Try contrasting the silver grey foliage of Hebe ‘red edge’ or Hebe albicans with the bright purples of Heuchera ‘Plum Royale’, Heuchera ‘Sugar Plum’ or black tones of Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ in a partially sunny to shady spot.

Other combinations and textures to try could include the purple or black Heuchera’s in a front border and Hosta ‘Halcyon’ with its blue grey leaf and veined texture in a secondary border combined with a white flowering dark evergreen such as Rhododendron ‘Pawhuska’, Escallonia ‘White Knight’ or Choisya ternata in the background.

A hedge of Teucrium fruticans with standard evergreen’s such as Choisya ternata, Camelia ‘Cinnamon Cindy’ or Virburnum ‘Eve Price’ underplanted with purple or black coloured Heuchera’s as groundcover would make for a stunning contrast of colours and textures providing a weed-free easy care garden bed.

For those perennial lovers Lobelia cardinalis in a sunny spot provides a stunning background of beautiful red star shaped flowers and striking dark purple foliage to a border of the silvery furry textured Stachys byzantine, fondly named Lamb ears.

For a larger mixed border or underplanting; Loropetalum with its stunning redish purple foliage would contrast beautifully with Covolvulus cneorum or the silvery grey-green leaf of hedged Teucrium.

Phormium pepe black and Astelia silver spear pair superbly together for the native textured garden.

Don’t forget to put deterrents around your plants especially vegetables and hostas.

Some organic ideas  to try would be crushed egg shells or sand.