The dawn of ‘07 brings a few certainties: The Detroit Lions won’t make the playoffs, and every facet of our lives needs a makeover.

We need to save money, lose weight, stop smoking, start sleeping, switch to decaf. The list is nearly endless.

If this weren’t enough, we are told our wardrobe, car, diet, home and yard are woefully out-of-date.

Home decorating trends will be “a la carte,” whatever that means. Brown and orange are in.

Don’t bother tackling the load of clothes piled on the ironing board. If they’re not “fashion-forward, spirited feng shui designs,” they’re so last year.

Fortunately, many of the trend-spotters and trend-setters say 2007 will also see a return to “traditional,” which perhaps means practical, comfortable and priced less than six figures.

Admittedly, I am the last person to offer insights on what is new or “hip.” I wear ratty old T-shirts that wouldn’t make good dust rags, drive a 14-year-old pickup and select paint called red, rather than “passionate plum.”

Still, there are several landscaping/gardening trends I’m predicting will take hold this year, including a few already making waves. Low-maintenance plants and environmentally friendly practices are in vogue. And it’s not just me making the call. The Garden Media Group of Philadelphia’s 2007 garden trend report is similarily in step.

Predicting garden trends is sort of like predicting the weather. It’s always changing. What’s popular on the West Coast, for instance, may not even be on the West Michigan radar.