Purple power

Traditional Home predicts that playful pops of color will make a resurgence this year. Why not incorporate a little ultraviolet (Pantone’s Color of the Year) into your landscape? Verbena and iris provide a dramatic contrast to more subdued shades of green and gray, lending a little extra oomph to your overall design. Other purple flower and plant options include lilac, aster, azalea and wisteria.

Edible accents

Think vegetable gardens need to be relegated to the backyard? Think again. Landscaped properly, a front yard vegetable garden can add a totally unique appeal to your home – not least because of the beautiful birds and butterflies it attracts. If you like the idea of edible front yard landscaping but would rather do something a bit subtler, you could plant a small herb garden or a fruit tree (depending on what your climate allows). Both can enhance the space in a truly original manner.