Opt for shrubs that bloom when all other plants are asleep. Winter-bloomers add color — and provide living privacy borders. Contenders include: Camellia (Camellia japonica): Some varieties bloom through early winter and make great shrub borders (zones 8-10). Winter hazel (Corylopsis): Delicate, yellow flowers hang from bare branches (zones 6-8). Blue holly (Ilex x meserveae): Bright red berries look stunning against snow (zones 3-9).

Image: Tongshan / iStockphoto

Splash your entry door with bold color to brighten the facade. Pick a semi-gloss, exterior paint; don’t apply below 40 degrees (oil-based paint) or 50 degrees (acrylic-based paint).

Image: Erin L. Schanen / The Impatient Gardener

A really cool fence. Fences are great additions to landscape plans. Paint or stain your fence every 2-3 years to protect it against the elements. A stain/sealer combo will cut your work in half.

Image: Little Maple Leaf blog

Plant cold-hardy annuals along borders and under trees. Try these colorful plants if you’re lucky enough to live where it doesn’t stay below freezing: Calendula (Calendula officinalis): Bright yellow/orange; deadhead often to prolong blooms. Pansies (Viola x wittrockiana): Blue-family stunners that can last eight months. Dianthus ‘Ideal Violet’ (Chinensis x barbatus): Scarlet beauty that’s cold and heat-tolerant.

Image: Barbara Peake Wise

Wrap holiday lights around trees, birdbaths, and fountains. Lights brighten a winter landscape, while enhancing property safety and security. Pick strings of LED holiday lights that use up to 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs. Bonus: If one goes out, the others stay lit.

Image: Sandra Angers-Blondin

A distinctive mailbox adds flair to your front yard. Make sure you don’t paint over house numbers, which impedes mail delivery and emergency responders. The U.S. Postal Service requires mailbox coatings to be free from “flaking, peeling, cracking, crazing, blushing, and powdery surfaces.”

Image: Ocean / Corbis