The Best Plants For The Front Door And House

The entrance to your home is the first thing that people see and makes an impression on visitors. And what better way to make that impression than choosing the best plants to frame your front door.

Apart from having a new front door and windows that enhance the style of your property, plants can add wow factor and curb appeal. Dressing the front of your house with plants can also make it a warm greeting every time you come home.

“I always like having something to welcome me as I come home at the end of the day, or leave at the beginning for work,” says Everest ambassador, chartered horticulturalist and plant expert David Domoney. “They put a smile on my face every time I come home.” From popular bay trees flanking a front door, to small pots of cheerful flowers, there is a wide variety of options to choose from.

If you use pots, you can adjust your plants seasonally, or you can opt for evergreen varieties that thrive all year round. Whether you’ve got a sunny, south-facing entrance, or a cooler, shady one, here are some of the best plants to choose for your front door and the front of your house.

Best small front door plants

Small front door plants are a great way to add colour to your front door, whether you stick to subtle whites and pinks or opt for brighter colours.

Hydrangeas

“With their old-fashioned, cottage charm and range of colours from blues to pinks to whites, hydrangeas are a bright, homely addition to your front door,” says Domoney. They’re perennials, so will return year after year with little upkeep.

There are varieties for every doorstep too. Flowering hydrangeas will work in sheltered, sunny or partially shaded entrances. These come in two varieties of Hydrangea macrophylla: mophead, with large, pom-pom-like flowerheads, and lacecap, with a conical shape. Hydrangea macrophylla and Hydrangea serrata will change colour based on the pH level of the soil. Flowering hydrangeas should be planted on the surface of the compost, in a hole which is wider than the rootball.

Most will flower in late summer and drop their leaves in winter. They’ll grow back in spring. If you have a shady north or east-facing doorway, a climbing hydrangea like the hardy Hydrangea petiolaris, is a good option. These also flower in summer, erupting into small white blooms. They are often planted in soil at the bottom of a wall or fence, using a trellis to help them develop, but can also be grown in large pots with moist soil. Climbing hydrangeas can aggravate skin allergies and cause discomfort if consumed and it's best to wear gloves when handling them.

Type of doorway: sheltered, sunny or partially shaded. Climbing hydrangea will work in colder, shadier doorways

Lavender

Lavender will give you a waft of its delicate floral fragrance every time you enter or leave your house. This pretty purple plant is easy to grow and maintain and works well alongside other plants you might choose for your front door.

Lavender will work best on sunny front doors, preferring drier, sandy soil. If you want to leave the plant outside all winter, opt for an English variety which are hardier than their French, Spanish or Portuguese counterparts. Even so, lavender will not like severe winter weather, so move the containers to a sheltered or sunnier spot during the winter to help the plant survive. In summer, prune your lavender to keep it looking neat and tidy.

Type of doorway: warm and sunny

Chrysanthemum

“Chrysanthemums are wonderful flowers for autumn,” says Domoney. “The ‘Jolie Rose’, with its pink flowers and bright yellow centre is a particularly hardy variety and will continue to flower late into November.”

Mums, as they are known, are an excellent way to add colour to your door. Available in a huge range of forms, sizes and colours, from vivid reds and oranges to subtle pinks and whites, they offer something for everyone.

Plant chrysanthemums in warm, sunny doorways, and remember to feed and water them regularly. Being perennials, they will go dormant in winter, sprout again in spring and flower in the late summer and autumn. Young or mature plants can be planted outside, but take care to protect them from frost during the winter.

Type of doorway: warm, sheltered and sunny

Petunias

Petunias can unfairly be considered old-fashioned, but it’s time that these vibrant, versatile plants were given a second look. With big, trumpet-shaped flowers that come in a rainbow of colours, petunias are the perfect bedding plants. Grow them in light, fertile soil and sheltered, sunny doorways, giving them a little shade in the summer. Because they are so adaptable, they’ll work with almost any container you have available. And if you don't have a pot, cascading varieties look great in a hanging basket too.

Petunias are low maintenance, but do require regular feeding, watering and deadheading.

Type of doorway: east, south or west-facing, but with plenty of sun

Phormium

Not keen on flowers? This handsome plant with long, sword-shaped leaves is an excellent alternative. Phormium comes in different leaf colours, from striped yellow-green to reddish-purple. Occasionally, mature plants will produce tall, branching flower stems in summer, with yellow, green or red blooms.

Some varieties, like Phormium 'Jester' and 'Platt's Black' are smaller, with elegantly drooping leaves, whereas others, like Phormium 'Sundowner' and Phormium tenax ‘Purpureum Group’, can grow to almost seven feet.

Phormium prefer sunny doorways and should be planted in fertile, free-draining soil. After their first growing season, they require little maintenance. They are hardy enough to survive the average UK winter, but yearly mulching with composted bark or soil and wrapping can help protect them against colder temperatures.

Type of doorway: avoid north-facing, but there are species for all other aspects, whether exposed or sheltered

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Best tall front door plants

Taller plants can help to frame your doorway, adding height and structure to your display. “It’s something soft,” explains Domoney. “It’s not just brickwork – it embellishes the front door.”

Bay trees

Bay trees have been cultivated since ancient times. The ancient Greeks used laurel wreaths, made from bay foliage, to crown winning athletes in the Olympic Games. The Romans, meanwhile, awarded them to victorious warriors and poets.

