Flowering bush for windy yard

We live on a golf course and get tremendous wind year round. I want to plant some bushes strategically in the yard to create some wind break. Please don't suggest Arborvitae (blagh!) I'd like something with color - whether it's from flowers, leaves or berries. We live outside of Chicago (zone 5). Normally winters are reasonable although this last winter was horriffic with sub zero temps for weeks on end. I need something hardy is what I'm trying to say!

Any help would be really appreciated!

would I be correct to assume you want evergreen?

I would look into shrubs that have a gloss to their leaves, I cant say ALL these shrubs will not have some damage BUT they are inclined to recover quicker than other soft leaved plants / shrubs.

Look up things like:

Eucalyptus, There are several type, some grow into beautiful tree's, others can be cut / pruned to form a shape like Topiary, OR make an attractive hedge to give shelter, higher for privacy or just to enjoy the smell from the foliage. Make sure you check for hardiness in your area as some WONT grow for you.

Camellias, Again check for hardiness as some are as tough as old boots, others need shelter from walls or other form of shelter , some are perfumed, but all have lovely flowers, they do loose their leaves in winter but worth planting beside other shrubs small tree's.

Escallonia, has lovely small Red, or Pink flowers and has very shinny leaves, again, can be hedge height, or allowed to grow as high as required, it takes cutting / pruning as much as you need.

Viburnum, there are many, look for ones that give you the beautiful flowers, some perfumed.
They may loose leaves in winter.

Rhododendrons, there are many, different in size, different in leaf colour, some have deep russet colours under the leaf. Small flowers in clusters, larger clusters and as many colours of flowers as you can get anywhere. these are evergreen.

Ilex (Holly) again there are as many beautiful different leaf shape, some without the sharp prickles, some with yellow verges around the leaf and plenty of berries, some ALL yellow leaf, look for a pair or one mail plant to several female plants as you need this for berries, I must tell you the names of Ilex are confusing ie: Golden KING is a FEMALE plant, and Golden QUEEN is MALE plant, so do remember to ask IF you want those plants.
Aquifolium type of Ilex is a large collection of different and is a large variety of plants with all different leaf colours, different berries and different sizes when growing ALL can be kept in check with proper pruning and in-fact pruning at the tips or the branches encourages bushier plants at a young stage and helps give the red, yellow or white tipped immature leaf colours, they are ALL evergreen, don't be confused by the holly you see in Christmas decorations, these are a large family and take no special attention.

Once you get the hedge /shelter belt made with the toughest type of plants to suit your soil conditions, light, shade from buildings, add as much humus to the soil as these plants have to grow in that area for many years, you can add other more tender type shrubs that will be sheltered from those strong winds by placing them in front of the tougher plants, this gives you a wider diversity of colour, flower, perfume even from foliage it also allow you to underplant with maybe spring bulbs, there is lot's to give you shelter / privacy without loosing beauty from your windows. BUT take your time to think about it as buying plants can be costly especially IF you use the wrong plants for the conditions you have.
Hope this gives you some food for though, take your time.
Look around the planted area's in your neighbourhood as this gives the best info of what grows well and do you like the plants, ask the names or take pictures to remind you of that plant and what grows well with it.

Good luck and ask any questions you need answers to.
Kindest Regards.
WeeNel.

I would not try Camellias or Eucalyptus in a freezing wind, look into the most durable shrubs that grow in a zone perhaps one number colder than yours.
Escallonia, perhaps.
Euonymus, Rhamnus, Prunus and other shrubs with a reputation for being tough are better choices.
Then plant the nicer things in the lee of these shrubs.

Wind control:
If you can filter the wind, slow it down, this is better than having it hit a solid wall of shrubs. If wind hits a solid wall it is deflected up and over, then crashes into the 'protected' area, sometimes worse than if you had let it blow.
By having an open mesh of plants (perhaps a mix of deciduous and evergreen) the wind is slowed, some is deflected, but enough comes through to prevent the wind from crashing down on the other side of the hedge.
Another way to help (if you have room) is to plant several rows or areas of plants that gradually lift the wind up. A low, medium, then high arrangement, spread over a large area.
Another way to help (again, if the layout permits) is to direct the wind to one side or the other, or even both ways. Think of the way a boat moves through the water, point first to split the water. Planting a hedge with the point aimed into the wind can guide the wind away from the area you want to protect.

A mixed planting, even if there are not showy flowers can be interesting because of different textures and shades of green. Fall color can add interest.

Wow! Thank you everyone for your comments. Was looking for this level of variety - some evergreen, some deciduous so this gives me some great ideas to look into. I wasn't looking to plant the "wall" so these ideas give me what I needed and things that I hadn't even considered.

Thank you so much!

Here is a good way to get started:

Draw a scale drawing of the area on some graph paper.

Include the house, and all the property you own or are allowed to plant.
Indicate the main direction and season or time of day the wind blows.
Indicate the secondary direction and season.
Rough in the areas you want protected from the wind. An outdoor area like a patio would probably be high priority. A service yard is not so important.

Then see how much room you have, where you can deflect the wind, and where it will go if you do try to direct it somewhere else. Then you can check what your planting options are.