Here's a look at what we've had on our radar recently: 

• Above: Prints of things so neatly arranged, by Emily Blincoe. And they're for sale!
• “Here one year, gone the next”? A guide to growing echinacea.  

• Above: We're making this peach and blackberry crumble for Labor Day weekend. Photograph courtesy of The Chalkboard. 
• Today marks the start of a three-day Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

• Above: We're crazy for this tabletop from Rip + Tan's latest installment about summer entertaining. Can you guess what the party favors were? Photograph courtesy of Rip + Tan. 
• For city dwellers with no outdoor garden space: Hanging houseplants are the next best thing. 

• Above: The architects were challenged with creating a nature center that wouldn't disrupt the landscape at Ohio's Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park. We approve; what's your take? Photograph by Brad Feinknopf.
• According to the New York Times, most urban farmers are women. 

• Above: Floret Flowers talks with designer McKenzie Powell about Pinterest's impact on the floral industry. Photograph courtesy of Floret Flowers. 
• With fewer homeowners under 35 years old, is garden retail in trouble? 

For more posts from this week on Gardenista, see Chasing Fireflies, and don't miss Remodelista's Summer Wrap-Up. 

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• Current Obsessions: Campfire Glamour
• Stay Tuned: The Gardenista Considered Design Awards Winners Will Be Announced Soon

Over the years, I've visited Ashland, Oregon, on several occasions. I've gone for the town's renowned Shakespeare festival, for good food, and sometimes just for a pleasant break on an umpteen-hour drive. Each time, I've stayed in a very basic motel while pining for a peek inside one of the town's charming B&Bs or its few grand hotels.

During the July Fourth weekend, I got my wish. After attending a performance at the Shakespeare festival (Richard III, one of the best plays I've seen), I spent the night at the Morical House Garden Inn, a nine-room B&B oozing with charm. The inn's three-course breakfast was exceptional (think cantaloupe gazpacho and vanilla brioche bread pudding), but my favorite part was the garden, two acres full of lawns, trees, chaise longues, and baby deer. As I learned, Morical House is hospitable to more than human guests. To book, visit Morical House. 

Photography by Meredith Swinehart. 

Above: The inn's main building is a restored Eastlake Victorian farmhouse built in the 1880s. 

Above: A productive pear tree in front of the farmhouse. 

Above: I spotted a deer and her fawn on a hillside at the back of the garden.

Above: I was some distance away, so I snuck silently toward the deer with my camera. But this little acorn-head loudly alerted the deer to my presence. 

Above: Startled, the fawn hopped around the garden, fleeing my lens. I felt terrible for scaring it.

Above: Reunited with mom a few seconds later, the fawn stayed close to her side.

Above: Bird feeders and birdhouses around the garden encourage songbirds to linger. 

Above: A vocal songbird in profile against the summer sky. 

Above: The Morical House grounds are officially "bee-friendly."  

Above: A pastel apiary at the back of the garden. 

Above: Not quite as cute as the deer, but still cute: fuzzy honeybees, hard at work in the lavender.

Above: A vine-covered arbor gives the garden an enchanted look. 

Above: Nothing in this garden is too manicured or perfect—which is, of course, perfect. 

Above: A giant willow tree envelops one side of the garden. 

Above: Morical House is right on Ashland's Main Street (on a part that's not especially attractive). But as soon as you cross the narrow entrance to the inn, quiet ensues. 

Read more on deer in The War of the Roses: Fighting the Enemy with Deer Spray, The Landscape Designer Is In: Elegant Deer Fencing, Hamptons Edition, and A Deer-Proof Edible Garden, East Coast Edition. 

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• Outbuilding of the Week: An Instant Backyard Room For Summer Guests
• Garden Visit: Dutch Master Piet Oudolf in Yorkshire
• Steal This Look: Water Troughs as Raised Garden Beds

We're celebrating anti-Labor Day this year, with tips and tools for leading the sort of organized life that leaves time for lounging around with a book. 

This week: ideas for a beautifully appointed garage (no, that was not a typo), a Small Space DIY to add color to a wall, and 10 tiny tabletop lanterns to extend the outdoor dining season.

Monday

Above: Do your September plans include a New School Year's Resolution to organize a garage, shed, or other outdoor space? Browse our archive of Shelves & Storage for ideas.

Tuesday

Above: Michelle has been fantasizing about a houseplant-filled workspace, inspired by this LA clothing designer's studio in our Steal This Look.

Above: Is anyone more obsessed with the complexion-flattering possibilities of candlelight than Michelle? She rounds up her favorite tabletop tea light lanterns in this week's 10 Easy Pieces.

Wednesday

Above: In this week's Small Space DIY, Erin discovers a way to simultaneously dry and display colorful flowers to brighten up a tiny apartment.

Thursday 

Above: Janet investigates Garden Sheds in this week's Hardscaping 101. Photograph by Michelle Slatalla.

Above: Meredith comes home from vacation to find her beloved olive topiary on the verge of death in this week's installment of The Novice Gardener. Can you help her revive her favorite houseplant? Photograph by Meredith Swinehart.

Friday

Above: One more reason to move to Sweden: our Outbuilding of the Week is Agneta Enzell's stylish black-and-white orangery.

Want to see how the Remodelista editors are organizing their indoor spaces for the new school year?  See their version of The Organized Life.

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• Drink Up: PVC-Free Garden Hoses
• 7 Things You Should Do to Protect Fireflies

The house must be a startling sight to passersby in this busy residential Tokyo neighborhood. On streets where houses typically are shrouded in curtains and awnings for privacy and relief from noise, there suddenly appears a home where the windows are not only uncovered, some also are lush with greenery.

It's an unusual sight because, as much as the Japanese love their gardens, there is little room for them in this crowded city of 13 million people. Houses are often built to the limits of the lot, eliminating any opportunity to provide outdoor space for growing things. One Tokyo architecture firm solved that problem by bringing gardens inside the home.

K2YT Architects created a two-family house with five interior garden rooms that provide a view of trees and shrubs from inside the house as well as natural light and insulation from the urban cacophony of a big city. The building sits on a corner property that presented a number of challenges, including traffic noise from frontages on two busy streets and a location adjacent to an elevated commuter railroad.  The architects wanted to minimize the sounds of the cars and trains inside the house as well as increase the privacy of the residents. 

