• Make your mailbox more attractive by surrounding it with a small garden.Boite aux lettres canadienne ouverte image by GUILLIN from Fotolia.com
  
  Create a classic mailbox garden with its own signature when you combine everyday flowers and ornamental plants. Because the garden will often be exposed to inclement weather conditions, select plants that are sturdy and require low levels of care. Building an attractive mailbox garden adds curb appeal to your property. Mix vines, perennials and colorful flowers in a small garden where the mailbox is the focal point.
  
  

Clematis

• Traditional, colorful and a vigorous grower, clematis is the ornamental star of mailbox gardens. As its vines climb the mailbox pole, the glossy green leaves provide a soft contrast to the box's hard surfaces. While clematis' deep purple flowers in the summer are a standard, substituting a pink, lavender or white blooming vine brings an unusual twist to the design element. Prune clematis vines frequently to keep them from interfering with access to the mailbox opening.
  
  

Ornamental Grasses

• The graceful fronds of ornamental grasses are suited to a mailbox garden where low maintenance is a priority. Set grass clumps back from the mailbox itself so that they do not interfere with its use. Use native, drought-tolerant grass species in arid regions with low rainfall. Include Miscanthus species grasses in your small garden for their silky seed heads and year-round appeal.
  
  

Daylilies

• Sturdy perennials, daylilies hold up well in a mailbox garden where poor roadside soil, little moisture and rugged winter weather create an inhospitable environment. Although daylilies prefer full sun, they will grow and bloom if your mailbox is in a partially shaded area, too. Daylilies come in a wide variety of red, gold, yellow and lavendar colors, so you can select flowers to blend with the other plants in the small garden.
  
  

Purple Coneflower

• Strong, upright perennials, purple coneflower is favored for its lush green foliage and bold, large flowers. The plant holds up well in wind and stormy weather, making it suitable for a mailbox garden where there is no protection from the elements. Purple coneflowers grow up to 4 feet high and, depending on the variety, have flowers that range from soft lavender to rosy pink to deep purple.