Midwest Plants for Small-Space Greenery and Color

This upright native has green leaves with red tips that darken to burgundy from summer into fall. Billowy seed heads add to the show. Try popular 'Shenandoah'.

Related: Botanical Artist Lisa Waud's Small Detroit Backyard is a Lesson in Urban Serenity

Reliable and widely available, this shrub has chartreuse summer blooms that fade to pink in the fall. Dry flowers provide continued interest throughout the winter.

Gardeners prize this dependable grass for its fluffy bottle-brush plumes and flowing shape. Consider pinkish 'Karley Rose' or miniature 'Little Bunny' for small spaces.

Waud grows regular and scented geraniums, which have ruffled leaves that emit a fragrance when touched. Since they're not hardy in the Midwest, she overwinters them indoors.

A striking perennial, purple coral bells have grape-color leaves and delicate flowers. Waud pairs them with brown sedge for contrast. Try 'Forever Purple' or 'Palace Purple'.

Ornamental onions showcase purple, pink or white blooms in spring and rounded seed heads that linger throughout the season. Look for award-winning 'Millenium'.

Grown as an annual in the Midwest, this rampant tropical vine features intricate white and blue-purple blooms and will cover a trellis or fence. Waud lets it clamber up her garage.

This vigorous vine (even invasive in some states) erupts with tiny white, fragrant flowers in August and September, followed by a silvery mass of fluffy seed heads.

This classic, trusty clematis delivers showy royal purple blooms in June, July and September. Waud's climbs up remesh that she wrapped around a porch post.