Memorial Day weekend may prompt visions of the red poppy known as Flanders or corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas). This beautiful flower inspired the poem In Flanders Field written by the Canadian doctor Lt. Col. John McCrae, who ran a field hospital during World War I.

Make it fun and convenient to add some homegrown flavor to cookouts, garden parties and meals. Grow a few herbs in containers on a patio, deck or balcony.

Set a pot near the grill and fill it with favorite grilling herbs. Include some barbecue rosemary known for its especially good flavor and aroma suited to cooking. Plus, the strong stems make the perfect skewer, something guests are sure to remember.

Add color and seasonal interest throughout the landscape with container gardens. Set them in garden beds to add vertical interest, place pots of edible plants on a patio, deck or balcony for convenient picking, and include pollinator-friendly plants in containers to attract and support pollinators.

Screen unwanted views, buffer traffic and other noise, create privacy and add year-round beauty to the landscape with evergreens. Combine them with deciduous trees and shrubs, perennials and annuals for multiple seasons of beauty. Plus, enjoy the seasonal changes as well as visiting pollinators and songbirds.

Elevated and raised bed gardens can expand your planting options and make planting and maintenance easier and more convenient. You’ll be able to plant, weed and harvest with minimal bending or even from the luxury of a chair or bench.