This Fairytale Gown Is Made Completely Out of Flowers

1. Boxwood Hedges

Perfectly sculpted boxwood hedges offer privacy and give a sense of poshness to a garden. However, maintaining them requires frequent pruning, they're prone to pests like boxwood blight, and trimming services can add up quickly. Instead, look for low-maintenance hedges like viburnum, common box, and cherry laurel.

2. Koi Ponds

A serene koi pond with a water feature requires constant upkeep — regular water testing, filtration maintenance, and fish care (including specialized diets, temp control, and vet care!).

3. Rose Gardens

Traditional rose gardens are lovely when maintained properly but they require constant attention. They need proper pruning, fertilizing, pest control, and are prone to disease. Roses are highly susceptible to black spot, powdery mildew, and aphids, making them a pretty demanding plant. I gave up my roses for drought-tolerant plants and olive trees in my California garden.

4. Cobblestone or Brick Pathways

Over time, moss and weeds grow between the stones and brick, creating slippery surfaces and requiring frequent cleaning. Frost heaving and settling can create uneven surfaces here too, which can be costly to repair. Gravel and mulch are low-budget options that can still look great and don't require a lot of upkeep in the garden.

5. Topiaries

Shaping plants into whimsical topiaries is not for the faint of heart — or wallet. These sculpted plants demand expert trimming, precise watering, and protection from harsh weather. Hiring a professional topiarist can be an ongoing and expensive commitment for more elaborate topiaries, like animal shapes and other artistic sculpting.

6. Traditional Fountains

A grand fountain can be the focal point of a traditional backyard, but keeping it in pristine condition requires frequent cleaning, water treatment, and pump maintenance. Algae buildup, clogged filters, and winter freezing can all lead to costly repairs and upkeep.

7. Ornate Ironwork

Iron is prone to rust, meaning you'll need to endure frequent sanding, priming, and repainting to keep them looking polished and pristine, which can get tiresome over time.

8. Massive Lawns

I replaced an uncomfortable, and frankly ugly, rock lawn with a small grass lawn for my kiddo and dog to enjoy and my water bill quadrupled! A sprawling, perfectly green lawn is a major water guzzler. Keeping it lush requires constant mowing, fertilizing, aeration, and irrigation. Consider more mulch and gravel than grass.

9. Gazebos or Pergolas

Maintaining wooden structures like gazebos means regular staining, sealing, and repairs to prevent weather-related wear and tear. If made from natural wood, they’re especially vulnerable to rot, termites, and warping. Look for more weather-resistant protection or plant more shade trees.

10. Plastic Edging

Plastic and gardens don't make an ideal match. Plastic edging may seem like a quick fix, but it's often frustrating to install, prone to shifting over time, and can lead to weed crossover and untidy borders. While affordable upfront, its short lifespan makes it a poor long-term investment. Opt for sustainable alternatives that not only last but also prevent microplastics from contaminating your soil.

1. Layer Your Plants

You can sketch out a plan based on your usable space and how you hope to use it. Place taller trees and shrubs toward the back, medium-sized plants in the middle, and low-growing flowers or ground cover like clover, creeping thyme, or moss to create a full, lush look.

2. Grow Climbing Plants

Cover trellises and fences with climbing plants like jasmine or Bougainvillea, whatever suits your climate, to maximize green space and add visual interest to your front yard.

3. Plant Flowering Shrubs

Plant shrubs like hydrangeas, azaleas, or camellias that provide seasonal changes, like greenery in the cooler months and bursts of color come spring.

4. Choose a Variety of Textures and Colors

You'll want to mix different plant textures to add visual interest and depth to your landscaping. Some of the grasses, ground cover, flowers, and trees I used included White Fountain Grass, Lamb's Ear, Icelandic poppies, Bougainvillea (the peach variety), olive and lemon trees for my Northern California yard. My color palette was focused on the green and citrus color families. Talk to your local gardening store about plants that work best in your area and find ones that you love.

