Ooops images didn't work. Here they are.

{{gwi:1111502}}

{{gwi:1111503}}

Hi gtg!
Maybe it would help if we knew more about what you'd LIKE to put there.
Perhaps some ideas regarding color, maintenance, whether you want just foliage or something that blooms?
I would imagine that would be a good starting place.
Have you visited any nurseries and seen any plants that interest you?
I'm sure we could all try to help if we knew more about what you are looking for.
The people on GW are very friendly and very helpful so let us know!
Becky

Hi Becky,

Well the plants I have listed above are ones we think would like nice there. We would like some green for the base, burgandy to go with the brick & shutters, and some silver maybe as the colors. Foliage is enough for the shrubs we would plant flowers for some more interest, but any intersting foliage or blooming shrubs would be a plus. As far as maintenance goes we aren't hard core gardeners, but would be ok with pruning twice a year, fertilizing, and would weed & mulch the beds.

Basically we are looking for ideas on some hardy plants for this area that have some interest to them and would fit into our space & color scheme.

Hi GTG,

You didn't mention what light exposure you would be getting there. I am assuming you don't want anything that will get huge. Personaly I have found Barberry to be horrible stuff to control and the thorns are nasty. Nandina is a nice shrub. I'd suggest checking out Spirea, dwarf alberta spruce and abelia. All well behaved shrubs that don't try to take over your garden. They also aren't too picky about light needs unless except all shade would not be suitable. Good luck with your project.

Kathy

Thanks for the advice Kathy. I will check out the plants you listed. With Barberry did you have the crimson pygmy variety or something else? Most Barberrys do seem to be bigger shrubs, but this variety is suposedly ~2 feet high which is why we considered it. The area is afternoon sun with some shade from trees in the yard.

GTG,

The barberry's I had were not pygmy but I did have crimson and another green variety. The thorns just weren't worth it when it came pruning time. If you haven't already try the Bluestone perennial web site. They have a section where you can plug in all the details zone, height, light needs and it will give you a whole list of suitable shrubs.
http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/index.html

Kathy

If you are looking for white/green/burgandy then I would plant a mixture of hosta and heuchera.

In Heuchera you might try Stormy Seas (a personal favorite of mine) or Obsidian.

I would also suggest you look at hostas as low maintenance companion plants. Take a look at the following site for descriptions and photos.....

Here is a link that might be useful: Hosta and Heuchera

Here are some plants with different shapes, color, and texture.

1. Ilex aquipernyi 'Meschick' or simply a Dragon Lady Holly. This is a tight, vertical, holly that grows about 6 or 7 inches a year. Given much time, it may get to 15' some day. I have 3 of these and they are a nice rich, dark green. If you have a male blue holly nearby, you will get red berries. See the .pdf file below for blue males.

http://www.skh.com/NurseryPdf/holly.pdf

2. Nandina dom Gulf Stream or Gulf Stream Heavenly Bamboo. I had one of these at my other house in full sun. It was colorful. I have three at my current home - one in full sun and two in sun to about 3 pm. They have nice color too. These fellows are soft to the touch, totally carefree, and will get to a 4 foot tall mound. You can prune these. They will give you a variety of red colors at their tips--maybe better.

3. Euonymous japonica 'Green Giant' Green Spire Euonymous or ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil' Sky Pencil Japanese Holly. These two plants look a bit alike and you mentioned the Green Spire. I have 4 green spires and about 10 pencil hollies. Both plants grow vertically. The Green Spire is softer than the Sky Pencil and more affected by wind and snow. The Green Spire will be wider and less stiff than the Sky Pencil. However, in their first Winter--which was colder than last Winter--my Green Spires lost their leaves and it took them some time to get them back in the Spring. The Sky Pencils kept their leaves and grow fully and erect. My Sky Pencils grow faster than the Green Spires.

4. If you want burgundy foliage and rose/pink Spring blooms, check out Weigela Wine & Roses. I have about 15 of these. They do want to do their own thing when it comes to space so they need about 5' by 5'. I haven't pruned these yet but I suppose you can. These seem to be carefree also. Mine are in full sun and quite full inside the shrub. Consider these a substitute for the barberry which I do not like.

5. Someone mentioned Abelia. I have two types and about 7 of each. A nice little mound is Rose Creek Abelia. My 7 Rose Creeks are filled with white blooms now. Talk about sturdy, last year the nursery worker gave me a miserable looking one for free to go with several other nice ones I purchased. The miserable looking one is now a nice round blooming masterpiece. These guys do send a shoot off the top of the plant but you just have to cut it right off and it goes on blooming.

6. Spiraea Magic Carpet. This will become a 4' by 3' mound. Its a double your pleasure plant. It has pink flowers and also deep pink/red tips at th end of its branches which look like blooms. Its lighter leaves contrast with dark green evergreens or the weigela I mentioned above.

7. If you have a side spot somewhere and like butterflies but will tolerate bumble bees, try leptodermis oblonga. I have one in the very front yard. It is a sturdy 3' tall plant that is more vertical than wide. However, it has been covered with purple/pink flowers for some time now. At times, you will notice a nice fragrance from it too.

8. Finally, the best of the bunch--crape myrtle 'Chickasaw.' These are true dwarfs that are about 2' wide around and about 10 inches tall. Think of them as perennials and not munchkin trees. I have about 10 of these wonderful little guys. They have deep, deep, green foliage and mine are filled with pink blooms now that follow little red beads. These will make you smile everytime you see them. One thing about these little guys. Give them plenty of time to start growing in the late Spring. You will think they are dead. However, they are just sleepy-heads waiting to make their grand little entrance. In their first year, they will grow from their roots for the most part. After the first year, they will start growing from some of its branches.

Have fun designing your garden.

Thanks for the tips Chescobob! Very good post.

Why don't you study the Native Shrubs a bit more, If your a chain store buyer,Lowes comes up with some pretty good Native offerings. Last week I found a Physocarpus Coppertina, You have your winterberry hollies. Itea, Sweetspire, Sambucus an elderberry, comes in black purple,varigated and gold, keep it trimmed as a shrub it is a show stopper. Native plants are pretty much pest free, and they are just wonderful.