Common name:Winged Euonymus or Burning Bush
Botanical name:Euonymus alatus

Burning bush is a large deciduous shrub, growing to 15 feet or more, usually with a similar spread. Leaves emerge in the spring a bright, luminous green, mature to a dullish medium to dark green, and turn a brilliant scarlet to burgundy in the fall. After the leaves drop, the interesting wood is exposed, with corky "wings" along the length of the stems. New wood displays green and brown wood, older wood is a warm grey brown. Little yellow flowers appear May and June, and though not showy, they are charming. Not easy to find ("Compacta" is a dwarf form, is more common), but I saw one next to a patio pruned as a multi-stemmed small tree and it was stunning.

Common name:Japanese Silver Grass, Maiden grass
Botanical name:Miscanthus sinensis

Miscanthus is a large group of ornamental grasses ranging from a few feet to over 7 or 8 feet tall. Blade colors range from solid green, to green with silver mid-ribs, to variegated forms. Plumes are generally held well above foliage clumps, appearing in late summer to early fall, depending on the variety, and may be cut for fresh or dry arrangements.

Common name:Dead Nettle
Botanical name:Lamium maculatum

Spotted dead nettle is a moderate to fast growing, herbaceous perennial that forms a low, dense ground cover, usually under 6 inches, with a spread of 18 inches or more. Foliage color is silver-white with green margins, though many cultivars exist, with a seemingly infinite variety in leave color. Flower color is white, pink, rose, or lilac, depending on cultivar. Blooms typically appear late spring to early summer. Use as a ground cover in shrub or foundation borders, under trees, in containers or hanging baskets (though in this later use plants may not over winter).

Common name:Japanese Euonymus
Botanical name:Euonymus japonica 'Grandifolius'

Japanese euonymus is an evergreen shrub with a rounded, compact form that grows to about 6 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. It makes a useful hedge and tolerates shearing. It might be nice interplanted with groupings of variegated miscanthus, to provide textural and color contrast.

Common name:Pissard Purple-leaf Plum
Botanical name:Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea'

This is a small, deciduous, shrubby tree, growing about 15 to 20 feet tall and wide. It tends to be low-branched and it is best used where this feature is an asset, not a detriment. Spring flowers are white to pinkish-white, and appear before leaves emerge. Leavesa are reddish-purple on emerging, becoming more of a bronzy-red to brown-red as they mature. Small reddish-purple fruit ripen during summer months.

Common name:Colorado Spruce
Botanical name:Picea pungens

Colorado Spruce is an upright to pyramidal evergreen tree with a dense form and horizontal branches. It grows slowly, 60 to 80 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide. Its color is variable, ranging from sky blue to green. s to 100' tall. It has a wide-spreading, moderately deep root system if not overwaterred. A Utah native.

Common name:Sunburst Honeylocust
Botanical name:Gleditsia triacanthos 'Sunburst'

Sunburst honeylocust is slightly smaller than the species, growing about 30 to 35 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide. It has the same upright, spreading habit that makes it a fine choice as a shade tree. Leaves are small and pinnately compounded, but the new growth is always bright yellow which contrasts attractively with the darker yellow green interior foliage. Deciduous.