SHOPPING
Buy an orchid There's nothing like a white phalaenopsis or a chocolate-scented oncidium for adding elegance and a hint of the tropics to a lightly shaded patio table in summer. For choices, visit the Carmel Orchid Society's MayFaire Orchid Show and Sale, where you can talk with growers, watch demonstrations by orchid specialists, and buy plants. 9–5 May 3, 10–4 May 4; free; American Tin Cannery, 125 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove.

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 For fresh herbs all summer, 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.

Grow flowers for cutting Plants that provide a steady supply of colorful summer blooms for bouquets include perennials such as alstroemeria, purple or white coneflower, coreopsis, gaillardia, gloriosa daisy, scabiosa, Shasta daisy, statice, and yarrow, as well as annuals such as cosmos, lisianthus, Mexican sunflower, and zinnia. Keep a shapely outdoor vase handy.

Try a new rhododendron Sunset climate zones 7–9, 14–17: To fill an empty space in a shaded area, buy rhododendrons now while they're in peak bloom so you can see what you're getting. Singing Tree Gardens; 707/839-8777, in McKinleyville sells more than 300 varieties, including uncommon fragrant ones, at the nursery or online; many do well in the Bay Area. For Sacramento and inland valleys, owner Don Wallace recommends pink 'Dreamland' and 'Mardi Gras', purple 'Anah Kruschke' and 'Madame Cochet', and white 'Dora Amateis'. All are cold-hardy and tolerate heat.

Tuck nectar plants into a border Hummingbirds adore the tubular, nectar-rich flowers of Agastache. Bees and butterflies do too, and all of these winged visitors bring beauty and motion to a garden. Choose shorter, more compact varieties, like 'Acapulco Salmon & Pink' or 'Tangerine Dreams', since taller ones tend to flop.
Related story: Planting for birds and butterflies

MAINTENANCE
Dress up a problem area Paint a concrete-block wall or ugly fence a dramatic color such as sky blue, then plant yellow gloriosa daisies and grasses in front. Redo a weedy path with low-maintenance gravel.

Replenish mulch Top off mulch around established plants to keep planting beds looking tidy and to discourage weeds. Make the layer at least 3 inches deep to help keep plant roots cool during the warm weather to come. Leave a clear area around tree trunks and plants' crowns.
Related story: Q&A: Mulch basics

Fresh Dirt: Get the latest tips, tricks, and planting ideas
on our garden blog »