Bay trees are a popular choice for entrances because of their dark, evergreen foliage, their proclivity towards containers, and the fact that they can be clipped into smart shapes. They are also a favourite of Domoney: “They’re great, because all year round they’ll give that lush, green colour.”

Bay trees prefer a light, sunny location partially shaded will also work and require regular watering and feeding. They can survive in any aspect, and can withstand the brunt of most UK winters, but if temperatures drop below -5 degrees, wrap them or move them inside to avoid damage to the foliage.

Type of doorway: any aspect, exposed or sheltered, but with sun or partial shade

Olive tree

Bring the Mediterranean to your front door with an olive tree. These are rugged, evergreen trees with simple, silver-green leaves. Despite their warmer origins, olive trees can grow and thrive in colder UK climates – although they are unlikely to bear fruit. Their tough, adaptable nature, which even has the capacity to regenerate from the base when damaged by fire, has earned them the nickname “tree of eternity”.

Olive trees do well in containers and would suit a south-facing doorway with full sun. Keep the soil relatively dry, watering occasionally. They’ll grow slowly, reaching a maximum of 30 feet.

Type of doorway: sheltered, sunny, south-facing

Chinese holly

Also known as horned holly, this is a slow-growing, dense shrub which will grow to around eight feet in height. With holly’s distinctive glossy, spiny leaves, the female varieties will produce white flowers which will transform into red berries around autumn. These should not be eaten and can potentially be harmful to pets.

Because of its dense foliage, Chinese holly is often used to create privacy. It is a tough, low-maintenance plant that is suitable for many different doorways, whether they are exposed, sheltered, sunny or partially shady. Plant them high, exposing the taper at the base of the trunk, and keep the soil moist but well-drained.

Type of doorway: any, with the exception of a fully-shaded door.

Bamboo

“Bamboo can add screening for privacy as well as structure to a doorway,” says Domoney. “They are dramatic plants – and can be a real showstopper.”

There are two main types of bamboo: running and clump-forming. Runners will spread rapidly, so it’s safest to choose a clump-forming variety which will remain more controlled. Planting bamboo in a large container will help with this: dig a hole that is twice the size of the rootball, and plant it so that the rootball sits level with the surface. Bamboo needs sun and moist, fertile soil, but will otherwise require little maintenance. If your plant does grow more than your liking, don’t be afraid to trim it back.

Type of doorway: there are varieties for most doorways. Most like sunny or partially shaded entrances

Best all-year-round front door plants

If you like the idea of having plants outside your entrance but don’t want the hassle of replacing them between seasons, here are some of the best all-year-round plants to go for.

Cyclamen

Cyclamen is a popular choice for front doors because it is one of the few plants that will provide colour even in the dead of winter. Hardy cyclamen like partially shady conditions, and flower in the autumn and winter, giving beautiful pink blooms and attractive heart-shaped leaves. Do not plant them too deep, though, or they may struggle to flower. And watch out for mice or squirrels, which may try to dig up the tubers.

“It’s almost as if their leaves have been hand-painted,” says Domoney. “A little bit of lime green, a touch of silver, an emerald centre and beautiful vein markings. And then you’ve got the flowers: these upright, standard-like flowers that are swept back.”

Type of doorway: partially shaded

Hellebore

Like cyclamen, hellebores are a hardy perennial variety with a long flowering period. Their flowers, which can last from winter through to spring, come in white, pink, purple and green, and are set amongst rich evergreen leaves. They come in smaller varieties, while the Hellborus argutifolius and H. foetidus can both grow to around three feet. Most hellebores prefer light shade, away from extremes of light and temperature.

“The best thing about hellebores is that they flower during late autumn,” says Domoney. “Depending on the season, there’s no reason why this can’t flower well into the winter months and early in spring too.”

Type of doorway: partially shaded, no extremes, but some species differ

Skimmia japonica

Skimmia japonica is a low-maintenance shrub with leathery evergreen leaves. During the winter, they are peppered with tiny red buds, which bloom into white or greenish flowers in spring.

There are a range of varieties, from the popular ‘Rubella’, with hundreds of fragrant white flowers, to the ‘Fragrans’, with aromatic green leaves and tiny flowers. Skimmia japonica have the benefit of being hardy plants, suitable for doorsteps of all aspects. Plant them in rich, moist soil and keep them in spot with plenty of shade. It’s a good idea to wear gloves when handling them, and their fruits should not be eaten.

Type of doorway: Shady, suitable for all aspects

Bergenia

Known as elephant’s ears for their large, shield-shaped leaves, bergenia are tropical plants that are easy to grow and maintain. Better still, they are extremely adaptable and will thrive in sunny or shady doorsteps, even in poor soil. Their only preference is to be kept away from cold winds, and for their soil not to be too wet.

Bergenia’s glossy leaves have year-round appeal, changing colour with the seasons. In winter, their leaves can take on striking red or purple hues which will add a wow factor to your doorstep. In spring, expect clusters of flowers, usually pink or white, but occasionally red or purple. It’s a good idea to cut off any winter-damaged leaves before flowering to showcase the spring blooms.

Type of doorway: varieties for all entrance types; most can be planted in sun or shade

Commonly Asked Questions