Mine look really nice because they were all cleaned in late fall and are stored under plastic in the garage. I'll bring them out again in April.

Don't need to have things laying around to shovel snow around.

Thanks, Patser.

Anyone else?

I change out my window box and big planter all year. In December I filled them with evergreen boughs and red twig dogwood, which I think looks nice well beyond the holiday season. When it gets sort of springy outside (and they thaw out) I'll pull the greens and they'll sit empty for a month or so before I fill them with a spring planting.

pansies...every year I fill a lot of pots and my window boxes with pansies. They are hardy through almost anything. This winter though has been a challenge...not in a good way. No current pics as they look more scraggly then they ever have before but here is from last year...

When its time to pull the summer flowers in the fall, I plant pansies, cabbage, kale and faux pumpkins. After Thanksgiving, its time for the greens such as boxwood, cedar, fir branches etc. with giant sugar pine cones. That's what is in my window boxes now. Once it warms up and thaws in spring I pull the greens, clean out the window boxes and add summer flowers such as geraniums or super petunias.
Fall

Like Trailrunner I grow pansies fall through spring in pots and in the ground. I think you could do the same in Zone 7.

Trailrunner, I like your pansies idea, and thanks for the pic. Even snow-covered they look pretty.

Natal, thanks for the seconds on that idea.

KMCG wow thanks for all the great ideas and pretty pictures. You obviously have the knack for curb appeal year round.