Eye-Catching: Using Focal Plants

Focal plants can entice you into a garden, distract you from less-than-stellar views or catch your eye within the garden's perimeter. Allow them their glorious time in the limelight, and plan the rest of the garden around them.

Excerpted from Garden Design
Filed under: Evergreen, Color

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Japanese Acers Provide Vibrant Fall Foliage

Color Care

Very few plants can offer season-long color, but you can still get greate effects from even a short burst of activity. While azaleas and witchalder create interest in the fall, winter is a great time to let deciduous plantings' stark boughs and stems grab your attention; think birches, willows, dogwoods and shastas.

Acers steal scenes when their foliage fires up in fall. Position them carefully among more subdued colors so they can really shine.