Lavender

TAKE A DEEP BREATH + RELAX

Ahhhh, lavender. A lovely garden herb we find so peaceful and pretty in pots and window boxes, on kitchen counters and as part of a Mediterranean-inspired or classic and pretty landscape. Bottom line: it smells unmistakably good. But the silvery-green foliage and bristle-headed upright purple blooms are also especially gorgeous in undulating drifts of color and fine texture.

Bonus: lavender is a tough, woody perennial that will flourish in dry soil and 8 or more hours of sunlight each day. Something most of us can accomplish without too much work.