Plant Colors to Match Your Home's Exterior

The exterior design of your home is just as important as the interior. We've paired our favorite plants (with care tips) with every style home to help you take your home's curb appeal up a notch during colder months.

By: Julie Martens Forney

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Photo By: Kori Clark

Light Blue Exterior With Wood Shutters

Plant No. 1: The stems of coral bark Japanese maple glow in the winter landscape with tones of bright salmon. The bark color is strongest on trees grown in full sun, although plants do survive in filtered sunlight. Plant No. 2: Variegated evergreen leaves of winter daphne stand out in the landscape. Give plants part or full shade for success, and protect plants from afternoon sun. Daphne bursts into bloom in winter with pink buds that unfurl to reveal fragrant white blossoms. Plant No. 3: Fill an entryway with Matrix pansies in ruby, rose and white shades. Matrix pansy flowers have thicker petals that stand up to winter weather without melting. Even frost doesn’t take out Matrix flowers. Plant in fall to help plants establish root systems before winter weather arrives.

Natural Stone Exterior With Stucco

Plant No. 1: A dwarf version of native sumac, Tiger Eyes brings strong multi-season interest to the garden. Look for vibrant orange shades in autumn, accented with raspberry red berry spikes that linger through winter. Protect young plants from deer during the first few winters. Plant No. 2: Techny Arborvitae can fill several roles in the landscape. Plant it as a dense privacy hedge or as a vertical accent in a shrub border. It also adds a strong formal element to driveways or home entries. Water regularly during the first year to establish a strong root system, and shear annually in spring to shape. Plant No. 3: The Matrix Lavender Shades pansy is a large-flowered pansy that holds its own in planting beds or containers. Plants withstand frosts well if you plant in fall. Blooms offer fragrance and stand up to winter rains.

Red Brick Exterior With White Pillars

Plant No. 1: Blue oat grass is a cool-season grass, which means it puts on its strongest growth during cool seasons. The secret to keeping it in its bluest state is raking in early spring and fall, raking dead leaves and thatch from the crown of the plant. Plant No. 2: When growing hollies, you need both a male and female plant to get berries. Berri-Magic Kids’ holly takes the guesswork out of berry making by combining both male and female plants in the same pot. The red berries sparkle among deep green leaves, and they grow to a size that suits modern yards 6-8 feet tall and 3-6 feet wide. Plant No. 3: Finish the planting with a splash of white from flowering cabbage. The color stays strong through winter chill and light snows. Alternate cabbages with the blue oat grass for an eye-catching design in planting beds. Both cabbages and oat grass can hold their own in porch containers, too.

White Exterior With Black Shutters

Plant No. 1: The native winterberry holly forms a stunning winter hedge decked with bright red berries all winter long. It's quite large, so look for smaller, dwarf forms. You’ll need a male plant to pollinate with a female one to produce berries. Ask the garden center to help you get the right male. Winterberry is a great choice for a soggy area. Plant No. 2: Dwarf Norway spruce brings tidy beauty to the landscape, forming a 3-4 foot globe. Plants thrive in colder weather and full sun, but tolerate light shade. This spruce stands up to zone 3 winters with ease. Plant No. 3: Nemesia is a true old-fashioned favorite, but breeding breakthroughs have transformed this nostalgic charmer into a flower powerhouse. In regions with mild winters, plants bloom all winter long. In other areas, plant in fall for a floral display until heavy frost arrives. Tuck into pots on a porch, and they will last longer in any zone.

Dark Blue Exterior With White Trim

Plant No. 1: To keep the red twig dogwood stems at their reddest, prune at least one-third of stems back to six inches in early spring. Wait to prune until plants are at least three years old. Plant No. 2: Brighten your landscape with the colorful leaves of 'Evergold' Japanese sedge. Plant in moist soil (or provide water consistently) for strongest growth. The brightest hues develop on plants in part to full shade, but plants grow well in full sun. Cut stems to the ground in late winter. Plant No. 3: Bring on the cold, and still enjoy a floral show with Matrix Coastal Sunrise Mixture pansy. The secret to success with this cold-tolerant bloomer is planting in the ground in early fall in the coldest regions, so root systems are established before the harsh cold arrives.

Brown Brick Exterior With Stone

Plant No. 1: Dark green leaves are a great complement to a brown brick exterior. North Pole Arborvitae resists winter burn, which means leaves maintain a steady deep green no matter how bitter the cold. Plants have a smaller footprint, making them ideal for narrow garden spaces or accent plants. Plant No. 2: Choose the tidy spruce, Papoose Sitka Colorado Blue Spruce, for an entry garden or to provide an accent in a formal planting bed. The plant prefers acidic soil and doesn’t tolerate high heat. This slow-growing spruce only grows two inches per year, making it a great choice for containers. Plant No. 3: The deep red blooms of Promise Ice Angels Camellia contrast beautifully with brown brick tones. For best growth, maintain a 3-inch mulch layer to help keep roots cool. After flowering, apply an acid fertilizer. Prune in spring after all flowers have faded.

Tan With Dark Blue Trim

Plant No. 1: Plant Sky Pointer or Sky Pencil Japanese holly for a strong vertical accent in planting beds or containers. Pruning isn’t necessary to maintain the strong upright growth because it grows that way naturally. Japanese holly grows best in moist soil that drains well. Plant No. 2: Bright red berries of Redwing viburnum steal the landscape spotlight in early winter, lasting until birds flock to your yard to feast on the red fruits. Use viburnum as a natural hedge, and plant more than one for best fruit set. Plant No. 3: Bold color is the gift that red ornamental kale brings to any landscape or container planting. Leaves stand up to late season frosts and early winter snows. Keep an eye out for caterpillars in mild winter regions. In cold winter areas, don’t forget to water plants in containers when soil is not frozen.

Gray Exterior

Plant No. 1: Dress up winter views with the purple berry-laden stems of 'Profusion' beautyberry. This native shrub displays its berries best against a solid backdrop. Prune in late winter if needed, but it’s not necessary. They look great as a free-form shrub in full sun to part shade. Plant No. 2: Lighten a dark gray wall with the colorful leaves and berried branches of a variegated English holly. Cream-edged leaves glow in the depth of winter, and red berry accents look great. Plants need a male partner to form berries. Plant No. 3: Deep sangria blooms bring an artist’s touch to planting beds or containers outside a gray thome. Matrix Sangria pansy stands up to any winter weather. For best performance, plant before severe cold arrives.