If you find yourself tight on space in the garden or prefer container gardening, using compact and dwarf versions of plants can provide the same effect in a smaller package. We asked local landscapers to share their favorite mini-me versions of plants.

When Kevin Berges moved into his 2,500-square-foot loft a couple of years ago, he knew he’d want to update the space and make it his own. He was equally certain that the apartment, located in the Central West End in a 100-plus-year-old former pharmaceutical warehouse, needed to retain its unique metropolitan charm.

Wallpaper takes—to some—a fearful level of commitment. Ambling through home improvement stores and dry goods ateliers scanning aisles and “look books” for a potential match takes time. Not being sure you’ve found “the one” until you take it home where it must meet and complement your valet and throw pillows takes being vulnerable to a possible let down. Trysts with trendy colors, here-today-gone-tomorrow adhesives and aimless paint dabbling can be satisfying in the short term but, as mom says, “isn’t it time you think about settling?”