These two plants are easy to grow and take little care to look their best. Variegated Dwarf Weigela, Weigela florida ‘Variegata Nana’, is a sturdy shrub to about 4′ tall and wide. It loses its leaves in winter, but comes back with fresh growth and masses of flowers each spring.

Clifford Moor Red Catchfly, Silene ‘Clifford Moor’, is a softly-textured perennial with a clump of foliage that reaches about 1 foot tall and 2 feet around. The airy flowering stems are held a foot above the foliage, and it blooms off and on spring through fall. The basal clump of foliage is evergreen in my Zone 9 climate.

Both plants were photographed on the same day in early May, and they both share a lovely golden variegation, soft texture and similar shape to their leaves, and both flower pink in spring. Full sun to partial shade will make both plants happy.

If you’re looking to add a feeling of continuity to your garden by using repetition, but don’t want to use too many of the exact same plant, consider using this concept of color echoes to find plant combinations that will give the feeling of repeated themes, without actual repetition.