I've been noticing a trend in the garden world that is loosely related to the ubertrend of vertical gardening.  Shelf Gardening (as I am calling it) solves the same challenge of creating a lot of planting space in very little square footage, but provides a whole new range of options for adding your own sense of style.   

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As a city dweller, I envy anyone that has an outdoor space they can call their own. A balcony, backyard, even a stoop can make for some good hangouts in the nice weather. Lately I have been especially into rooftop gardens — I think it is fun to see how plants can transform an otherwise unremarkable rooftop into a beautiful place. Here are a few that I think are particularly pretty. 
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I grew up in inland L.A., where every house had a perfectly manicured lawn. Back then we didn't think of water as a precious resource. Now I live in drizzly Seattle, but my lawn is choked by dandelions and moss. Grass has become more of an accent than a dominant feature in recent years, a landscaping trend that shows no signs of reversing. I can't wait to cut back on mine. But how?

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For thousand of years, urns have been lending their classic design to gardens all over the world.  From the early Greek and Roman gardens to formal English landscapes, urns are the most common and enduring of decorative ornament to be incorporated into gardens throughout history.  Urns, with their timeless and stately appeal, are one of the rare garden design elements that can add architectural interest purely on their own.  

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Thinking about making a window box garden this year? Here are some of our best ideas and tips to get you started:

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Before sending your scraps to the trash or the compost heap, consider taking on this experiment in the kitchen...

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If you are planning to plant a garden this year, you probably have some garden supplies that need organizing. Here are some creative storage ideas for a variety of spaces using things you might already have at home. 

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One of my earliest memories of spending time with my grandfather was watching him stand over an array of small pots in the dining room, carefully checking their growth. He explained to me that soon they would be ready to go outside in the garden, and eventually they would become vegetables. Not being super keen on some vegetables as a child, I had to squelch the desire to sabotage his budding collection waiting to be moved to the big plot outside. 

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Enough with spring cleaning! Time for fun, gardening and playing outside. My inner Martha Stewart needs colors and fun in the yard. Since the kids are done with their seedlings and are taking their jobs of caring for their plants seriously, we decided we needed beautiful pots to put all these grown plants in once the weather permits.

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I'm fortunate to have a house in the city with a backyard that receives lots of morning sunlight and a front yard that basks in the strong afternoon sun.  I get to experience the best of both worlds, but many of my friends aren't as lucky, and their gardens and yards often show it.  Last week we gave you a few ideas for shade-loving plants — this week I'm going to round off the list with a few suggestions for shade-loving trees (and for an added bonus, they're also perfect for compact spaces!).  

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