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For many homeowners, there’s no greater source of pride than a beautifully landscaped yard. The plants surrounding your home, specifically your front door, do more than boost curb appeal; they create your home’s first impression. While certain types of plants and flowers may look beautiful at the garden center, there are some plants that create headaches once they’re established, from invasive root systems and structural damage to thorny branches and unwanted pests.
When choosing plants for an entryway, it’s important to think beyond aesthetics and consider how they’ll grow and their subsequent impact over time. A plant that starts out small and manageable can quickly overwhelm a walkway, damage nearby structures, or become virtually impossible to move. We turned to gardening and landscaping experts to find out which plants you should avoid placing near your front door and what to consider instead.
Bamboo
Sumala Chidchoi – Getty Images
(Sumala Chidchoi – Getty Images)
Bamboo is often admired for its architectural appearance and fast growth, but those same qualities make it problematic when placed near any sort of entryway. “Running bamboo is an aggressive plant you’ll never find me using in a bed near a house,” says Marissa Angell, founder of Angell Landscape Architecture. “The roots can be disruptive to building foundations, and once it’s in a plant bed you’re never getting rid of it.”
Jacob Romkee, owner of Vintage Lawn Service and member of Thumbtack’s Advisory Board, has experienced similar issues firsthand. “Bamboo grows extremely quickly, sometimes inches a day, and once it takes hold it can’t be fully removed,” he explains. The plant’s sprawling underground root network takes hold quickly, spreading both deep and wide into the soil. If you love the look, consider reserving bamboo for contained areas where its spread can be carefully managed instead.
Mint
Jena Ardell – Getty Images
(Jena Ardell – Getty Images)
Fresh, fragrant, and useful in the kitchen, mint may seem like the perfect addition to adorn your front entryway. Unfortunately, similarly to bamboo, mint has the tendency to spread far beyond where it’s planted.
“It’s far too aggressive a plant and will [take over] your walkways and foundation beds in no time,” says Tammy Sons, founder and CEO of TN Nursery. Mint spreads by way of underground runners that travel far beyond the area where you originally planted it. If you love mint and want to grow it, opting to plant it in a container is the best option.
English Ivy
cscredon – Getty Images
(cscredon – Getty Images)
English ivy may create a romantic storybook aesthetic, but experts overwhelmingly recommend keeping it away from homes. “English ivy is a no-no for us,” says Angell. “If it’s allowed to climb on a structure, it can harbor pests and damage masonry.”
“Its adhesive rootlets cling tightly to surfaces and grow into cracks and crevices, damaging structures as they spread and mature,” adds Tess Renusch, lead native plant habitat expert at the National Wildlife Federation. Beyond structural concerns, English ivy is considered invasive in many parts of the country and can be difficult to control once established.
Wisteria
Anna Blazhuk – Getty Images
(Anna Blazhuk – Getty Images)
When in bloom, few plants are as breathtaking and eye-catching as wisteria. However, its beauty typically comes with fairly significant maintenance requirements. “Wisteria is absolutely stunning when it blooms, but if it’s right up near your door or foundation, it can take over a walkway very quickly, break a gutter, and create problems,” explains Romkee.
Sons agrees, cautioning that given “enough time, and those vines will be the undoing of your columns and trim.” If you want to grow wisteria, experts suggest training it on a sturdy pergola or structure located well away from your house. You’ll still get to take in all of its beauty without potential damage to your home or front yard. You’ll also want to make sure the wisteria you’re growing is native to your area, as some varieties are considered invasive.
Thorny Roses
Dmytro Ostashuk – Getty Images
(Dmytro Ostashuk – Getty Images)
Roses are classic cottage-garden favorites, and there’s no denying how elegant they are or how lovely they smell. But, placing thorny varieties right next to your front entrance can create practical challenges. “While roses are stunning focal plants, many varieties still contain thorns that are better suited farther from high-traffic entry points,” says Wes Harvell, a rosarian at Jackson & Perkins. If you love roses, they are better planted farther back in your garden where they can be enjoyed without creating a hazard for your family members or guests.
Barberry
Elizabeth Fernandez – Getty Images
(Elizabeth Fernandez – Getty Images)
Barberry’s colorful foliage may make it attractive to some homeowners, but Angell says it’s a plant she avoids entirely. “Other than the sheer ecological disruptive capacity of this plant, it creates the perfect breeding ground for ticks,” she explains. Because of both its invasive tendencies and its ability to harbor pests, many landscaping experts recommend choosing alternative shrubs instead.
Tall Ornamental Grasses
Alona Krytska – Getty Images
(Alona Krytska – Getty Images)
Ornamental grasses can add beautiful movement and texture to any landscape, but it’s important to consider the variety before planting. Certain types of these lush grasses can quickly overwhelm the front of your home. “Ornamental grasses of a certain size can block your view and overtake the entrance if you aren’t careful,” says Sons. Rather than placing them near the front door, she recommends using larger varieties along property lines or in areas where they have plenty of room to reach their mature size.
Large Trees
NoDerog – Getty Images
(NoDerog – Getty Images)
Experts generally discourage planting trees close to a home’s entryway or foundation. As trees mature, roots can begin to interfere with walkways and foundations, while branches may obstruct views or create maintenance concerns. “I don’t recommend planting any trees close to the house,” says Romkee. “By the front door, you want plants you can keep small and controlled.”
Certain species present additional challenges, too. Sons points to Bradford pear trees, for example, which are known for weak branching and unpleasant-smelling blooms. Another example is the sweet gum tree, whose spiky seed balls can create slipping hazards along your walkways.
Aggressive Vegetable Vines
Khanh Bui – Getty Images
(Khanh Bui – Getty Images)
Vegetable vines may seem charming in theory, but they can quickly become unruly, verging on unmanageable, near your front entrance. “Pumpkin and squash may seem quaint at first, but they will run all over your walkway and make a mess,” says Sons. “Let the vegetable vines have their head in the garden bed.” This gives these fast-growing plants room to spread freely.
Plants That Attract Pollinators
Martin Wahlborg – Getty Images
(Martin Wahlborg – Getty Images)
Pollinator-friendly plants play an important role in supporting local ecosystems, but planting them requires a certain degree of strategic thinking. “Plants with heavy blooms and strong fragrance can create constant pollinator traffic right at your entryway,” says Harvell.
While varieties like lavender are beautiful and beneficial, they are better suited to areas away from frequently used doors. Doing so allows you to support bees and butterflies while keeping the space around your entrance comfortable for guests, deliveries, and everyday comings and goings.
What Should You Plant Near Your Front Door Instead?
While there are certainly a number of plants to avoid when landscaping the area around your front door, there are still plenty of gorgeous options that are up to the job. When selecting plants for your entryway, experts recommend focusing on varieties that are easy to control, appropriately scaled for the space, and unlikely to interfere with your home over time. Some popular examples include gardenias, hydrangeas, begonias, boxwood, Japanese holly, and myrtle topiary, among others.
“For any plant near your door or close to your house, it’s best to keep it at least three to four feet away from the structure,” says Romkee. The goal is to create a welcoming entrance that remains beautiful and manageable for years to come. By choosing well-behaved plants and giving them adequate room to grow, you’ll spend less time fighting overgrowth and more time enjoying your landscape.
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