Alphabetical Plant Listing

A Four-Season Border with Evergreen Conifers and Japanese Maples

Plant Combinations, Spring Borders, Summer Borders, Fall Borders, Winter Borders


Prized for their brilliant fall foliage, in glorious shades of red, yellow, and orange, Japanese maples are ravishing four-season trees. While a single Japanese maple can provide a striking focal point, when combined with other maples of different graceful habits, elegantly cut leaves, and extraordinarily colorful foliage, the effect is spectacular. If you add a few evergreen shrubs, trees, or herbaceous plants, your garden becomes a place of outstanding beauty all year long.

In this stunning garden border, a few Japanese maples have been carefully selected. Most are famed for the dramatic effect they bring to the garden, such as 'Bloodgood', 'Viridis', and 'Sango-Kaku'. The eye can never pass lightly over the dazzling color presented by their flaming foliage across seasons or the graceful outlines of their brilliant twigs and branches.

They are interplanted with popular blue evergreen conifers, such as Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca' (Atlas Cedar), Cupressus arizonica var. glabra 'Blue Ice' (Smooth Arizona Cypress), or Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' (Flaky Juniper). Rich with many shapes and habits, their cooler powder blue foliage tones down the gold and crimson foliage of the maples.

Fairly easy to replicate, this planting includes top-performing plants which have been awarded prestigious awards. Enjoy a glorious and colorful spectacle from spring to winter!

Garden Information

Hardiness 6 – 8
Heat Zones 6 – 8
Climate Zones 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early,Mid,Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Winter
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Average
Soil Type Loam, Sand
Soil Ph Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen
Attracts Birds
Landscaping Ideas Beds and Borders
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage , Japanese Garden , Traditional Garden

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Great Plant Combination Ideas with Cupressus - Cypresses Great Plant Combination Ideas with Catalpa Great Plant Combination Ideas with Acer - Maples Great Plant Combination Ideas with Cedrus - Cedars Great Plant Combination Ideas with Erica and Calluna Great Plant Combination Ideas with Euonymus Great Plant Combination Ideas with Juniperus - Junipers Great Plant Combination Ideas with Picea - Spruces Great Plant Combination Ideas with Taxus - Yews


Photo courtesy Four Seasons Garden UK

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Garden Information

Hardiness 6 – 8
Heat Zones 6 – 8
Climate Zones 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early,Mid,Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Winter
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Average
Soil Type Loam, Sand
Soil Ph Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen
Attracts Birds
Landscaping Ideas Beds and Borders
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage , Japanese Garden , Traditional Garden

Get Garden Design Ideas


Great Plant Combination Ideas with Cupressus - Cypresses Great Plant Combination Ideas with Catalpa Great Plant Combination Ideas with Acer - Maples Great Plant Combination Ideas with Cedrus - Cedars Great Plant Combination Ideas with Erica and Calluna Great Plant Combination Ideas with Euonymus Great Plant Combination Ideas with Juniperus - Junipers Great Plant Combination Ideas with Picea - Spruces Great Plant Combination Ideas with Taxus - Yews


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Acer palmatum 'Sango-Kaku' (Coral Bark Maple)
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Acer palmatum Dissectum Viride Group (Laceleaf Japanese Maple)
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Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood' (Japanese Maple)
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Cedrus atlantica (Glauca Group) 'Glauca' (Atlas Cedar)
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Cupressus arizonica var. glabra 'Blue Ice' (Smooth Arizona Cypress)
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Picea pungens 'Globosa' (Colorado Spruce)
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Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' (Flaky Juniper)
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Taxus baccata 'Standishii' (English Yew)
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Aucuba japonica 'Picturata' (Spotted Laurel)
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Catalpa bignonioides (Southern Catalpa)
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