3 Colorful, Easy-Care Spring Borders

Each of these three borders will thrive in full sun (only the abutilon and hydrangea require afternoon shade). A new twist on the pink theme, a border that pairs pink-flowered plants with subtle splashes of gray, green, and maroon foliage is more sophisticated than sweet. This triangular planting (12 feet long at the front) is a lively focal point of a backyard garden in San Francisco; it was designed for viewing from picture windows at the back of the house as well as from a raised deck at the rear of the garden. Heuchera, ornamental grass, and silvery artemisia mingle with abutilon, airy clusters of pink gaura, coneflower, and hydrangea to soften and hide the base of the deck. Bark mulch covers the soil between plants; Trex benderboard finishes the front edge. Plant cuphea, salvia, and verbena for color among mixed basils, eggplant, and pepper.

Many herbs and vegetables have especially colorful foliage that look great with flowers and ornamental grasses. In this 8-foot-wide planting, lime green and purple basils determine the color scheme. We added red-flowered cuphea, blue-flowered salvias, a lime green ornamental grass, a bright red edible pepper, a purple eggplant, and an ornamental pepper with purplish black foliage and berries that change from deep purple to red. Use flowers of yellow, orange, and red to play off bold foliage in shades of green.

You don't have to visit the tropics to enjoy jungly foliage and flowers. Just choose the right plants to create a tropical border anywhere in the West. For this 9- by 5½-foot planting, landscape designer Karen Donnelly combined coral, fiery orange, red, and yellow flowers with lime green and deep green tropical foliage. A pot filled with elephant's ear and potato vine adds height and structure to the planting. In cold-winter areas, build the border for just a season, then start over next year. Or move the most valuable plants indoors for winter. You can also substitute hardy look-alikes, such as Japanese banana and honey bush, for true tropicals. Design: Karen Donnelly, Redwood City, CA (650/224-3476)