Final answer:
The correct expression for the perimeter of the triangular garden is a) (3h - 2 + h + 18), incorporating one side three times the height minus 2, another equal to the height, and a third side that is 18 units long.
Step-by-step explanation:
The expression that best describes the real-world scenario for calculating the perimeter of a triangular garden is (3h - 2 + h + 18). This is because the first side is described as '2 inches less than three times wider than the height (h),' which translates to 3h - 2. The second side equals the height, which is simply h. The third side is given as 18 units long. By adding these three expressions, we get the total perimeter of the garden.