Simulate an understorey between canopy and beds with small ornamental trees such as Japanese or paperbark maples, weeping cypresses or dogwoods.
No woodland garden is complete without hostas, sumptuous shade-loving plants that come in a range of sizes, shapes and shades, from dark green and deep blue to gold and chartreuse.
Plant masses of spiky astilbe for a dose of alleviating colour. Other flowers that do well in the shadows include beebalm, bellflowers, hellebores and lamb's ears.
Screens and trellises beg for climbers, such as the clematis incorporated by Craine in this space. Other hardy trailing plants include grape, wisteria, morning glory and ivy.
Another good option for sunny open spaces: bamboo, a fast-growing grass that comes in myriad varieties and even produces flowers.
For a touch of subtropical pizzazz, include a potted dwarf palm among container picks. Move it inside once the weather turns cold.
Looking to box in your garden? Try European box, the ideal and most common hedging material. Other good bets include holly, myrtle, privet and privet.
Hardy and long-lasting, geraniums are excellent picks for both beds and containers, offering pleasing mounding forms and attractive foliage. Choose elegant white varieties for green-heavy formal plots.
For a blast of spring colour, install an even number of small flowering trees, such as crabapple, cherry or magnolia. Prune them frequently to maintain health and shape.