Photographys by Satoshi Asakawa.

Above: House-K is a 3,000-square-foot home in a crowded Tokyo neighborhood.

Above: A small grove of trees in an upper level courtyard gets light from windows and above in House-K.

Above: The stark gray exterior of the house is dotted with an asymmetrical arrangement of three sizes of square openings for windows and gardens.  The front door to the house is next to the entrance to an underground garage.

Above: A grand staircase made of folded steel is cantilevered out from the wall and seems to float in space.

Above: Each of the four floors of the house is divided into six equal areas, one of which contains the stairwell.  The other spaces are either rooms or gardens.

Above: Rooms flow directly into each other, eliminating the need for hallways and helping to keep the interior full of light. 

Above: The natural concrete walls are softened by the warmth of wood floors.

Above: The first floor contains one of the two kitchens and living space. The other kitchen is on the second floor. Bathrooms are on the first and third floors, bedrooms on the upper three floors. 

Above: Glass walls provide residents with views of the gardens and natural light.

Above: By bringing terraces filled with greenery within the walls of the house, the architects have created a special environment.  Even though they are in a congested urban setting, the residents of House K can see gardens from every room of their home and feel that they are in the midst of nature.

For another house that relates to the outdoors in an unusual way, check out our post on An Indoor Outdoor House in Australia. And see The Ultimate Indoor/Outdoor House on Remodelista.

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If we're diving back into work this week (and we will, Julie—promise), the easiest way to ease re-entry is with an office that feels like an indoor garden. Enter tropical houseplants.

When we spotted clothing designer Shaina Mote's sunny LA studio via Need Supply Co., we suddenly understood the allure of work. Here's how to recreate the look:

Above: Natural wood, white paint, and sunlight create the perfect backdrop to make green houseplants pop. Photograph via Need Supply Co.

Above: In a pinch you can use two sawhorses as a base for a desk. But even better are adjustable-height sawhorses with shelves for storage. Made of beech wood, a Finnvard Trestle With Shelf adjusts in height from 28 inches to 35 3/4 inches (standing desk, anyone?). They are $35 per trestle from Ikea.

Above: How thick should a glass tabletop be? For the sturdiest work surface, we recommend a 1/2-inch-thick piece of glass. But keep in mind that the thicker the glass, the more it weighs; you may also want to consider a lighter weight 3/8-inch depth (also strong).

You can order a custom glass tabletop from Dulles Glass and Mirror, with lengths of up to 119 inches available. Dulles offers six kinds of glass (including clear); four styles of edging, and four shapes of corner. A standard 1/2-inch-thick rectangular piece of clear glass with a flat polish edge measuring 40 by 28 inches is $247.62.

Above: From Ikea, a sold pine unfinished Ivar Chair is $25.

Above: To throw over the back of the chair, a single pelt Auskin Sheepskin Longwool Rug (available in seven colors, including Ivory) is $89.95 from Sierra Trading Post.

Above: Despite its finicky reputation, a fiddle leaf fig tree can thrive indoors in indirect light; allow the soil in its pot to dry between waterings. If you're nervous about the undertaking, start small. A Ficus Pandurata Bush In Pot is a relatively inexpensive investment at $16.98 (from Home Depot).

Want advice about caring for a fiddle leaf fig tree? See The Fig and I: 10 Tips for Caring for a Fiddle Leaf Fig.

Above: If you opt for a full-fledged fiddle leaf fig tree, support its branches with bamboo stakes. A 25-stake bundle of 6-Ft. Natural Bamboo Poles is $31.98 from Home Depot.

Above: There are many varieties of Dieffenbachia, a tropical plant native to Central and South America. Grown as a houseplant, it prefers indirect bright light, a warm room, and for its roots to dry out between waterings. For one that has a variegated leaf, consider a Dieffenbachia maculata variety. Widely available at local nurseries and floral shops, a potted Dieffenbachia Plant also is available for $74.99 from Ava's Flowers.

Above: A shiny pot will reflect sunlight and make a workspace feel brighter. A large Polished Aluminum Planter (measuring 20 by 16 inches) is £85 (or £102 including VAT) from Interior Landscaping.  A 17-inch-high buffed aluminum Round Pot Planter is $423.50 from All Modern.

For more of our favorites, see 5 Favorites: Polished Metal Plant Pots.

Above: A happy potted philodendron basks in the sun. Photograph via Need Supply Co.

Above: If your workspace has a sunny windowsill, a cascading philodendron is one of the hardiest plants to place on it. A Heart Leaf Philodendron in a 6-inch hanging basket is $11.54 from Amazon.

Above: Saved the best for last—let's talk desktop accessories. A battery-operated Beech Alarm Clock from Muji is $34.95.

Above: A Tofu Stationery Set is $129 from Pana Objects. For more of our favorite desktop accessories, see 5 Favorites: The Desk Set, Natural Wood Edition on Remodelista.

Looking for a hardy houseplant for your work space? See Ask the Expert: 10 Tips for Selecting an Office Plant and shop our selection of Houseplants.

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• 10 Easy Pieces: Hanging Votive Lanterns
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The days are shorter but the evenings are still warm. Extend the season with flattering candlelight at outdoor cocktail parties. Yes, that's an order.

Here are 10 of our favorite hanging votive lanterns (which can do double duty as tabletop tea light lanterns):

Above: A brass Geo Glow Lantern with glass panels measures 3 inches square (plus handle) and is $10; pre-order from Anthropologie (available November 10).

Above: A small Copper And Glass Votive Lantern has an open top and padded surface protectors on its base; $13.63 from Oliver Bonas.

Above: A burnished Copper Small Lantern with an oversized ring handle is on sale for $99.95 from Crate & Barrel.

Above: A glass Rope Handle Hurricane lantern is suitable for indoor or outdoor use; it is currently on sale for $34.95 from Terrain.

Above: Inspired by the shape of a Mason jar, a small Rock Lantern is made of glass and has a rope handle. It is £19.50 from Garden Trading. 

Above: From Ikea, a beige metal  Mörkt Lantern suitable for both indoor and outdoor use measures 10.75 inches tall and is $14.99. 

