Willa wrote:I'm a big fan of trees with non-green leaves. Well, non-green plants in general.
Here's one you might want to consider, bronze fennel (Foeniculum vulgare 'Purpureum'). Easy to grow from seed. You could echo the gossamer effect of the cotinus elsewhere on your property.
bronze-Fennel-Foeniculum-vulgare-var-Seeds_2_1024x1024 by James McInnis, on FlickrBronze fennel has a nice way of dropping seedlings, which, weaving through other plants, creates a hazy effect in your perennial border, effectively unifying it. It's also an attractive forage plant for the swallowtail butterfly. Tiny green, yellow and black caterpillars will get big and fat from gobbling away at your fennel. Tastes good to some of us humans, too. An old-fashioned breath freshener.
Willa wrote: I won't share the current state of my smoke bush runts - they have a ways to go.
That's because you're a wise gardener who planted early and planted small.