Great Garden Combo: 9 Plants for an Intriguing Entrance

A garden entrance should be like a trail marker, promising adventure. Seattle designer Mitch Evans creates a year-round tapestry using trees, shrubs, grasses, and perennials with an emphasis on foliage color and texture. The design is framed by a charcoal-gray archway, setting off the plantings. Here’s how to recreate the look.

1. Establish Height with Trees

Yulan Magnolia (Magnolia denudata)

Ancient tree from Tang Dynasty, known as Jade Lily for its white lily-like blooms before leaves emerge. Zones 6–9, 30–40 ft tall/wide. Spring or fall planting.

Chinese Stewartia (Stewartia sinensis)

Small tree with mottled peeling bark, white fragrant camellia-like summer blooms, vivid red fall color. Zones 6–9, to 25 ft tall, 15 ft wide. Protect from wind and late frosts.

Red Spider Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Red Spider’)

Delicate spider-like leaves emerge red, mature to bronze-green, turn scarlet in fall. Zones 5–8, 6 ft tall, 3 ft wide in 10 years.

2. Layer in Shrubs and Grasses

Orange Rocket Barberry (Berberis thunbergii ‘Orange Rocket’)

Upright habit, ruby foliage turning fiery orange-red in fall. Zones 4–9, 4 ft tall, 2 ft wide. Deer/rabbit resistant, drought tolerant. Check local invasiveness.

Blue Nest Spruce (Picea mariana ‘Ericoides’)

Blue-gray needles, nest-like depression, slow-growing. Zones 3–7, 2 ft tall, 4 ft wide. Deer/rabbit resistant, low maintenance.

All Gold Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’)

Purely golden foliage, best in shade; scorches in full sun. Zones 4–9, 18 in tall/wide. Deer resistant.

3. Add Flowers with Great Foliage

Blue Sunrise Hardy Geranium (Geranium ‘Blue Sunrise’)

Chartreuse leaves add color long after early summer blooms. Weaving habit. Zones 5–8, 2 ft tall, up to 4 ft wide (can trim). Low maintenance, deer/rabbit resistant, attracts bees/butterflies.

Hidcote Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’)

Compact, deep blue summer flowers, gray-green evergreen foliage. Zones 5–9, 2 ft tall/wide. Deer/rabbit resistant, fragrant, drought tolerant.

Hardy Fuchsia (Fuchsia ‘Genii’)

Golden foliage, hot-pink and purple dangling flowers all summer. Zones 7–9, 4 ft tall/wide. Moisture-retentive soil, partial shade. Attracts hummingbirds.

More: See more planting ideas.