Above: A polished Chrome Lantern can be hung in a sheltered area; it is £8 from Wilko.

Above: A Small Rectangular Coach Lantern measures 24 centimeters high (including the handle); £40 from Cox & Cox.

Above: Ikea's galvanized Rotera Lantern for tea light candles is $3.99.

Above: A Galvanized Steel Hanging Lantern with a rope handle has glass panels and is $9.99 from Target.

 Feeling crafty? No need to wait for winter to make DIY: Botanical Ice Lanterns. For more flattering lighting, see 5 Quick Fixes: Outdoor Lanterns.

More Stories from Gardenista

• Steal This Look: A Sunny Work Studio (Fiddle Leaf Fig Included)
• Hardscaping 101: Pet-Proofing Your Home
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Sweet Basil (Osimum basilicum): "Tomato's Best Friend"

Its summer associations are so strong that dried basil is unthinkable. In cooking, basil is all about freshness.  It needs to be added to cooked food at the end to keep its color and freshness, or eaten shredded and raw with oozing mozzarella and perfectly ripe tomatoes. So it's very important to have a good supply of this life-enhancing herb all summer long.

Basil has attracted its fair share of myths and legends as well as a macabre tale in verse by Keats: Isabella, or the Pot of Basil. It is also said to be a mood enhancer and as a cousin of mint, basil aids digestion.

Above: We've rounded up some of our favorite inspirational images of Basil in our Gardenista Gallery.

Buying a pot and keeping it on the kitchen windowsill is not a difficult thing to do, but keeping it moist enough and trimmed to perfection can be. Buying a pot and planting it by the back door is one step better; basil left outdoors shouldn't need much watering in moderate climates.

Above: For purple basil, see A Garden Gem: Purple Basil on Remodelista.

For the herbivore, growing greater quantities of basil can look fantastic intercropped with purple salad leaves. Getting past the parsimonious volumes of herbs that many of us grow will mean unlimited pesto and daily herb salads: mix different varieties of basil with the young leaves of spinach, chard and beetroot, as well as wild rocket, mint and fennel. 

Above: See more ideas for floral arrangements with Basil & Herbs in our Gardenista Gallery.

A word on picking: all herbs like a trim but do not snip carelessly with basil or you may overdo it, leaving the thicker leaves and stalks at the bottom of the plant. Pinch or cut tender new leaves forming at the top, but don't be greedy if you want to keep your plants in good shape.

Above: Photograph by Erin Boyle for Gardenista.

In northern climes, basil can be difficult to grow outdoors but does very well on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse. Hot, humid, and steamy are its ideal conditions, so give it plenty of light and water. 

Cheat Sheet

• Basil will not be happy growing outdoors unless it is genuinely warm and you are happy sitting out yourself.
• Best grown with salad crops, basil likes rich, damp, though well-drained soil, making it an awkward companion in the herb garden.
• The fresh taste of basil is reminiscent of long lunches near the Mediterranean. Yet its fragrance is repellant to insects. Kept on a sunny kitchen windowsill, basil is value-added.

Keep It Alive

• Do not water at night: cold and damp are anathema. If growing in the garden, start plants off indoors in mid-spring and put out in June or July. 
• Growing zones 4-10, but best grown as an annual. Leaves go black in the first frost.
• Harvest basil before it flowers, to encourage side shoots.

Above: Planning an herb garden? For design ideas, see images of Kitchen Gardens in our Gardenista Gallery. Photograph by Erin Boyle for Gardenista.

Frequent trimming will keep basil bushy: if grown in a pot in a prominent place, a basil plant's looks will soon betray neglect. Even a heavy dose of water will restore it in minutes from wan inertia to its usual vitality.

Though basil repels insects which humans consider pests, it is a magnet for white fly when grown near tomatoes. They like both, but prefer basil, which struggles through an infestation with more success than a tomato. It is a good companion to eggplant for the same reason.

Above: A packet of mixed basil seeds yields variety. Photograph via Rex Manning Day.

Besides sweet basil (the most commonly grown sort for flavor), it comes in all shapes and sizes. Large-leaved looks more like lettuce and the smaller varieties are neat and mound-forming. Of these, Greek basil is popular as a pot plant and Thai basil has a strong flavor of aniseed. The underside of the leaves is purple. Lemon basil is useful in salads.

Read More:

Designing an edible garden? See our Field Guide posts on Thyme, Cilantro, and Spinach, for starters.

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An aversion to the average houseplant once was common in the design world. If you flipped through an architectural or interior magazine ten years ago, you'd have been challenged to find anything green. That was back in the day when house plants had broad, waxy leaves in bad shades of green (yes, there is such a thing), and little personality.

Times have changed. Even as the Internet introduces us to an ever-broadening array of exotic plants, interior style has begun to emphasize a much more personal approach. These days design purists enjoy a bit of nature indoors, as well as out. Today's varieties have made a convert of me, so much so that I hope to regularly share my favorites, starting with these: my five favorite small-scale plants for apartment living.

Above: Considered an invasive weed in some regions, Asparagus Fern—Protasparagus densiflorus (which is not a real fern, but a member of the perennial lily family)—is better kept as an indoor plant. Grow your own with seeds from Generic Seed; $5.49.

Above: Almost no one captures the personality of plants like Belgian photographer Mieke Verbijlen. Here the backlit leaves of her Pilea Peperomiodies look like a cascade of green bubbles; $15 from Glasshouse Works.

Above: Dutch photographer Anja Mulder enjoys her Fenestraria rhopalophylla "Baby Toes" (in the US) or "Baby Fingers" (in the Netherlands). It's at Succulent Oasis via Etsy for $4.99.

Above: Air plants, like this beloved specimen of Kim Ludy's, have a particularly animated quality. Individual plants (also known as tillandsias) as well as sets are on offer a Air Plant Design Studio; from $8.99 to $24.99. Photograph via Ethanollie.

Above: The studio of Hong-Kong-based graphic designer Furze Chan, boasts an ever-changing array of small succulents including the pleasing gray-green Echeveria Pulidonis ($4.99 at Succulent Oasis via Etsy). 

Above: A favorite of Fen and Ned's Sarah Andersen, Lithops Fulleri are often called "living stones." (They are vailable at Corona Cactus for $4).

