The foliage of Geranium macrorrhizum is evergreen for me. Where leaves are in sun, they turn marvelous shades of red and orange. This geranium spreads fairly quickly and makes a lovely groundcover in medium shade to sun. Geranium endressii is similar in habit, also developing interesting leaf coloration in cold weather and making an equally good evergreen groundcover.
The foliage of Epimedium x rubrum changes even more dramatically. The whole leaf develops a coppery tinge, with the normally red markings becoming deeper. Leaves will generally stay on the plant until really late winter, when you want to cut off the leaf stems anyway, to make way for the new foliage and flowers.
One part of my garden has the next four plants in close proximity to each other, creating some dramatic contrasts.
On one side, in the foreground where it gets a bit of sun is Artemisia 'Powis Castle', one of my favorite plants. One has spread to take up an area about six feet by three feet (2 x 1 meters). Since it is said to need good drainage and this area ponds in heavy rain, I have never quite figured out why it is so happy. Its shimmery foliage, looking silver, but actually a pale gray-green, remains lovely until really cold weather sets in, when it droops miserably.
But for now, it forms a dramatic foil for the foliage of Euphorbia amygdaloides purpurea. The underlying purple in this foliage deepens with cold weather; becoming so deep and rich it is nearly black, with copper-burgundy tips. I am a particular fan of Euphorbia and this is one of my favorites for shady spots. A cruel winter will make it miserable, but it comes back to life in spring. Ajuga reptans 'Bronze Beauty' also turns a deep, black-purple and will stay nicely until really bitter weather.
Hellebores are a must for shady gardens and for winter interest. Their foliage remains nice in all but the most severe weather. This photo of H. foetidus 'Wester Flisk' was taken while they were in their full glory of flowering, but you can see the foliage peeping through. Now, they are two foot mounds of steel blue, with just the beginning swelling of the flowerbuds.
Also furnished in steel blue are clumps of Euphorbia characias characias, but of a lighter shade than the hellebore. This species is marginally hardy for me and a hard winter will bring them down. But for now, at least, they are magnificent architectural plants. They do seed around, so even if killed to the ground I always have seedlings somewhere.
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