Color, texture and variety were the goals for the sunny front courtyard of this Oakland townhome. It’s always wonderful to introduce clients to plants unfamiliar to them—and even more exciting when they give you the green light to install them. A carefully curated plant selection achieved a fuller look for the planting beds with the added bonus of greater visual interest, depth and drama. Variegated lavender and blue fescue complemented existing Senecio and other blue-hued succulents. The delicate blooms of a blue hibiscus echoed the rich purple found in a handpainted mural. A single, mature planting of Lomandra ‘Platinum Beauty’ just inside the gate brightens a dark fence, its thin blades now swaying gently in the breeze. For the rear patio, it was all about showy foliage plants that could thrive in the shade: Farfugium, Fatsia, Acacia ‘Cousin Itt,’ Ficus elastica ‘Burgundy,’ Acanthus ‘Whitewater,’ and Mahonia ‘Soft Caress’ — all showstoppers on their own, but excitingly harmonious when combined.