The Lifeshop Collection offers sumptuous outdoor furniture with very contemporary and organic looks. The woven Iraya Daybed reminds me of a comfy nest I would just love to curl up on those cushions with a good gardening book and a glass of pink lemonade after a hard day toiling in the dirt.

[photo by The Lifeshop Collection]

It’s seems silly to even mention the word “green” when talking about gardening, but it’s been all about the environment in gardening articles this week. With rising food costs, many people are growing their own vegetables. But even though vegetable seeds and plants topped the to-buy lists, many gardeners still don’t grow green. Guerrilla gardeners found their way into the mix, with their stealthy greening of public spaces. Checks these links for tips on what to plant and how to plant it to have an eco-conscious garden.

Growing concerned – The Boston Globe offers tips on eco-friendly ways to garden. Ideas iclude rainwater collection, native plants, and composting.

Survey shows many gardeners skip green gardening practices- A recent survey by the National Gardening Association asked gardeners about their green growing habits. In this article, The Chicago Tribune covers the results and why the practices folks aren’t doing are important.

Amid city streets, a growing trend – Gardening continues to blossom, especially among urban-dwelling folks. This article from The Boston Globe deals out the numbers.

Guerrilla gardening – Guerrilla gardening, where gardeners stealthily fix a blighted plot of land that doesn’t belong to them, started sometime in the 1970s. This New York Times article follows Richard Reynolds and his group of guerrilla gardeners as they tidy up public spaces around London. Reynolds just released the book “On Guerrilla Gardening,” which discusses the movements history.

Easy foods for beginners – With gas prices bumping up the price of food and yet another produce-related illness outbreak, many people are growing their own vegetables this year. This San Francisco Chronicle article outlines ways to ease into growing your own vegetables at home.

I just ran across this interesting article about foot pain and feet problems you can get while gardening. It includes a list of what causes common symptoms like blisters, cramps, and swelling. The author also recommends proper footwear and exercises to help strengthen your feet in preparation for gardening. Who knew gardening could be such a pain the foot?

I’m starting a new feature to help you find the most helpful garden news and views around the Web each week. This week, it’s time to dig in and get ready for growing and hoeing. If you find a story you think I should cover, please email me through the link over in the sidebar.

1. May Gardening Chores – A helpful chore list to get you going at North Country Maturing Gardener.
2. Organic Weed Control Methods and Herbicides – If you are looking for organic alternatives to rid your lawn of pesky weeds, this is a must-read at Hobby Lawn Care.
3. Controlling Springtime Algae Blooms – For information about spring pond care, including how to stop an algae bloom before it starts, get the muck out of here and click on over to Northwest Garden News.
4. Grass Selection for Home Lawns – From the University of Minnesota Extension newsletter, Yard & Garden News, this article is packed with tips on selecting the right grass seed for northern lawns.
5. Advice to the Public About Dandelions Moving from Nuke ‘em to Eat ‘em – Susan Harris at Garden Rant gives gardeners several resources that offer organic methods to control and/or live with dandelions instead of zapping them with herbicides. I particularly found the comments entertaining and worth a read. Dandelion wine anyone? Yum!
6. Gardens: May 2008 – Irene Virag offers a day-by-day garden chore list for May. I love this idea! It could really keep a wayward gardener like me on the growing path.
7. Bulbs for Summer and Fall – Don’t let spring tulips and daffodils have all the fun, add summer and fall blooming bulbs to your garden with the help of this informative article from Fine Gardening.
   
8. Though it’s tempting, don’t start planting yet – Here’s a quick list of suggestions from Nancy Szerlag at Gardening and Yardening for knowing when to plant the beautiful, but deceptive, plants popping up in garden centers.
9. Farms in the Suburbs (video) – With food costs (among other things) skyrocketing, more people are turning to their backyards to supplement their grocery needs.
10. How to Repot Houseplants (video) – It’s time to give your houseplants a little care before you head out the door to dabble in the dirt. This video from Growing Wisdom shows you how.

I have fallen in love with a landscape designer. (I hope my husband doesn’t mind!) Derek Fell designs romantic gardens and photographs the great gardens of the world. I had a chance to see his garden design sensibilities up close when I stayed at Mirbeau Inn & Spa last July. Just recently, I discovered Derek Fell’s Garden Photo Library, which catalogs his work. You can browse over 150,000 garden photos at no charge. The photos are also available to download for private use (as reference or prints) for only $10 each.

Derek Fell’s “Encyclopedia of Garden Design & Structure” offers advice on everything from training espalier to creating focal points with arbors. True to the encyclopedic form, it is an A-to-Z reference about all things garden design. The pages are loaded with sumptuous photos and garden ideas that will inspire you to add your own little folly near your pond or tuck a garden statue into a little niche.

Fell doesn’t stick to standard gardening ideas, either. He includes structures like labyrinths, lathe houses, belvederes, and ideas for framing and edging. One of my favorite photos shows a giant clock that uses sedums to make the numbers. Brilliant!

While the big box stores have rolled out their standard, traditionally styled arbors, trellises and gazebos, GI Designs’ 2008 catalog offers a variety of fresh, modern garden structures worth taking a look at. Some of their styles lean toward the more conventional (check out the Mission-style fence or Hoop and Arrow Trellis), and they are plenty pretty. But GI Designs really shines with its more contemporary pieces that will satisfy gardeners seeking to add a modern look to their spaces.

With similarly styled window boxes, arbors, trellises, gazebos, and fences, GI Designs also allows you to create a cohesive look with your garden structures. The company creates innovative designs using a variety of metals that come off as contemporary without leaving the best of traditional design behind. For instance, the subtle Asian styling of the New Iron Urban Arbor would fit just as nicely in a Craftsman-style garden as it would in a Mid-Century modern plot.

Besides all the garden structure loveliness, GI Designs also sells a variety of home and garden decor.

I’m sorry for the extended absence. In January, I gave birth to my second son (and future gardener). Life has been hectic since then, but I have missed this here journal. This spring brings not only a rebirth of the garden, but also The Gardening Journal. It’s good to be growing again!

In the coming weeks, I will slowly get back into blogging here. You can expect to see garden product reviews, garden book reviews, and links to garden resources around the Web. You’ll also find new products in the shop for the upcoming garden season. So come back soon to see how we grow!