While it is ideal to have a plan for your entire landscape,  you may want to start by redoing one section at a time.  This fall pick an area of your garden that you want to renovate.  Start by selecting plants that offer blooms, berries or colorful foliage in autumn.  Then you can expand your palette to include those that offer interest during winter, spring and summer.  For a woodland garden that gets morning sun  but is protected from the hottest sun of the day, here are some suggested combinations.

Camellia sasanqua -Select one of the numerous cultivars with red, pink or white flowers.  This camellia blooms anywhere  from September until December.  The rest of the year it provides an elegant evergreen backdrop.

Hamemalis x intermedia ‘Jelena’    Witchhazel-The leaves turn orange-red in autumn;

in late winter to early spring it produces flowers that are red at the base, orange in the middle and yellow at the tips.

Hydrangea quercifolia Oakleaf Hydrangea-The  leaves take on shades of bronze, crimson and yellow in fall.  In late spring it produces masses of  white flowers.

Magnolia macrophylla Bigleaf Magnolia- This tree which  grows 30 to 40′ tall has a tropical feel.  The giant  leaves, 12 to 32 ” long, green on top with silver undersides, add to its exotic appeal.    In the autumn they turn muted yellow. The white fragrant flowers 8 to 10″ across or larger perfume the air in June.  This magnolia provides a perfect living umbrella for the camellia, the  witchhazel and the oakleaf  hydrangea.

Perennials and ferns for the edge of the woodland

Anemone x hybrida ‘Prinz Heinrich’-This anemone has stunning rosy red semi-double flowers on 18 to 24″ stems.  Plant it in front of the shrubs.
Aster carolinianus – Called the climbing aster,  it needs a wall or a stump to grow up and over.  Masses of pink to lavendar daisies with yellow centers  appear in October and last  for several weeks. This aggressive aster can be cut down to the ground in spring.

Dryopteris erythrosora-Autumn fern is an evergreen fern that starts out with new fronds that are tinged red, pink and yellow, then they turn green in the summer and rusty brown in the fall.  Plant this as a groundcover under shrubs. Treat it as a carpet for the woodland.

For a hot sunny spot- Plant a mix of shrubs and perennials

Amsonia hubrectii-This arkansas blue star looks like a golden willow in autumn.

In spring it has blue flowers.

Aster laevis ‘Bluebird’- With lavendar-blue flowers and a yellow eye, it makes a good companion for the blue star.

Osmanthus heterophyllus- This holly osmanthus pumps out tiny white fragrant flowers from autumn until frost.  Plant this evergreen as a backdrop for Hypericum,

the perennials and the ornamental grass.

Hypericum ‘Sunny’ – This large arching shrub has green leaves until late in the fall

when they turn brilliant red-orange.

Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’- This ornamental switchgrass turns shades of deep red in the fall.

These combinations can be added to or altered to suit your tastes and garden but both offer blooms, berries and texture for the fall garden. Using a mixture of evergreen and deciduous plants will result in a dynamic landscape.  Having a canopy, a middle layer and a carpet will help tie all the components together.