This front yard planting is built from sweeps and drifts of foliage-first, low-maintenance plants, and it has a pleasing progression through the seasons. Acer griseum, the paperbark maple, anchors it. Its peeling, copper-colored bark gives it interest all year and stands out most in winter, and it has good fall color. It's a bit gangly when young, so give it time. If you already have a tree of similar size that does a similar job, this combination can be used to build out around it.

Evergreens hold the frame year-round. Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Duke Gardens' is a durable plum yew, chosen for its low, spreading habit. Helleborus argutifolius, Corsican hellebore, has bold, toothy evergreen foliage and apple-green flowers in late winter. Cryptomeria japonica 'Black Dragon' is a conifer with dense, deep green foliage. It's especially effective next to larger or variegated leaves, like the hellebore's bold foliage and the golden Japanese forest grass.

Each spring, Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' emerges fresh and yellow, then fills out into waving masses of golden foliage that light up the ground plane through summer. In fall it dies back, and it often stays attractive after it turns tawny brown. When it stops looking good or collapses, cut the whole plant down to the crown. Geranium 'Gerwat' Rozanne adds blue flowers through summer. Quick Fire hydrangea blooms early for a panicle hydrangea. Its flowers open cream, age to pink through summer, and take on darker tones into fall, and the dried flower heads stay attractive on the bare branches after the leaves drop.

The combination suits part sun with average to regular water. Protect it from hot afternoon sun.

Maintenance is easy. The paperbark maple needs minimal pruning and is best left alone. 'Duke Gardens' can be pruned to control its size or to remove an errant upward shoot, which keeps the low, spreading habit it was chosen for. 'Black Dragon' plants on the market vary a lot: some grow very slowly, while others move along at a faster clip. If yours gets out of scale, prune it. Cryptomerias take well to pruning because they resprout from old wood, but don't let that tempt you into overdoing it. Cut Rozanne back after its first round of bloom for a second show. The hellebore benefits from a once-a-year cutback. Enjoy the apple-green flowers, and when the flowering stems flop, attract aphids, or stop looking good, cut each one to the ground; the plant will refresh itself from the crown. Quick Fire blooms on new wood, so it can be pruned in spring.

A planting plan for this combination is available to purchase and download. It includes seven layouts:
— A rectangular bed, 30 by 10 feet, with a path through it, viewed from all sides.
— A rectangular bed, 16 by 10 feet, designed to be viewed from one side.
— An L-shaped bed, 15 by 15 feet, viewed from all sides.
— The same L-shaped bed, arranged to be viewed from inside the curve.
— A rectangular bed, 40 by 10 feet, with two trees and a path, viewed from all sides.
— A kidney-shaped island bed, about 12 by 20 feet, viewed from all sides.
— A 12-by-6-foot bed without the tree, viewed from one side, for a similar effect where there's no room for the maple.
Buy and download the planting plan.