N.B. This is an update of a post originally published March 5, 2013.

Don't forget another of my favorites: Mikado, the world's most adorable plant. And for more inspiration about how to add plants to your interior, see Remodelista's Houseplants Guide.

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• Field Guide: Sweet Basil
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The trouble with dried flowers is that often they end up looking very dry. I’m the first to admit that golds and browns are lovely (see Brown Is a Color and DIY: Winter Finery, Foraged in Brooklyn if you don’t believe me). But sometimes I want a pop of something brighter. 

I sleuthed seven summertime flower varieties that will keep their shape and color long after they’ve dried. Here's a simple, one-step technique to simultaneously dry and display colorful flowers in a small space.

Photography by Erin Boyle for Gardenista.

Above: Immediate gratification. I love the look of flowers tacked to a white wall. But fresh ones wilt almost immediately, so I jumped at the chance to use dried flowers to create a longer-lasting look. From the moment you hang the flowers to dry, they brighten a wall.

N.B.: If you hang them upside down, flowers will become stiff with straight, hardened stems after a few weeks. If you want, you can transfer them to a vase to create a second tabletop arrangement.

Above: My best mildly unscientific rule of thumb for finding proper drying flowers is to look for the fuzzy ones. Celosia, amaranth, goldenrod, sea lavender—all of them have fuzzy, thick flower heads that hold their shape once all of the moisture has been wicked away. So, cherish your cosmos while you they’re fresh, but consider saving a few of these fuzzier fellows for a little bit of cheer come November.

Above: From top to bottom, I chose burgundy amaranth, spiked celosia, globe amaranth, lime light spray millet, crested celosia, sea lavender, and goldenrod. 

Above: Delightfully moody, burgundy amaranth makes a strong filler in larger dried arrangements. Because of the larger size of the flowers, they’ll take a bit longer to dry, but the end result is well worth the wait. Burgundy Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) seeds are available seasonally from Seeds of Change for $3.49/packet.

Above: My favorite celosia variety, these thick, arrow-like plumes work well in dried arrangements and hold their own as finishing touches on housewarming presents and wall decor. The similar Ruby Parfait Spiked Celosia (Celosia spicata) is $3.95/packet at Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

Above: Globe Amaranth (Gomphrena globosa) is a cutting garden staple and a sure thing when it comes to drying. Hang fresh-cut flowers to ensure a strong stem. A mixed-variety seed pack—QIS Formula Mix—is $3.65 from Johnny’s Selected seeds. N.B. The darker magentas and purples will hold their color better than the more subtle pinks.

Above: Not a flower, exactly, but ornamental grasses dry beautifully. The bright green Lime Light Spray Millet (Setaria italica) keeps its vibrant shade of green after drying; $3.45/packet at Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

Above: This crested celosia is slightly less brainy looking than some of its brothers and sisters in the same family, and its shades are bright enough when fresh that the flowers retain bright color even after drying. The Bombay Purple Crested Celosia (Celosia argentea cristata) is $3.64/packet at Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

Above: Sea lavender makes a sweet filler that looks nearly the same fresh as dry. A packet of Sea Lavender (Limonium latifolium) seeds are $2.49 at Swallowtail Garden Seeds.

Above: Bright yellow flowers tend to hold their color best of all. As plentiful in grocery store flower shops as they are on the side of the road, Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) is an easy choice. A packet of seeds is $1.99 at Swallowtail Garden Seeds.

Above: To dry flowers using the hang dry method, harvest flowers at their peak bloom (or buy when super fresh), tie them in bunches according to type, and hang them upside down to dry.

Above: A drying shed at a flower farm is one of the pleasanter places you might find yourself at the end of summer. The air inside is thick and sweet and the ceiling is filled with colorful bunches strung from the rafters in orderly rows. If you don’t have a drying shed of your own, don’t despair. A closet or an attic, or any spot tucked away from the light will be sufficient. 

Above: Be mindful of the sun. While these flowers should retain much of their color after drying, the sun is a dried flower’s worst enemy. Showcase your flowers in a spot that doesn’t get direct sunlight for long-lasting color. 

Above: A piece of tape is all it takes to hold them in place. 

Haven't had your fill? Browse our archives for more Dried Flower stories. Head to Remodelista for 5 Quick Fixes: Dried Foliage as Decor.

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Given the choice, I'd go barefoot. It doesn't matter if it's sand between my toes or fresh garden mud, I like the feeling of my bare feet planted directly on the earth. When I was younger, my sisters and I had contests to see whose feet were toughest; the test was walking barefoot across our gravel driveway without wincing.

Unfortunately rigorous gardening duties require shoes. Here are a few of my favorite ways to compromise, with clogs and low boots:

This minty Green Rue Slip-On is $78 from Bogs Footwear.

The Tretorn Skerry offers more in the way of protection for delicate ankles; $80 from Tretorn.

This gardening clog features a slightly more sturdy tread, making it perfect for gardening on a slope. The Aigle Limpo Gardening Shoe is €29 from Aigle.

Jolly Garden Clogs are a true gardening classic. They're $47.95 from Gardener's Supply.

A warm weather counterpart to the iconic bean boot, these Rubber Mocs from L.L. Bean are $79.

Above: From Hunter, the Short Original Boot is $138 from Zappo's.

Above: A pair of Classic Birki by Birkenstock is $54.95.

Above: Green Garden Clogs have slip-resistant soles; $29.95 from Green Products.

Above: Farmer friends swear by the Mud Muck Garden Shoes, on sale for $64.95 from the Muck Boot Co.

Sloggers Classic Garden Clogs are a nice low profile option. The garden boots are available starting at $28.65.

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Let me be the first to admit I haven't fully embraced the 21st century. Apps, for instance. Hate most. Often when I try to look up an address or a restaurant or the correct way to pronounce "verisimilitude," my iPhone starts flashing an angry question that it really doesn't want me to answer. "Location Services Disabled, Cancel, Retry?" it asks again and again, working itself into the sort of snit that requires a hard reboot with the business end of a paperclip.

And yet.

Technology tantalizes. Who wouldn't want to be able to snap a photo of a mysterious leaf and send it directly to the Internet gods to learn what kind of plant you just brushed up against with bare legs? Who wouldn't want to upload information about "first-bloom" dates to create a database scientists can use to fight global warming?

