Plant combination:
- ‘Grace’ smoke bush (Cotinus ‘Grace’, USDA zones 4 to 9, find your zone)
- ‘Lady in Red’ ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Lady in Red’, zones 2 to 7)
- Common woolly sunflower (Eriophyllum lanatum, Zone 3)
- ‘Ostfriesland’ sage (Salvia nemorosa ‘Ostfriesland’, zones 4 to 8)
- Avens (Geum sp.)
- ‘Rozanne’ cranesbill (Geranium ‘Rozanne’, zones 4 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
Plant combination:
- Paperbark maple (Acer griseum, zones 4 to 8)
- ‘Rose Glow’ Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea ‘Rose Glow’, zones 4 to 8)
- Crocosmia (Crocosmia sp.)
- Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta, zones 3 to 9)
- ‘Old Fashioned’ smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria ‘Old Fashioned’, zones 5 to 10)
- ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, zones 4 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
Caution: Japanese barberry can be invasive in some areas (branches that touch the ground often root). Check with your local nursery before planting.
Plant combination:
- ‘‘Iijima Sunago’ Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Iijima Sunago’, zones 5 to 8)
- ‘Hogyoku’ Japanese maple (A. palmatum ‘Hogyoku’, zones 5 to 8)
- ‘Gulf Stream’ heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica ‘Gulf Stream’, zones 6 to 9)
- Royal Burgundy Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea ‘Gentry’, zones 4 to 8)
- ‘Evergold’ sedge (Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’, zones 5 to 9)
- Woolly thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus, zones 5 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
Caution: Japanese barberry can be invasive in some areas. Check with your local nursery before planting.
Plant combination:
- Autumn moor grass (Sesleria autumnalis, zones 5 to 8)
- Royal Burgundy Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea ‘Gentry’, zones 4 to 8)
- ‘Morning Light’ miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’, zones 5 to 9)
- Vine maple (Acer circinatum, zones 6 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
Caution: Japanese barberry can be invasive in some areas. Check with your local nursery before planting.
Plant combination:
- Japanese stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia, zones 5 to 9)
- Golden Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’, zones 4 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
Plant combination:
- Skunkbush sumac (Rhus trilobata, zones 2 to 9)
- Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia, zones 5 to 9)
- ‘Autumn Joy’ stonecrop (Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, zones 3 to 10)
- Sage (Salvia sp.)
- Rosemary (Rosmarinus sp.)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Plant combination:
- Manzanita (Arctostaphylos sp.)
- Miscanthus (Miscanthus sp.)
- ‘Autumn Joy’ stonecrop (Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, zones 3 to 10)
- ‘Sundance’ Mexican orange (Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’, zones 7 to 10)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
Caution: Mexican feather grass, shown in this photo, is identified as a highly invasive species in California and Oregon. Check with a local nursery before planting and do not plant next to open space. See five Western natives to plant instead.
Plant combination:
- Japanese stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia, zones 5 to 9)
- Renaissance Reflection paper birch (Betula papyrifera ‘Renci’, zones 2 to 6)
- Ornamental grasses
- Mums (Chrysanthemum sp.)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun