One of the most useful types of plants you can find is herbs. Weather it be thyme, basil, or catnip you can find a variety of uses for your herbs. One of the most basic uses for herbs is in cooking. They provide flavor to otherwise bland food.

Another good type of plant is fruit trees. By planting fruit trees you will be able to get some shade to your yard while also getting some fresh fruit. This comes as a nice break for most people considering grocery store prices.

You can also plant the famous citronella plant. This will help keep bugs and mosquitoes out of your yard.

The aloe vera plant is useful incase you get a sunburn. All you need to do is break one of the stems apart and rub the goo onto your burn spot. This will help your skin feel cool and the burn to heal faster.

Depending on climate you can plant sugar cane around your yard. This will provide a nice natural barrier depending on how much you plant plus it tastes good. When you peel back the part you can chew on the sweet center of the plant, hence its name of sugar cane.

There are also many types of bushes you can plant around your yard. You can do this for beauty or get some bushes with spiny leaves for protection. It is recommended that you don't plant large bushes under your windows because burglars will use them to hide in while they break into your home.

Lastly, you should consider flowers. Planting the right type of flowers in your yard will attract helpful insects which can keep your garden healthy. As an added bonus flowers can look and smell good too.