Remember: don’t plant too close to the house and give trees plenty of space. Wood chips are a great way to kill grass (6-8 inches). I recommend some cheery perennials to the right of the lilacs, with varying heights and different bloom times. I’m trying to drill some native plant options into my brain because that’s being requested by clients more and more and I am here for it! Here are a few by month in our region of New England:May: Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum); Virginia Bluebell; Shooti