Sweet Olive Flower Plant

For a fragrant option, sweet olive (Osmanthus fragrans) has pleasant-smelling small flowers that bloom during fall, winter, and spring, adding subtle interest to the landscape. "The blooms are small and not super showy, but they definitely have an appealing scent," says Abdi.

Azalea flowers

Azaleas are known for their vibrant pink blooms, which add vibrant color to the garden. While not all azalea varieties are good for privacy, some can grow to be up to 10 feet tall and look beautiful as a living fence.

Camellia flower plant

Camellias have very showy, pink, yellow, red, or white flowers—with some varieties even blooming during winter. This pollinator-friendly shrub has thick foliage that can create a beautiful privacy hedge in the landscape.

Bollywood Azalea Flowers

Some small shrubs make a splash with their leaves,  while others “wow” with their flowers. However, if you want to lean into the “more is more” aesthetic, you can’t go wrong with a Bollywood azalea (Rhododendron ‘Farrow’).  This option might be small—it only grows to be about 3 feet tall—but it has variegated leaves and bright pink flowers that command attention. Another thing to love about this semi-evergreen? It’s a total magnet for bees and butterflies, which will give your space an idyllic edge.

Little Lime Hydrangea Flowers

Craving a “wow” moment? Though these shrubs only grow to be 3 to 5 feet tall, their poofy, conical clusters of flowers are the horticultural equivalent of costume jewelry. “They produce beautiful pale green and white flowers that transition to light pink and mauve in the fall, providing extended seasonal interest,” Niemann says. “These blooms dry well, offering winter beauty and making excellent cut flowers.”

Dwarf Korean Lilac Flowers

Tapping out at about 5 feet tall, dwarf Korean lilac (Syringa Meyeri 'Palibin') might be one of the bigger options on this list; however, several gardening pros said this option shouldn’t be overlooked. “The dwarf Korean lilac is known for its fragrant, lavender-pink flowers that bloom profusely in late spring,” says Tony O’Neill, author, expert horticulturist, and founder of Simplify Gardening. “It's a fantastic choice for adding fragrance and color to your garden." To make your lilacs stand out, O’Neill recommends pruning immediately after flowering to promote healthy growth and blooming.

Spirea flowers

For a jolt of color that has a hint of whimsy, you might want to consider a spirea shrub or two. O’Neill is partial to the “gold mound” spirea (Spiraea Japonica), which has vibrant yellow foliage and clusters of pink flowers. Though this species only grows 2 to 3 feet, its can’t-miss scheme will make it stand out. “It's a low-maintenance shrub that adds a pop of color throughout the growing season,” he adds. It’s easy to manage, too: Once this shrub is established, it’s low-maintenance, drought-resistant, and requires minimal pruning.

Buddleja Tutti Frutti Flowers

Speaking of animal-attracting shrubs, consider adding a buddleja tutti frutti to your garden. (These colorful, flowering plants are so notorious for drawing butterflies near them that it’s literally nicknamed “butterfly bush.”) Of course, there’s more to this option than its critter-commanding capabilities. “This wonderfully well-behaved, compact 'butterfly bush' only grows to a neat and compact 24 to 28 inches tall,” says Pim Dickson, horticulturist expert at a garden retailer called Mr Fothergill’s. “Reliable and easy to grow, with its luminously bright fuchsia-pink flower spikes, this is a stunning yet exceptionally versatile little shrub, ideal for any size planting scheme, patio borders, and containers.”

Silverbush flowers

As the Silverbush (Convolvulus Cneorum) proves, you don’t need bright blooms to make a statement. This compact shrub, which can typically grow up to 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide, offers plenty of visual intrigue with its trumpeted flowers. “The leaves provide a lovely contrast to the green shades of other garden plants, to get the very best out of both,” Dickson says.  “It shows good drought tolerance, so is perfect for patio containers or as a focal point in small borders or dots planted in larger schemes.”  The only drawback to this shrub is it’s not fully frost-hardy, so it’s best to place it in a sunny, sheltered spot so it can survive the winter.

Bearberry flowers

Anyone who is looking to keep pesky weeds at bay will find a lot to love about a bearberry shrub (Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi). These low-slung perennials typically max out at 6 to 12 inches high, making them an excellent choice for ground cover. But don’t write this small shrub off as “strictly practical” just yet: This species often produces small, cherry-like berries that add to their curb appeal. (These berries are edible—and bears reportedly love them—but humans tend to find them tasteless.) Best of all? They’re relatively low-maintenance and are even salt-resistant, making them a great choice for anyone who lives near the ocean.