It turns out you can. You just have to find the right app. The one that works. Here at Gardenista, we constantly slog through the iTunes store to test apps. We create planting schemes with garden design apps. We look up growing tips on iPad plant guides. We try to control our irrigation systems from our phones. And when we find something that works? Then, for a moment, the 21st century feels like home.

Here's a roundup of the best garden tech we've tested in the past few months—let us know if you have other favorite apps we should try:

Above: Photograph by Erin Boyle for Gardenista.

Read about Erin's favorite online tools for amateur botanists in Best Citizen Scientist Apps for Amateur Botanists. Erin spent a week testing naturalists' apps to find a handful of the best ones that enable you to help scientists create databases to document climate change.

Above: Photograph by Michelle Slatalla.

Here's a list of the best apps to help you design, plant, and ID everything that's lurking in your garden: Top 10 Gardening Apps to Download Now.

Above: Photograph by Michelle Slatalla.

Jeanne designed garden beds, improved the curb appeal of her home, and learned arcane (but fascinating) facts about some of her favorite plants while she was compiling her list of 10 Best Garden Design Apps for Your iPad.

Above: ID plants with Plantifier and more Best Apps to ID Leaves and Flowers. Photograph by Michelle Slatalla.

Above: Hydros, an App to Water Your Lawn works on the same principle as Nest's thermostat control and fire alarm systems. You can keep track of—and adjust—your home's setting from your phone. 

For more, see our archive of Garden Tech posts.

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I'm not a fan of drugstore varieties of hand sanitizers with their slimy feelings, awful smells, and long lists of hard-to-pronounce ingredients. But with my eldest son starting preschool this fall, I'm getting nervous about the imminent invasion of germs. My two little guys always have been at home with me, as healthy as can be (knock wood). Sure, they've picked up various colds and fevers after a day at the children's museum or music class, but until now we've managed to escape exposure to the germs that school-age kids bring home.

I decided to experiment and make my own all-natural version of a germ-busting hand cream.  I have used essential oils with my kids since they were born—eucalyptus in a warm bath for runny noses, lavender on a pillow for relaxation and better sleep—so I combined some of my favorites (all with anti-infectious, antiviral, antibacterial, and antiseptic properties) with coconut oil for a simple, effective lotion.  

For materials and step-by-step instructions, read on:

Photography by Christine Chitnis for Gardenista.

Above: For the hand sanitizer, I used clove oil (which is antiviral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal); lemon oil (a powerful antioxidant and a natural cleanser); eucalyptus oil (highly antiviral and a powerful decongestant), and lavender oil (relaxing, soothing, and adds a gentle scent).

N.B.: Please test this recipe on a small patch of skin before using liberally—some people are sensitive to essential oils.

Materials:

• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon clove oil 
  
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon oil
• 1/4 teaspoon eucalyptus oil
• 1/4 teaspoon lavender oil
• Saucepan
• Clean glass jar

Above: Add coconut oil to a clean glass jar. On the stove, heat a pan of water and submerge the bottom of the jar in the water until the coconut oil just melts (don't follow my example here—use tongs for safety). The coconut oil will turn to liquid in a matter of seconds, so do not overheat.

Above: Remove from the heat and add the essential oils.  Stir the mixture well, and allow it to thoroughly cool, returning to its solid form.  Put a lid on the jar, and use a dime size amount to moisturize hands throughout the school day when washing is not an option. This is also a great balm to use on your chest when a cold is coming on.

Above: For more of our favorite natural home remedies, see DIY Remedy: Garlic Honey for Fending Off Germs and 10 Chinese Herbs to Cure What Ails You.

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Yearning for an outdoor storage closet? A garden shed can offer that and much more. From the simple to the sublime, garden sheds serve up space, solitude, and a work or play room with a view. Is a garden shed in your future? 

Above: Seattle-based SHED (members of our Architect/Designer Directory) designed an unassuming backyard wood-clad shed with barn doors that roll open, allowing it to double as a well-appointed gardener's retreat and bike storage. See A Stylish Garden Shed with a Secret.

Do I need a garden shed? 

The question may seem obvious. But how you answer it will help determine shed size, location, and design. Consider:

• Will you use a shed as storage space, a work space, or a hideaway? (Or all three?)
• What will you store in a shed? Garden tools? Or large outdoor furniture in the winter?
• How frequently will you use a shed?

• Above: Shed as writer's studio, with a wood burning stove, in a London backyard. Photograph by Wai Ming Ng.

What is the best location for a garden shed? 

Within the parameters of your local zoning laws, you will want to situate a shed near where you need it most. Put it near garden beds if you are an avid gardener. Alternatively, you may want the shed as far as possible from your house if using it as a retreat. Proximity to power and plumbing are also considerations. Do you want to hide or highlight the shed? 

From a structural point of view, a level site is recommended for stability and drainage. Sheds should have a foundation of some sort, depending on size, structure, and weight. Foundations can range from crushed stone to cinder blocks, or from concrete piers to poured concrete slabs. Consult with a professional and check local building codes and zoning restrictions before getting started. 

Above: Sheds can find a place in urban gardens. Here, a pair of sheds flank the entry to a garden designed by architect Kim Hoyt (a member of our Architect/Designer Directory) behind an unassuming brownstone in Brooklyn's Boerum Hill. For more see: Before & After: A Brooklyn Townhouse with a Double-Wide Garden. Photograph by Dan Wonderly. 

Above: "The Shelter" by Maggie Anthony Design in Nashville was the winner of this year's Gardenista Considered Designs Best Shed or Outbuilding Award. 

Consider a location where the shed will easily fit into the landscape. Installing trellises against its facade, planting beds next to the shed, and or installing a green roof can make a shed look like part of the garden. 

What size shed do I need? 

This takes us back to the big question. First, what are you planning to put inside the shed? Equipment, supplies, storage bins and shelves, and work surfaces? Get out the measuring tape. Not only do you want enough space for your belongings, it also is essential that the shed entry be wide enough to accommodate your biggest piece of equipment and furniture. 

Second, what are you planning to do in the shed? Allow enough head and elbow room to move around. 

Above: Remodelista Editor Julie Carlson's compact garden shed is the perfect size for her gardening tools and supplies. Yes, it is also beautifully organized (see Steal This Look: Julie's Garden Shed for organization tips). Photograph by Michelle Slatalla.

What garden shed design is best?

After you've come up with the ideal size and location of your shed , it's time to turn your attention to the design. Functionality and aesthetics are at play. Ideally you will select a design that fits into your existing architecture and landscape. How important this is will depend on whether the shed's location is concealed or in plain sight. Adapting the facade is the easy part. It is important to get the structural components right from the start:  

Entrance. The shed door should allow easy access for you and your equipment. Consider wide, double or sliding doors. Do you want a threshold, ramp, or step-up entrance?

Windows. If the shed is solely for storage, windows may not be necessary (if the shed is concealed). But if you plan to use the shed as a work space? Windows are your source of light.  

Above: A white potting shed in the back of Jamie Kidson's Oakland Garden, where she keeps  beekeeping attire, tools, seeds, and gardening accessories. Photograph by Mimi Giboin for Gardenista.

Material. Our favorite choice is natural wood for garden sheds. It is attractive, fits into any surroundings, and is durable. This is especially true of cedar with its rot- and insect-resistant qualities. Roofs can be cedar shingles, asphalt, corrugated plastic, metal, and even green roofs. Experts advise that the subframe of your shed should be made of pressure treated wood to prevent rot.

Above:  A weathered structure in Agatha Youngblood's San Diego garden. A traditional shed shape, it is made from slats of wood that allow light and ventilation to flow through its walls. For more, see Debra Prinzing's book, Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways: Big Ideas for Small Backyard Destinations ($21.65 at Amazon). Photograph by Debra Prinzing.

What about interior design?

The interior design of your garden shed is equally, if not more important than its exterior design. As storage and compact work are often the two primary purposes of the shed, the efficiency of the interior space is key. You don't want to have to move a 50-pound bag of gravel to get to your garden gloves. Take stock of all the items you need to store and figure out the best way to organize them: shelving, hooks, or floor bins. Loft storage for light or infrequently used items can save space. Consider the placement of work surfaces, furniture, and shelving. Do you want to divide storage space from the work space? Or do you need to get creative with a fold-down potting table?

Above: A well-appointed writer's shed in a London backyard, by Weston Surman & Deane.

DIY, prefab or custom garden shed?

There is a garden shed for nearly every location and every budget. DIY plans and projects proliferate the internet (See How to Build A Garden Tools Shed from This Old House). Shed kits are available for beginner to expert, and makers of prefab sheds offer a variety of services from delivering a kit to full onsite assembly. The range of offerings is huge, from simple cedar storage sheds to modern sheds with colored panel siding.  Custom-built sheds are at the higher end of the cost spectrum, but offer seamless integration into your architecture and landscape design. 

Above: Cedarshed's Bayside Lean To Garden Shed is available with a sliding door for easy access to the 8-by-4-foot space. The kit with sliding door is $1,743 at Gazebos and Garden Sheds.

Above: The Oxford Lean To Shed Kit (£300 at Next) takes from two to three hours to build.

Above: Studio Shed offers a range of modern pre-fab sheds. You can specify size, door layout, siding options, and other extras (like a clear door); available for delivery for DIY installation or two levels of certified installation.   

Above: Sheds don't always require large plots of real estate. This Potting Shed (£2,500 at UK-based Posh Shed Company) has a 6-by-4-foot footprint.

For ideas on designing the interior of a garden shed, see Steal This Look: A Perfect Potting Shed and Steal This Look: Your Dream Garden Shed. Meanwhile, if you are considering repurposing your tiny shed into a studio retreat, see one woman's effort: Artemis Russel's Tiny Garden Shed. And, if you have the DIY gene, here is A Potting Shed Made of Scraps.

See all of our Outbuildings and Sheds features. 

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I'm always nervous to return to my home after traveling; I wince at the thought of what I might find.

Approaching my building, I'm always glad to see it still standing. Then I'm most reassured when two black cats—alive!—greet me at the door. But I still do a walk-through of the entire apartment wearing a concerned face. This time, after a three-week trip to Italy, I entered the kitchen and wailed: "Nooooooo!" 

My beloved potted olive tree looked...nearly dead. I stared at it in disbelief and plucked it from its ledge, only to cause its crumpled leaves to fall.

I'm desperate. Is there any way to revive my olive tree? Has this happened to you? If you have advice, please leave a comment—I'm willing to try anything, no matter how extreme.

Photography by Meredith Swinehart.  

Above: This is the little olive tree I featured in Houseplants for a Hater. To make clear how much I loved this tree, I'll quote myself from that story, published last November: "I love this little tree and dearly hope that I keep it alive. This is the only plant in my bedroom, and its beauty still surprises me every time I enter." I really meant that. 

Above: I bought the tree from Shed near Napa. When I brought it home it had three or four deep red olives on its branches. 

Above: After it dropped its fruit, I realized the tree needed more sunlight. I gave it a prominent perch in my kitchen window, the sunniest spot in the house. I've never been able to coax it to produce more olives, but in its window ledge it was healthy. It was happy. Its beauty surprised me every time I entered. 

Above: And then. My heart sank when I caught sight of my little olive tree. Is the situation fatal?

Above: It was my fault. I had written four pages of notes to the house sitter on the nuances of caring for my cats, but I had forgotten to write: "Please water the plants." Every so often. If they look like they're dying. Even just once.

Above: I'm not superstitious like the Italians I know, but I somehow feel uneasy about having spent weeks admiring thousands of olive trees in Italy while at home, my own little tree was dying of thirst.

Above: At least my little cat, Reine, was adequately watered. But she's concerned for my tree.

Above: What should I do? I've soaked the plant several times and it's back on its kitchen ledge—but August in San Francisco hasn't been generous with sun. I do have hope—a little hope—because I've spotted some tiny buds on a few of its branches. But they may be figments of my desperate imagination. 

Have any thoughts on what I should do? All advice is appreciated in the comments below. 

(N.B.: Poor Meredith, she was really starting to love gardening. Browse the rest of The Novice Gardener series, including Houseplants for a Hater, How Did I Kill My Lavender?, and 10 Tips for the Beginning Gardener—What I Learned in Year One.)

