A glowing combination of blue-green and butter-yellow, with a tantalizing blush of pink on older plants and in cool weather. Bright Star (officially named Yucca gloriosa ‘Walbristar’) forms a spiky crown of flexible swordlike leaves. Slow growing, it eventually forms a short woody trunk similar to some agaves. Perennial. Zones 7 to 10. heronswood.com, plantdelights.com

Garden designer Alexandra Abuza gives a small backyard in Brooklyn a makeover.

We chat with design legend Terence Conran about how he uses smart design to make his guests feel at home in the garden.

Pick your own holiday centerpiece: We've put together DIY guides to five very different floral arrangements for your holiday table. There's one for every taste: modern, traditional, hipster, and dramatic.