later opens out and grows to around 5 feet high. It is characterized by its yellow foliage that may grow to form a canopy. Pruning would be required to promote the new growth of this plant. This sun-loving plant grows in moist but well-draining soil.

USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 7

Color Varieties: Nonflowering

Sun: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Average, medium moisture, well-draining

This woody, perennial shrub tends to produce purple berries. Its cluster blooms develop into purple berries in the late spring and early summer. These berries are a good source of food for songbirds and small mammals while the leaves produce a chemical that can repel mosquitos when crushed. This shrub is best when mass planted in large landscapes and natural areas. It can also be planted in containers. The Callicarpa Americana grows up to 3 to 6 feet high in well-draining soil and also tolerates all soil types. Grow it in full sun and prune it only when removing any dead parts.

USDA Growing Zones: 6 to 10

Color Varieties: Purple, pink

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Soil: Rich, moist, well-draining

Popularly known as European Hazel, Harry Lauder's walking stick is a shrub that enjoys full sun. It's a shrub mostly associated with the contorted hazelnut and corkscrew filbert. This is because of the hazelnut that it produces. Grow it in rich, moist, well-draining soil while watering to maintain soil moisture. Do not plant it in heavy clay soil. 

USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8

Color Varieties: Yellow-brown

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Soil: Rich, moist, well-draining

This shrub is mostly grown in gardens for its ornamental value. The shrub prefers full sun in moist, well-draining soil. It produces multicolored leaves and clustered flowers that attract birds and stems that provide nesting sites. The Tatarian Dogwood grows to form large colonies, so pruning would be required. It’s popularly known for its colorful red bark that matures in the winter and early spring.

USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 7

Color Varieties: White

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Soil: Rich, moist, well-draining

This sword-leafed shrub with thread-like filaments grows up to 4 to 8 feet tall and up to 2 to 3 feet wide. It's an evergreen plant that produces a tall panicle of white bell-shaped flowers that bloom in the late spring. This drought-tolerant plant grows in sandy, moist well-draining soil but is tolerant to all soil types. Grow it in full sun with partial shade. Being a low-maintenance plant, make sure it’s in a good drainage area and has consistent moisture.

USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 10

Color Varieties: White

Sun: Full sun

Soil: Average, dry to medium moisture, well-draining

These shrubs produce small blooms in a variety of colors. They bloom in the spring with clusters of lilac flowers and arching stems. The Fountain Butterfly Bush grows up to 10 feet high and wide. It prefers full sun in moist, well-draining soil. This drought-tolerant shrub tolerates all soil conditions and may require pruning only when trying to shape it after overgrowing.

USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9

Color Varieties: Lilac, purple

Sun: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Rich, moist, well-draining

The golden-yellow Bottlebrush Buckeye is known for its white flower spikes and large, compound leaves that spread out up to 10 inches long. It grows up to 12 feet high and wide. This plant can be regularly pruned to promote growth. It is a perfect shrub for mass planting along garden borders and makes a good specimen plant. Bottlebrush Buckeye grows in moist, well-draining soil in full sun with partial shade.

USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8

Color Varieties: Gold/yellow

Sun: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Rich, moist, well-draining