1. ‘Dianne’s Gold’ Brunnera 

Name: Brunnera macrophylla ‘Dianne’s Gold’

Zones: 4–9

Size: 12 to 15 inches tall and 18 to 24 inches wide

Conditions: Partial shade; moist, well-drained soil

Native Range: Turkey

‘Dianne’s Gold’ brunnera begins to show off in midspring and carries its foliage color through the summer months. For weeks beginning in late April, sky blue forget-me-not flowers are held in loose sprays above the clumps of chartreuse, heart-shaped 3-to-4-inch leaves. You may be pleasantly surprised to discover dozens of yellow-leaved seedlings around mother plants (which I scoop up and transplant elsewhere), but should you not want babies, prevent this from happening by removing the spent flowers quickly before seeds form. Pair ‘Diane’s Gold’ with Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9) and epimedium (Epimedium spp. and cvs., Zones 4–9) for an easy, long-lasting vignette that is deer resistant.

2. Upland White Goldenrod