Woodland Garden with Four Season Appeal

This plant combination for a part sun woodland garden features the perfect balance of fabulous foliage and pretty flowers. Use these plants to create a layered garden; beautiful from sky to ground—year-round! From the canopy created by the dogwood tree, to the meaty mid-plane that provides bulk and all-year screening, and finally to the ground, which is carpeted with evergreen perennials with wonderful foliage and seasonal flowers.

It packs a visual punch thanks to its varied foliage colors, different size and shape of leaves, and contrasting textures. Perfect for a front yard, or courtyard. 

Because it has plenty of evergreen plants, this combination of plants can be used to create a privacy hedge or screen. 

Clever color echoes knit the scene together. For example, a thread of yellow is carried throughout: the emerging foliage of the plum yew; the cascading hummock of lime-yellow foliage on the Deutzia; and the bright variegation of the Japanese aralia knit the scene together. In spring, the vivid magenta-red blooms of the hellebore speak to the bright pink fringe flowers and the purple foliage of the Loropetalum.


Growing Conditions

Zone: 8
Exposure: Part Sun, Part Shade, Filtered Sun, Morning Sun, Open Shade
Water Needs: Regular / Even, Average

Design Considerations

Style: Naturalistic, Northwest Eclectic, Woodland
Features: Fabulous Foliage, Four Season Appeal, Varied Foliage, Texture, and Form, Winter Interest
Focus: Curb Appeal, Mixed Border, Pleasing Seasonal Flow, Year-round Interest, Privacy and Screening
Seasons of Interest: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, Pleasing Seasonal Changes, Year-round Interest, Three Seasons of Interest

Care and Maintenance


Maintenance Level: low
Maintenance Tasks: Deadheading, Prune annually



Plants In this Combo