Having a mailbox that’s located near the road is pretty common in certain areas. This is usually going to be where mailboxes are located in rural areas.
Sometimes you might have issues with the mailbox being bothered by animals. For instance, dogs might pee on the mailbox.
You can try to deter dogs by planting certain plants around the mailbox. There are actually quite a few options.
Read on to get general ideas for what to plant around your mailbox. This will show you what you can do to get good results.
1 – Aloe
Aloe is great to plant near your mailbox when you want to deter dogs. It can help to keep dogs at bay because it’s a prickly type of plant.
This is a plant that does best in dry conditions, though. It might not always be practical to plant near your mailbox.
Whether this will work out or not depends on the conditions in your area. Regardless, it’s good to know that dogs usually don’t like going near aloe.
2 – Holly
Holly bushes or holly plants are also prickly options that will deter dogs. You could plant hollies on either side of your mailbox to try to keep dogs from peeing on it.
The red berries are eye-catching and you’ll likely enjoy how nice these plants look. It’ll add some aesthetic appeal to the side of the road while also protecting the mailbox from stray dogs.
It’s likely that planting holly bushes will be more practical than planting aloe plants. You can easily purchase hollies from a local garden center.
What if You Just Want the Area to Look Nice?
Not everyone is worried about keeping dogs at bay. You might want to plant flowers and plants near the mailbox for purely aesthetic purposes.
In this situation, you have so many neat plants to choose from. Below, you’ll learn about some of the most popular mailbox garden flowers and plants.
3 – Purple Verbena
Purple verbena might be one of the first options that you should consider. These gorgeous purple flowers are truly going to make your yard look that much nicer.
These plants have the potential to grow pretty tall. It can grow up to six feet tall and three feet wide.
Purple verbena plants bloom starting in the late summer. They bloom until the winter when it starts to get frosty, and they thrive in USDA zones 6 through 8.
4 – Stonecrop
Stonecrop is an option that people turn to when looking for border plants. You’ll like this if you want to add some color to the mailbox area late in the season.
This plant has foliage with a beet-red appearance. It produces dark pink flowers that bloom during the late days of summer.
It’s a drought-tolerant plant that grows nicely in partial shade. It can also do well in full sun when you live in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 10.
5 – Petunias
Petunias are among the most well-loved mailbox garden flowers. This is because the plant produces large flowers that are rather beautiful.
It’s also good that these plants are drought-tolerant. They can deal with heat rather easily as well.
If you’re looking for flowers that bloom during the warm months of the year, you’ll be happy to know that petunias bloom from the early days of spring and last until the fall. This could be the perfect choice to brighten the area around your mailbox.
6 – Poppies
Poppies are beautiful flowers that are fairly easy to take care of. One of the best reasons to plant these flowers is that they will add color to the area.
You can find poppies that come in a few different colors. It’s also fairly simple to find poppies that will thrive in your area.
Many types of poppies are even drought-tolerant. These plants should grow well in full sun, too
7 – Yarrow
Yarrow is a type of perennial that does great in full sun. If your mailbox is in a very sunny spot, this will be a good plant to consider.
Plant a yarrow plant in well-draining soil and it’ll do well. The golden-yellow flowers that this plant produces will surely look nice next to your mailbox.
These plants bloom from June until sometime in September. To get good results, you’ll need to live in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8.
8 – Rosemary
Rosemary is a good mailbox garden plant. It grows in full sun and you’ll love the flowers that it produces.
This plant has pale blue and white flowers when it blooms. It’s a plant that smells really nice, and it’s easy to shape so long as you do a bit of pruning.
Keeping a rosemary plant near the mailbox will help the area to look more attractive. You can easily shape the plant properly so it’ll look appropriate next to the mailbox.
9 – Clematis
The clematis plant is a type of buttercup that you’re going to enjoy quite a bit. This one is worth consideration because it produces blooms that are large and gorgeous.
You can also get this plant to grow on your mailbox if you’re so inclined. It’s common for people to grow these climbing plants on walls and fences.
If you live somewhere in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9, it’ll be worthwhile to look into this plant. It could be the unique mailbox garden opportunity that you’ve been waiting for.
10 – Pampas Grass
Pampas grass is a different type of plant to go with that might appeal to you. This is a type of ornamental grass that can grow to be very tall.
It has the potential to grow up to thirteen feet tall and it can be six feet wide. You’ll have to keep it under control if you want to plant it near the mailbox.
People like planting this near the mailbox for privacy purposes. It does a great job of maintaining a border to separate the rest of your yard from the mailbox area.
11 – Lavender
Lavender is a good option to go with simply because it’s hardy. These plants are going to do fine when planted near the side of the road.
Unlike some of the other options so far, lavender plants will be okay when exposed to roadside salts. These plants also happen to look really nice.
Planting lavender by the mailbox will make things look nicer. It’ll also be great to have a plant that’s simple to maintain.
12 – Daylilies
Daylilies are incredibly popular roadside plant options. It’s easy to fit them in a little garden near your mailbox area.
These flowers last for a really long time, too. You won’t have to divide them very often and you can find them in so many different varieties.
For many, daylilies will be among the best options to consider. Look into some of the different daylily varieties to see if they suit your fancy.
13 – Hostas
Is the area near your mailbox rather shady? In that case, you’d do well to plant hostas by the mailbox.
Hostas tolerate shady areas well and they look rather pretty. They might have problems with roadside salts, but the common hosta varieties are less susceptible.
You must keep up on watering these plants, though. That means it’ll require a bit of effort to keep them looking nice near the mailbox.
14 – Ferns
Ferns make sense when you want to place a plant that will add to the overall look of the area. They can help to define your mailbox area, and they’ll be easy to maintain.
Shady areas will be perfect choices for ferns. You don’t need to worry about these plants when they don’t get a lot of sun exposure.
You might find ferns to be a bit boring if you want a colorful mailbox plant, though. Even so, it’s good to know that ferns are an option when the area near your mailbox is incredibly shady.
15 – Columbine
Columbines are short-lived perennial options. They are shade-tolerant to an extent, too.
One neat aspect of planting columbines is that they will keep coming back. The plant seeds itself, and you can keep enjoying the plant perpetually even after the original plant dies.
You’ll enjoy the look of columbines, too. Plant these near the mailbox, and they’ll surely help the area to stand out in a positive way.
16 – Creeping Juniper
The creeping juniper is a great choice when you want a hardy shrub. This is a shrub that will look pretty while still being capable of surviving the harsh conditions near the road.
It should stand up well to roadside salts and drought issues. Also, it’ll be easy enough to care for so long as you don’t mind pruning it when necessary.
Final Thoughts
You have plenty of options to consider when looking for plants to go next to your mailbox. Some might wish to use plants that will deter dogs.
Others will simply be looking for good plants that will look nice. If you want to add aesthetic appeal to the mailbox area, it’s likely wise to buy hardy plants that can add a bit of color.
Of course, ornamental grass options can also be good. You can plant flowers next to the mailbox, but you might want to go with a shrub if you’re worried about harsh conditions near the road.
Pick a good option that will work and meet your expectations. Remember that whatever you choose must thrive in the USDA hardiness zone that you live in.
I have a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When I’m not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies…I’m at home with my wife, two daughters and a dog. Outside of family, I love grilling and barbequing on my Big Green Egg and working on projects around the house.