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what should i plant with my japanese maple trees?

I have just planted 2 japanese maple trees in my garden and would like to know what other plants would look nice planted with them?

Public Comments

1. Hostas work well with them as they prefer shade......
2. Impatiens, begonias, salvia, coleus, and pansies are all very showy annuals, easy care, and do well in the shade. If you want to get fancy, you might use tall salvias in back and short impatiens or begonias in front. Coleus as a back flower/plant looks terrific with impatiens, pansies or begonias in front also. If you want perennials, foxglove, astilbe, hostas (which are very big oval leaves with a minor flower on a spike), day lilies, and cinnamon fern all do well in the shade. You might also consider having perennials in the back and annuals in the front. that way you get to vary your garden from year to year but always have something that will return year after year. When selecting plants for a shade garden, you get a much brighter and showy appearance if you stick to pastel colors, since your flowers are in the shade.
3. Any thick ground cover would look nice,Ajuiga(sp?) this is a low growing purple and green leafed plant that tolerates sun or shade..even dry conditions cant stop this perennial.It's a spreader and it blooms early summer with flowers on short stems. It grows well with hostas.
4. I have Heuchera and black mondoograss (Liriopes) under mine. And mint too. And I think the Crocus will come up again. Camellias and Rhododendrons (including Azaleas) are traditional Japaneses choices for the garden and do well in the same places and Japaneses Maples. And I keep trying the Cyclamen. They do fine untill it freezes here, or gets to dry.