Inspired by my garden, this part-sun woodland plant combination leans into fab foliage and fun flowers for a long, layered season. Rhododendron ‘Kaitlyn’s Delight’ is the spring headliner—coral-orange buds opening to generous trusses of peachy-pink in mid to late spring. Carex ‘Sparkler’ threads light through the shade with crisp, variegated tufts that knit the planting together. A dwarf hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana’) adds a low, rounded evergreen mound, while an Autumn Moon maple (Acer shirasawanum ‘Autumn Moon’) lifts a light canopy overhead. Its orange-edged spring foliage echoes the rhododendron’s bloom, softening to clear yellow for summer, then glowing again with orange-red tints in fall.

At ground level, a dark ribbon of black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’) sharpens the contrast with Carex ‘Sparkler’. Warm caramel tones from Heucherella ‘Hopscotch’ (or similar such as ‘Sweet Tea’ or ‘Brass Lantern’) echo the rhododendron’s flower color. Cardamine trifoliata weaves a fine, bright-green texture and delicate spring flowers; it’s evergreen and politely reseeds to form a year-round carpet. After the rhododendron finishes, hardy fuchsia (try Fuchsia ‘Flash’ or ‘Little Giant’) takes up the show from early summer to frost—easy, long-lasting color and a reliable hummingbird magnet. Bees will work the rhododendron and Cardamine, too.

Because the backbone plants are compact and/or slow-growing, this composition suits small gardens. Its evergreen structure and well-timed bursts of color create strong curb appeal—confident enough for a front-yard planting scheme.

How I place it:
• Canopy: Set Acer shirasawanum ‘Autumn Moon’ at the back or mid-bed to cast dappled light; give it room to broaden
•Mid-structure: Use Rhododendron ‘Kaitlyn’s Delight’ as the anchor shrub and offset it with the rounded mound of Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana’ for evergreen balance.
• Flower succession: Toward the back of the border in the mid-plane, tuck hardy fuchsia into bright, sheltered pockets with morning sun and afternoon shade so it can carry the floral baton after the rhododendron.
• Ground-layer tapestry: Sweep Carex ‘Sparkler’ through the composition—medium height and a bit lax, it will weave through and over the other ground covers; edge with black mondo; mass Heucherella in clumps; let Cardamine trifoliata stitch between them all.
• Spacing strategy: Following my “Forever vs. For Now: Garden-making Tips for Proper Plant Spacing” approach, leave intentional gaps between the ‘forever’ woody plants (the maple, rhododendron, and hinoki). These open pockets are landing spots for these suggested companions and any future seasonal perennials, ground covers, or spring bulbs—easy places to evolve the planting over time.

Site and care notes:
• Light: Part sun to bright open shade; morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal.
• Soil: Moist, humus-rich, well-drained, and slightly acidic suits the rhododendron and companions.
• Water: Keep evenly moist, especially in summer; mulch to conserve moisture and build soil.
• All-season appeal: Evergreen bones (rhododendron, hinoki, black mondo, and often the carex and heucherella) keep it looking good year-round, with layered blooms from spring through fall and foliage color shifts for extra drama.
• Maintenance: Deadhead the rhododendron when the blooms fade to improve appearance.

The photos shown are from my garden and illustrate the look and feel of this combination, though they don’t show every plant or the exact arrangement. This planting is inspired by that section of my garden—you can see more of my garden on my YouTube channel. Playlist: My Personal Garden in Portland Oregon (Zone 8b/9a)