SHOPPING
Create comfort Buy a portable firepit for evening warmth in the garden. Fill large containers with fragrant perennials for natural aromatherapy; good choices include English lavender, nicotiana, and summer phlox.
Related story: Fire in the round

PLANTING
Design a culinary herb bed Plant seedlings of basil, chervil, chives, lemon grass, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon, and thyme in a curving bed. Start cilantro and dill from seed at the back. Toward the front and just off-center, set a wide, low bowl on a paver and plant it with mint seedlings for a cooling accent. The pot and paver will keep the mint's roots from wandering.

Dress your veggie plot Set out cucumber, eggplant, melon, pepper, and tomato plants; sow seeds of lima and snap beans, corn, and summer and winter squash. In the low desert, set out plants of Jerusalem artichoke, okra, peppers, and sweet potatoes. Whether you plant the crops in rows, circles, or raised beds, reserve space in back for sunflowers, and in front for zinnias in mixed colors with a fringe of sweet alyssum.

Grow flowers for cutting Plants that provide a steady supply of summer blooms for bouquets include perennials such as purple and white coneflower, coreopsis, gaillardia, gloriosa daisy, scabiosa, Shasta daisy, statice, and yarrow and annuals such as cosmos and Mexican sunflower.

Tuck nectar plants into a border Hummingbirds adore the tubular, nectar-rich flowers of Agastache. Bees and butterflies do too. But this perennial has one small flaw — the taller varieties, such as 'Blue Fortune', tend to flop. Prop them up with a hebe or other short woody shrub, or plant a shorter variety, like 'Acapulco Salmon & Pink' or 'Tangerine Dreams'. Other perennials in bloom now that hummingbirds love include alstroemeria, columbine, justicia, lobelia, penstemon, russelia, salvias, and veronica. Related story: Planting for birds and butterflies

MAINTENANCE
Camouflage a problem area Paint a concrete-block wall or ugly fence a dramatic color such as sky blue, then plant gloriosa daisies and grasses in front.

Replenish mulch Top off mulch around established plants to keep beds looking tidy and to discourage weeds. Make the layer at least 3 inches deep to help keep plant roots cool when weather warms.
Related story: Q&A: Mulch basics

Start a worm bin Two pounds of red wiggler worms can process about 7 pounds of fruit and vegetable scraps per week, producing lots of nutrient-rich, soil-improving castings. Look for a class on vermiculture at a public garden to learn more about this form of alchemy. Especially tempting is a workshop offered by Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Beach (10–noon May 17; $10; registration required; 17829 Goldenwest St.; 714/842-4772); upon completion, Huntington Beach residents can buy a VermiPro worm bin for the reduced price of $49 ($125 for nonresidents).

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