Planting combos for a red-flowered hamamelis?

[GrendelsMum]

Hi all,

bought myself a large bargain-basement unlabelled hamamelis which turns out to have red flowers. Problem is that in the winter light, the red flowers are scarcely visible from a distance - certainly not the focal point they were supposed to be.

Any ideas for underplantings to try to get it working a bit better? I've popped some winter aconites under it, but the yellow is so different from the flower colour that there's no 'echo' from one to another, if you know what I mean.

Mind you, it might look better on a sunny day, which we've not had since it flowered.

(should have bought the hamamelis 'pallida' that I had gone looking for, not the cheapo ones grrr)

[Pannacotta]

How about some rich red hellebores, or Euphorbia robbiae with its line green flowers?

www.plantsforshade.co.uk/acatalog/helleborus_ballard_red.html

www.crocus.co.uk/plants//perennials/helleborus-%C3%97-hybridus-harvington-red/classid.78248/

Not sure if its this one you have, but some planting ideas here
www.crocus.co.uk/plants//shrubs/hamamelis-×-intermedia-diane/classid.3909/

[midnightexpress]

Some of the heucheras are a zingy green - I think mine is called lemon-lime - and stay in leaf all winter.

[GrendelsMum]

Wow, you are absolute stars!

Thank you so much! Euphorbia, hellebore and heuchera are all great ideas, as is going for zingy green and dark red.

I'm now kicking myself for not having thought of those.