Every year I have a number of plants that overwinter and are still there when I plant next year's seedlings. This includes various kinds of strawberries, kale, celery, and basil. The basil and celery I've had for a few years now. The chives go dormant until it starts getting warm outside and then they come back to life, as do the two mint plants.
I also replace the flowers by my front door throughout the year to add a bit of cheer to our breezeway.