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How to get the English country house look  if you don't happen to own an English country house? It's easier than it sounds. The best gardens move with the times. In this gorgeously photographed book, some of the most spectacular gardens have elements which are new or simple. Let's do some mental translating:

Photography by Marcus Harpur.

Above: For those lucky enough to have a view, water enhances it, seamlessly. Kiftsgate Court in the Cotswolds (literally next door to Hidcote) is in its third generation of owner-gardeners, and each has added significant elements without hindering the harmony of the whole.

Kiftsgate is in hilly country and the gardens were terraced in the 1930s. The semi-circular swimming pool on the bottom level was added later, during the second tenure of the garden.

Above: Kiftsgate again, and a different kind of pool. The site of an old tennis court was rebuilt as the Pool Garden in 1999, with geometrical slabs of white Portland stone leading to a grassy square in the center of a black-painted pool. Surrounded by short grass and the old tennis pavilion, clipped yew provides the backdrop. Leaves of philodendron (made of bronze) wave around at one end, to cast even more light.

The author of this book, George Plumptre, compares the dynamic of great English country house gardens to galleries, in the assimilation of different styles from different ages. The result, he says, is "eclectic yet somehow harmonious."

Above: Circular steps occur throughout the gardens designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, whose architecture  worked so famously with the planting style of Gertrude Jekyll. In the case of Great Dixter (shown above), Lutyens' creative partner (and client) was the owner Nathaniel Lloyd, father of the late Christopher Lloyd.

If kept clear of planting, circles are ultra-modern. When accompanied by free-spirited spreaders such as erigeron and red valerian, the softened edges give the whole a rustic charm. Note the very neat planting of succulents on the top corners; all is not fuzzy.

Above: Mixing and matching, at the Arts and Crafts garden Rodmarton Manor in Gloucestershire.

Known as the Troughery, this enclosed area has that special something which you find in English country house gardens. A straight line of stepping stones in a striped lawn is accompanied by oddly shaped yet symmetrical topiary. Stone walls run parallel to this scene, with myriad garden troughs at either end. All very neat and organized on paper, if you omit the charm. As the author says, it is "formal, yet intimate and slightly quirky."

Above: Exuberant simplicity at Cothay Manor in Somerset. The current house was built to celebrate the end of the Wars of the Roses (in the 1400s) but it dates to somewhere "in the mists of time." With its stone statue in the center, The Walk of the Unicorn complements the medieval atmosphere but the lines of Robinia underplanted with billows of catmint (Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant'), are the most recent addition to the garden.

Above: An answer to the age-old question: What to plant under a stone wall? As long as it doesn't face south or west, the shelter and moisture under a wall is ideal for plants such as hosta and tree peony. Ferns grow out of the walls while the lawn edge is kept straight, achieving that longed-for mix: informal formality.

The English Country House Garden by George Plumptre is published by Frances Lincoln at $40.

For more ideas about how to incorporate an English vernacular into your own garden, see The New English Garden, by Tim Richardson and The Grandes Dames: 10 Stately Gardens from the Gardenista Gallery.

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I have a soft spot for spaces covered in windows and filled with plants; in a perfect world, I'd live in a home that closely resembles a greenhouse, with lots of light and lots of green. Swedish designer and entrepreneur Agneta Enzell designed a space for her and her family that fits the bill exactly. The orangery, as she calls it, is drenched in light. She uses it, fittingly, for growing plants, almost like a potting shed, but also as a place to eat and socialize with friends and family. 

Photography by Sandra Pettersson.

Above: The house is usable year round, but Agneta and her family spend the most time there in the summer, when they eat in the orangery almost every day.

Above: Black and white stripes punctuate a green backdrop. 

Above: A stainless steel counter and sink make for a simple, low maintenance kitchen.

Above: The kitchen counter space overlooks the family's property.

Above: An adjacent edible garden with black-stained raised beds is where dinner grows.

For more images of dark raised beds, see our recent post, Trend Alert: Stained Raised Beds.

Above: Carrots in the raised beds are labeled with black plant markers.

Above: Potted plants line the indoor perimeter of the windows.

Above: Tomato plants don't mind being indoors—in full sun.

Above: I love the shelving that Agneta has created for her houseplants.

Above: Squash growing indoors.

Above: The space is perfect in fall when it often gets too cold to sit outside in the evenings; it the family to extend their summer season a bit, as the windows and plants make it feel almost as if you're outside.

Above: For another Scandi style black-and-white garden, see Steal This Look: Black and White Deck. And browse our Black and White archives on Remodelista.

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As the summer season winds down, there is always a poignant burst of energy and color in my upstate New York garden. Brilliant yellow sunflowers stand tall, tomatoes ripen to rich hues of russet and scarlet, and the vibrant oranges and golds of the nasturtiums pop against fading greens. Nasturtium flowers come in such wonderful hues that it’s tempting to eat them—and you can. They have a peppery taste that varies from subtle to rather strong.

Read on for step-by-step instructions for my recipe for nasturtium butter (and for other ways to eat nasturtium flowers and their seed pods):

Photography by Laura Silverman for Gardenista.

Above: Try nasturtium flowers in salads or as a lovely garnish on cold soups. The leaves are good raw or cooked, folded into an omelet or anywhere you would use watercress. 

Above: What is typically referred to as “nasturtium” is actually a flowering plant from the genus Tropaeolum, which—because of its sharp, spicy flavor—borrows this name from a genus in the brassica family. The name literally means “nose-tweaker.”

Above: In many of my raised beds, nasturtiums serve as companion plants, helping to ward off bugs and beetles. They are most helpful in protecting broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, kale, squash, tomatoes, and potatoes. (The ground cherries in the background serve a similar purpose.)

Above: In the garden, nasturtiums are also trap crops for aphids. After the aphids are concentrated like this, you can eliminate them by spraying with soapy water or even by hand. 

Above: In the kitchen, I make a flavorful compound butter with the petals. Use a mortar and pestle to mash about a cup of them into a paste and watch the colors intensify.

