Shrubs help bring proportion to the landscape. Barberrys come in red, pink and purple, he adds. They do have thorns and are not considered to be a friendly plant. Both barberry and sumac have wonderful fall color. The one problem with sumacs is their desire to send up new plants around those that are already established.
Junipers come in all sizes, colors and shapes.
The ones classified as ground covers only reach heights of 6 to 24 inches. The dwarf or compact pea shrubs are a good choice because they tend to hold their shape a little better and require less pruning than other shrubs.