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Joanne's color looks good

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“Scent in the garden seems more popular than ever, perhaps because of people spending more time outdoors,” Ashley says. “This means plants such as Daphne odora [pictured] that can fill an area with scent are a great bet.” For garden fragrance, Ashley also suggests ‘Pallida’ witch hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’, zones 5 to 8), ‘Dawn’ viburnum (Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’, zones 5 to 7), golden sweet mock orange (Philadelphus coronarius ‘Aureus’, zones 5 to 9) and common jasmine (Jasminum officinale, zones 8 to 10).

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9. Quality Outdoor Furniture Investing in quality outdoor furniture can be another upfront cost that pays off in the long run. Furniture made with long-lasting materials and with a high level of craftsmanship can last for years outdoors with the right care, whereas cheaper models often need to be replaced after a few seasons. “Outdoor furniture should generally be natural teakwood, stainless steel or other metals with very durable, industrially applied paint finishes,” architect Paul Davis says. While there are also many waterproof outdoor products made from fiberglass or plastic-based materials, Davis doesn’t consider them to be quite as durable as those made of natural teak, stainless steel or coated metal.

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While you may want to invest in one or two mature trees, consider buying many of your other plants — quick-growing herbs, perennials, ground covers, ornamental grasses, vines and more — in small sizes, as they will cost lest and will grow to mature sizes quickly.

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house keeping

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taking care of plants

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neat and clean

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Mindful cleaning

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