Call me a romantic but I much prefer seeing some greenery than seeing exposed aggregate or concrete. Unfortunately, the trend at the moment is to replace gardens and green lush front curbs with pavers or decorative concrete alfresco areas and patios.
But there are ways to add some green to your exposed aggregate driveway or concrete pool area.

Pots and planters might be an obvious choice but how to choose them and how do you actually plant a seed and what should you even try to grow?

What about vertical gardens? How to start? What plants should you choose? how do tend to them? 
Raised gardens beds could also be a good option if you are looking at growing a lot of flowers, veggies or fruits, provided you have the time to care for them!
For the gardeners out there, build a greenhouse.