Stir the paste into a softened stick of butter, add a few pinches of sea salt, and blend it all together. Mold into a log, roll in parchment paper, and refrigerate or freeze. A pat of this on hot rice, a simple fish filet, or a grilled steak adds a richly spicy touch.

Above: After the flowers fall off the plant, little round seed pods are left behind. Pick these before they start to dry out and you have another delicious morsel. Sometimes called “nasturtium capers,” they have a sharp spiciness that can often veer into sinus-clearing horseradish territory.

Above: I preserve my nasturtium capers in a classic brine: white wine or cider vinegar, sea salt, a hint of sugar, garlic, red chile, black peppercorns, coriander, and yellow mustard seeds. I heat this and pour it over the pods in a glass jar, and keep adding more capers to the jar until the last plant gives up the ghost. Stored in the fridge, these will last for months.

Above: Their briny, spicy flavor is the perfect foil for a rich, oily cheese like Manchego. Toss them into a puttanesca sauce or sprinkle them into your next potato salad.

Above: Their notes of horseradish inspired me to eat them with gravlax—a perfect combination! It made me think they would also be good in a brine loaded with dill.

Above: The flowers and leaves are a treat in season, but the seed pods keep tweaking your nose all year long.

N.B.: For more recipes from Laura's garden, visit her blog, Glutton for Life. Tour her garden in Garden Visit: A Cook's Garden in Upstate New York.  And read about how to grow nasturtiums in Field Guide: Nasturtiums.

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Why shouldn't storage units for the garage be among the most stylish accessories you buy for your home? Here are ten of our favorite options to consider for your garage, shed, or any place that needs tidying up.

Above: Leave it to Martha Stewart Living to come up with a smart and attractive garage storage collection (and to figure out a way to add 1970s avocado to our modern color wheel). The series includes an Under Bench 4-Drawer Storage unit ($249), a Tall Tower Cabinet ($199), a Wall Cabinet ($129), and a Tall Cabinet ($289). The storage cabinets and drawers are steel and offered in three colors via Home Decorators Collection. 

Above: The Edsal Basic Modular Workbench doubles as a counter and storage. It features a maple top and two adjustable shelves and measures 60 inches wide and 30 inches deep. Depending on your workplace needs, sliding doors or drawers can be added to this versatile work bench (as shown); $682 from Amazon. Edsal Modular Drawer Inserts are $440.

Above: Ikea's Värde series (generally used for kitchens) works equally well in a garage setting. This Base Cabinet Unit has three drawers, open storage, and a birch counter; $379 from Ikea. 

Above: The 5 Drawer Mobile Garage Storage Cabinet by Geneva Garage Gear will keep track of tools, hardware, and nails; $619 via The Garage Store. The cabinet features five stainless steel drawers, a wooden top, rolling casters, and a lock.

Above: The Salsbury-Industries Industrial Grade Welded Mobile Wire Shelving in Chrome is available in several different sizes and sourced from Home Depot. A shelving unit that measures 48 inches by 69 inches by 18 inches costs $179.

Above: On the prettier side, the MAX Chrome 6-Shelf Unit with Wood Shelves is part of a modular chrome shelving system called MAX from Crate and Barrel. The unit shown above is $299.95 from Crate and Barrel. 

Above: A steel Gorilla Rack 5-Shelf Free-Standing Storage Unit has adjustable shelves measuring 36 inches by 18 inches by 72 inches; $74.96 from Home Depot. 

Above: The Ivar Storage System from Ikea is available in several shelving combinations. The shelves are made from solid untreated pine. This combination shows two sections with shelves and costs $247.

Above: The Gorm System from Ikea offers simple shelving solution for the budget-minded. The Gorm 3-Section Shelving unit is made from pine and spruce; $81.96 from Ikea. 

Do you like the look of the MAX shelving from Crate and Barrel? Check out our post Stage a Garage Intervention with Stylish Shelving. 

N.B.: This is an update of a post published February 19, 2014.

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Our friends at Remodelista embraced an organized life this week, celebrating the back-to-school season by finding compact desks for tiny work spaces, wire wall baskets for kitchen storage, and a 900-square-foot apartment with more than enough cabinets to comfortably hold the belongings of a family of four.

Our favorite post was an ode to Geometry 101: a triangular apartment with triangular tile.

Above: The streets of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter have never looked more livable (or more tourist free) than as seen through the windows of an unusual apartment with a floor plan shaped like a triangle. (Does this explain the tile pattern?) For more, see Apartment Transformation: Brotherly Love in Barcelona.

Above: Julie's newest storage obsession? Wall-mounted wire baskets. After we saw her picks, we couldn't agree more.

Above: Margot hunted down 10 Tiny Desks and Work Tables for small spaces—and they all still have a spot for a houseplant.

Above: Christine found space to store the belongings of a family of four in a 900-square-foot loft. And if you ask us? There's plenty of room left for her to add a potted fiddle leaf fig tree.

Above: Izabella bid adieu to summer with a bonfire in the Cowboy Cauldron at the Dogfish Inn in Delaware. Next year, we'll tag along.

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Here's a glimpse of what we're loving lately: 

• Above: Our new obsession is eating the rainbow; framed prints available via Wright Kitchen.

• Above: Did you know rhubarb is a cool weather crop? Longing to make this pie recipe. Photograph by Nikole Herriott. 
• Mark your calendars for Pickling 101 at Workshop San Francisco. 
• Getting supplies for a strappy DIY flower press.

• Above: We're eager to visit Petersham Nurseries after learning it doubles as a cafe with delicious food. Photograph by Chelsea Fuss. 
• All about bark, "the armor, the life-support, the face of a tree."

• Above: Just when we thought we were growing tired of terrariums, we fell for these wall-mounted glass half-domes.
• An oil stain can ruin any driveway. Learn how to remove it here.

• Above: We're loving the landscape design at the newly renovated cafe inside the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice. Photograph courtesy of Hangar Design Group. 
• Endangered: Palm trees in Madagascar. 

• Above: Summer might on its way out, but there's still time to dine al fresco. We're taking notes from Sarah Samuels of Smitten Studio. Photograph by Caroline of Woodnote Photography. 
• Plant combinations that only a biologist and landscape designer could think of. 

This week, we shared tips and tools for The Organized Life—and don't miss Remodelista's issue on getting organized indoors. 

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