Luis, if you google for tapestry hedge, you should be able to get photos of hedges made up of a number of different plants. The hedges may be sheared and have straight sides, or they may have been left to grow naturally. Laceyvail is right, too much variegation can be very busy looking, while some is an accent. I wouldn't have a border made up of a plain shrub, a variegated shrub, a colored shrub, a plain shrub, a variegated shrub, etc., etc., but would rather plant a plain green (which might flower or have berries), maybe another plain green with a different texture of leaf or color of flower or time of flower, a variegated, a plain, a colored, a plain with some interest, another plain, or a not-too-busy variegated, a colored, etc., etc. No regimentation, no clashing colors or overpowering shapes. Despite my mentioning a tapestry hedge, I would plant the shrubs far enough apart that they can grow and "show" off their shapes, colors and forms. Chueh, how much room can you give to this project in width, and how long is it? And how much sun does it get, at what times of the day, winter and summer? Knowing these things, we can offer suggestions as to what of the shrubs mentioned can work. I STRONGLY advise you to look around your neighborhood at what you like that is growing well there, both in private homes and in public areas, then look around and see what the local nurseries have, so you know you can get then easily. I would also look up on the various websites and in garden books the various shrubs mentioned here, so you know what they look like and if you like the looks. One suggestion - take nursery advice with a bit of caution - come back here and ask if it is good before acting on it as some nurseries, and their advice, are better than others. And take the hang-tag's - attached to a plant in nurseries - statements as to the mature height and width of a plant with a large grain of salt - frequently the height/width mentioned is what to expect after 10 years in the ground, not the ultimate height/width.

ms minnamouse, you sure you have a Kolkwitzia? There is nothing evergreen about this big, rangy, caning shrub, even in warmer zones than yours :-) blondell, if you can provide sufficient summer irrigation, there are various compact rhododendrons and perhaps even pieris that could work for you and provide spring flowers. Otherwise, boxwoods, Japanese hollies, euonymus and dwarf conifers will provide year round greenery but no significant flowering. Visit a local garden center to see what they have on hand that will be hardy in your area. Be sure to tell them the amount of sunlight this area will receive to get the best suggestions for your specific situation.

The common name "mountain laurel" is confusing in that kalmia is native to the mountains, the Piedmont, and the Coastal Plain of the Southeast. In South Carolina, for example, there is Kalmia Gardens, named for the indigenous kalmia, in the City of Hartsville, which is on the coastal plain. We have several mountain laurels in our yard, collected in the South Carolina mountains, growing under a pine canopy. I think mountain laurel will also perform well in full sun. If you are able to find a source of the unnamed native species, I think you will find it much prettier than the named cultivars available at nurseries. To me, there is something a little garish about the named mountain laurel cultivars. The generic native mountain laurel possesses a subtle beauty that has been bred out of the named cultivars. A word of caution: It's a good idea to keep your livestock, i.e., cows, goats, sheep, etc., and children, away from mountain laurel because it has the reputation of being deadly if ingested. Mountain laurel may be a little less lethal than oleander, but I'm not sure about that. (Remember the road crew down at Brunswick, GA, who burned a pile of oleander, inhaled fumes from the bonfire, and keeled over dead a few years ago?)

Ditto above. I am quite familiar with these trees and had 4 large Norways removed from my lot, with 1 huge one remaining, which is the biggest. :( They are extremely weedy, and have started to invade the small woodland areas in the neighborhood. I cut, poison, and girdle these suckers at every opportunity and am still debating removing the last big one which is indeed a beast ($$$). Acer platanoides 'Crimson King' is a very common cultivar and may be less aggressive than the species. However, since it is a Norway, I would trash that sucker and plant a much nicer native tree instead (I hate Norways too).