Mixing Foliage Colors in a Mixed Border

Shrubs

• A pop of dark color -- dark purple or bronze purple, creates an instant focal point among green-leafed plants in a mixed border. The Black Lace-trademarked cultivar of black elder (Sambucus niger "Eva" Black Lace) features deeply dissected leaves, reminiscent of Japanese maple, in a shade of purple that is almost black. Hardy in USDA zones 4 through 7, the shrub also features pink flowers. Another shrub with dark leaves is the Midnight Wine-trademarked "Elvera" weigela (Weigela "Elvera" Midnight Wine"), a compact shrub that is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9. The purple-black leaves become even darker in the fall.

Bulbs and Tubers

• Most plants grown from spring-blooming bulbs do not feature colorful foliage, but some tulips enrich mixed borders with their leaves long before blooms appear. Greigii tulips (Tulipa greigii), hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8, feature green leaves boldly striped in purple. Later in the growing season, dahlia varieties, grown from tubers, add foliage color to the garden mix. The red-flowered dahlia "Bishop of Llandaff" (Dahlia "Bishop of Llandaff"), hardy in USDA zones 7 through 10 and grown as an annual elsewhere, features near-black stems and foliage that make a dramatic contrast with the bright flowers.

Sun

• Variegated blue flag iris (Iris pallida "variegata"), hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9, creates an eye-catching contrast with its green-leafed iris relatives in the mid- to late spring garden. The long, strap-like leaves are green striped with cream. To achieve a similar color effect at the fronts of sunny beds and borders, plant variegated cranesbill (Geranium macrorrhizum "Variegatum"), hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8. The plants shine in shades of medium green with cream markings. As a bonus, the leaves often turn red in the fall.

Shade

• In shady borders, color combinations bring light and visual interest. Create a tapestry, starting with several Japanese painted ferns (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum), hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8 and featuring swirls of silvery green foliage accented with red ribs. Calm things down and add textural contrast with the cool green of narrow-leaved hosta (Hosta lancifolia), also hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8, and the lightness of one of the golden-green coral bells, like "Citronelle" (Heuchera "Citronelle"), hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8.