Are you a homeowner in need of the perfect plant?  Maybe something new you've never considered before, something eye-catching, yet able to survive whatever winter dishes out.  The six plants I recommend below are not only Gold Medal Plant Award winners from The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, but ones I use time and time again in creating colorful landscapes for year-round enjoyment.

The Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum) is a tree to be seen in every season.  Papery sheets of old bark peel back to reveal new bark the color of cinnamon-brown, making it the perfect backdrop on snowy December days.  In the fall, it is equally attractive when its leaves turn a brilliant red.  This small shade tree is a native of China and grows between 20-30 feet high.

Cross Vine (Bignonia capreolata "Dragon Lady") is a self-clinging, evergreen vine, perfect for a trellis or fence.  Colorful all year through, its dark green leaves turn purple in winter and reddish trumpet-shaped flowers appear in summer.  Hummingbirds and butterflies are equally fond of the flowers' brilliant color.  Dragon Lady grows up to 30 feet in height and width and is both drought resistant and wet-site tolerant.

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The Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica "Yoshino") tree is a fast growing, conical-shaped evergreen with a wonderful texture.  This tree grows approximately 3 feet per year, reaching a mature height of 30 feet.  Its bright to blue-green foliage, smooth to the touch, takes on a bronze-green hue in winter.  It is best used as a specimen plant.

When the Burkwood Viburnum (Viburnum x burkwoodii "Conoy") is in season, you'll witness a mound of beautiful clusters.  Their red buds open to creamy-white, fragrant flowers.  Their leaves are long, lustrous and dark green on the surface (underneath they are a pale blue-green).  This evergreen shrub grows to a height of 5 feet with a spread of  7 feet and requires almost no pruning once the initial shape is established.

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The Spirea Mellow Yellow (Spiraea thunbergii "Ogon") is a deciduous flowering shrub.  It is among one of the first shrubs to bloom, producing beautiful white flowers in the spring.  Its yellowish-green leaves, which turn orange-pink to reddish-salmon in the fall, hang from graceful, arched-shaped branches. Well-suited for perennial beds and foundation plantings, it grows to a height of 4 feet.

The Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra "Densa") reaches a height of 4 feet at maturity and has narrow, glossy, unspined leaves and bears tiny, black fruits.  Because of its density, it provides the perfect screen for homeowners desiring privacy. This variety of holly tolerates heat, drought, sun and shade.  You can even transplant it to other areas of your yard with successful results.  Another benefit to note, the inkberry holds its foliage well at its base compared to other like specimens.