5. Use Evergreen Plants for Structure

Planting evergreens like boxwood or juniper will help you maintain a lush appearance even during colder months while providing a structured framework for seasonal plants.

6. Plant Native and Drought-Resistant Plants

If you live in a drought-prone climate, look for plants that require minimal water and maintenance, such as succulents, lavender, or ornamental grasses.

7. Install Curved Garden Beds

If you have the space for it, design your landscaping with gently curved flower beds instead of straight lines to create a more organic look.

8. Grow Wildflowers

You won't regret converting a section of your yard into a wildflower meadow to attract pollinators and have pretty bouquets at full bloom. My daughter and I wanted to attract ladybugs and butterflies and chose our plants accordingly.

9. Plants Edibles (No, Not That Kind)

Mix herbs, fruit-bearing plants, and veggies into your landscape for a sustainable and functional front yard that feeds your soul and your belly!

10. Plant Shade Trees

Deciduous trees can provide shade, improve air quality, and reduce your home's energy costs by keeping it cooler in the summer.

11. Add Porch Plants

Along the lines of layering your plants, porch plants hung from above, such as ferns, petunias, or ivy, add charm, texture, and a touch of nature to your outdoor space.

12. Create a Focal Point

Design around a statement piece such as a reading nook (in the case of my space), a bird bath, a sculptural tree like a Japanese maple, or for a more traditional look, a flower-filled urn, surrounded by lush plantings to draw the eye and anchor the design.

13. Use Pots to Cover Concrete

Not blessed with a bed full of soil? No problem. Use potted plants to create an inviting, welcoming look to your front yard or steps.

14. Add a Pop of Color

Painting your door a bright color to contrast with all the lush greenery can really make your landscaping pop and your home exterior look strikingly good.

Essentially an iced white chocolate mocha made with blonde espresso topped with matcha cold foam and brown butter sprinkles, one Starbucks barista revealeda tasty (and festive!) new way to enjoy the chain’s offerings in lieu of St Paddy’s: the Pot Of Gold!

The spirited drink starts with 4 pumps of white mocha sauce, which is then combined with 2 blonde espresso shots. Starbucks’ blonde espresso has a smoother effect than their traditional shots, so expect this sip to bring on the sweetness!

From there, you can order the drink with your choice of milk – and it’s a total bonus that Starbucks is no longer charging extra for alternative milks like oat, almond, coconut, and soy milk!

The next step is to order the drink with the chain’s vanilla cold foam, adding 2 scoops of matcha powder in the process.

Note: this secret menu item was shared before Starbucks reformulated their matcha powderto be unsweetened, but the cold foam should still have some sweetness, thanks to the vanilla.

Finally, the Pot Of Gold matcha drink is complete, boasting a satisfying layer of green on top of a golden latte. The barista who came up with the drink topped their bev with Starbucks’ brown butter sprinkles, which is in cafes for a limited time alongside their pistachio-flavored coffees.

If your local Starbucks is out of the brown butter sprinkles, a dusting of cinnamon or chocolate curls could also be so tasty!

With this secret menu hack, you’ll be sipping your way through a delightful sweetness and plenty of caffeine from both the matcha powder and espresso shots. If you prefer to have less jitters in your drink, you could easily order it ‘half-caff’ or with decaf espresso shots.

For quick reference, here’s how to order the Pot Of Gold drink. Ask for:

• A grande iced latte
• With 2 blonde espresso shots (or your preference for ‘half-caff’ or decaf)
• With your choice of milk
• Topped with Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam with 2 scoops of matcha powder
• Add brown butter topping

And voila! This drink is such a fun way to ring in St. Patrick’s Day. If you’re craving an iced blended beverage, I also tracked down some pretty delicious-looking secret menu drinks for a Lucky Leprechaun Frappuccino and a Pot Of Gold Frappuccino.

Check ‘em out – and happy St. Paddy’s!