The year after we landscaped our backyard and created our raised garden beds we purchased a lovely Tamukeyama cutleaf Japanese maple. As you can see from the photo above it’s branches cascade downward, it’s leaves are narrow and delicate and bright burgundy – red most of the growing season. It’s absolutely gorgeous.

It will never be a very big tree. I believe at most it will be five feet tall. At this point it’s only about three feet tall and because it’s branches create a shady area below the tree I decided to grow shade loving plants like the Hosta Sum and Substance that you see growing beside it in the above photo.

The Japanese maple and the light green hosta leaves make a lovely combination don’t they?

I think this year I’m going to try to move a few of my plants around to see if I can create a few more stunning displays of plants that compliment each other beautifully.

What are your favorite plant/color combos in your garden?

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