Name: Paeonia ‘Pink Double Dandy’

Zones: 4 to 8

Size: 3 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Partial to full shade; rich, well-drained soil

Itoh peonies are a striking hybrid, combining the elegant blossoms of tree peonies with the herbaceous stems and mounding habit of garden peonies. The resulting plant is graceful yet robust. Varieties boast dazzling double or semidouble blossoms in pink, lavender, yellow, or coral. Keiko™ is an exquisite example, with lush foliage and enormous dark lavender-pink flowers bursting with silky petals. Though labels suggest planting in full sun to dappled shade, I have had great success with Itoh in full shade, where plants are protected from intense summer heat.

3. The Rising Sun™ Redbud

Name: Cercis canadensis ‘JN2’

Zones: 5 to 9

Size: 12 to 15 feet tall and 8 to 12 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; tolerates a range of soil conditions

A stunning specimen for even the smallest yards, The Rising Sun™ redbud shines year-round. Like all redbuds, The Rising Sun™ puts on a vivid display of lavender spring blooms, but when foliage emerges, the real show begins. Leaves start a deep apricot color and shift through shades of orange, gold, and yellow as they mature to a lime green. With new leaves emerging throughout summer, trees display an ever-shifting mixture of colors. Autumn brings an encore of yellow and orange foliage. This tough tree is water wise, fire wise, and heat tolerant.

4. Berry Bright™ Saxifrage

Name: Saxifraga fortunei ‘Magenta’

Zones: 6 to 9

Size: 6 to 10 inches tall and 8 to 12 inches wide

Conditions: Full to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil

With vibrant pink blooms lasting from fall to late winter, Berry Bright™ saxifrage provides irresistible winter color. Plant this cool-season beauty in containers by the front door to welcome visitors throughout the long winter. Saxifrage is a thirsty plant, especially once the weather turns warm. Containers are ideal, as moisture can be easily managed and winter color can be swapped for summer blooms. In the ground, plant Berry Bright™ in a regularly watered section of the garden, or tuck plants alongside a water feature where they will benefit from a light misting.

Kimberly Toscano is a horticulturist from Stillwater, Oklahoma.