It may be Monday but I'm already thinking about the weekend. With Memorial Day coming up in a few days, my mind is preoccupied with thoughts of summer grilling and weekend parties. That means it's time to shop for new summer entertaining essentials, starting with a fun modern grill.

We've seen vertical gardening, rooftop plants, and balcony containers as clever solutions for small spaces. But are there others? I went looking for other tiny spots to add a little green — in other words, where to garden when you don't have a garden.

Gardening is one of my favorite hobbies, but it can also be expensive when you start buying lots of plants and pots. What if you could double, triple, even quadruple the number of plants you currently have without spending a dime?  If you have a little bit of time on your hands, along with a lot of patience, you can do just that.  Let's dig into cacti and succulent propagation!

Geraniums are easily the easiest patio plant to grow. They also look great in flower beds and window boxes. There is absolutely no reason not overuse these beloved garden plants.  

In a leafy suburb of Buenos Aires, in a neighborhood full of classical homes, architect Alejandro Sticotti and graphic designer Mercedes Hernáez have built this modern masterpiece. Indoor and outdoor spaces blend almost seamlessly — Mercedes calls it 'a garden with a roof.' Surrounded by all this greenery, it's easy to forget you're in the city. 

This is my niece, Lu, who is about to turn three. She also just became an older sister, so her mom (my sister-in-law) isn't exactly in party planning mode with a newborn. To help her out, and because I'm a nerd for all things fun and pretty, I volunteered to throw Lu's birthday party this year. 

Stripes and brights are no stranger to summer. Crisp white and navy are a classic nautical combo; neons and look-at-me brights have been big for a few seasons now. When their powers combine, a happy outdoor space packs punch without breaking the budget. Here are some favorite bright striped pieces under $100 for your patio or garden:

My backyard is the size of a postage stamp, and filled with dog poop and sorrow. Redoing it, however, is for another day. I'll get there at some point, and will then be all over these DIY outdoor tables. In the meantime, if your outdoor space is in better shape than mine, follow the links for instructions on how to make one of these yourself.

When a friend told me he was considering planting two trees to celebrate the birth of his friends' new baby twins, I must admit I swooned. Birth-trees! Such a sweet idea, but there are a few things to consider...