Chives, Allium schoenoprasum: "Friendly Wanderer"

Are you craving an herb that looks like fairies planted it? How about one that tastes divine, repels bad insects, attracts bees, and grows in shade? Or one that offsets other flowers, comes back year after year, and responds well to neglect? Try chives. 

This garden workhorse has been cultivated by humans for more than 5,000 years and it's easy to see why. It grows in wild varieties in both the east and west. Our forefathers (and fore-doctors, chefs, and gardeners) valued this plant for its medicinal properties, its flavor in fish, egg, and soup dishes, and its ability to fight off maleficent insects, mildew, and fungal infections in the garden. The French use chives as a crucial component of the classic fines herbes—a blend of fresh herbs used to season egg dishes, sauces, and butter. 

Above: See more images of Chives in our Gardenista Gallery.

Above: Find a pretty, clear bottle and steep the spiky purple flowers in vinegar. You'll be left with a lavender-colored brew that tastes mildly of onions. For step-by-step instructions, see Chive Blossom Vinegar Recipe at Leite's Culinaria. Photograph by David Leite. 

Cheat Sheet:

• Perennial herb; hardy in zones 3-10.
• Deer-resistant.
• Bees find the purple flowers irresistible.

Keep It Alive:

• Full to partial sun.
• Once established, adapts to moist or dry conditions.
• Does wonderfully outdoors or in containers; divide established plants once they re-appear in the spring.

Above: Dry chives and other herbs to make tisanes; see 5 Quick Fixes: Grow Herbs on a Windowsill.

Plant in clumps throughout your vegetable or flower bed. You can distribute some in a windowsill planter, too, as chives grow well in partial shade and in containers.

Above: Chives thrive on London gardener Isabelle Palmer's balcony. For more, see Isabelle Palmer's London Balcony Garden. Photograph by Jonathan Gooch.

Chives establish quickest from a division, but you can also grow from seed. Harvest frequently, and if you notice a lackluster appearance, chop to about an inch from the base to give the plant a fresh start. 

In the spring, simply wait for them to come up, divide the plants to make more, and water as you please! For an extra dash of chive power, make like the Romanian gypsies of yore, and hang a bouquet of dried chives for protection. The purple flowers last very well dried, and are an excellent cut flower in vases or bouquets. 

For more, see all our stories about Herbs:

Planning your spring edible garden? See our posts about Carrots and Lettuce, and browse our Field Guide archives for more inspiration.

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I have a friend who is the Imelda Marcos of gardening gloves. She has a pair for every occasion: pruning, planting, hot-days, and cold. Truth be told, I can't be bothered with storing or selecting from a glove collection. Is there a gardening glove that can do it all? Here are ten all-purpose garden gloves that are durable, protective, and can help you get a grip on your hands-on gardening activities.

Like shoes, gloves are subject to individual preference when it comes to material (leather or synthetic), fit (open or closed cuffs; elastic or Velcro), and coverage (above the wrist or not). Our selections cross a range of options.  Do you have a gardening glove you love? Please share in the comments below.

Above:  Designed especially for women's hands, the Pallina Glove is made of washable goatskin leather and boar hide. Kevlar thread stitching and double-reinforced padded palms add to their durability. Pallina Gloves are available in different size and length options and are priced at from $40 to $45. 

Above: The seamless Atlas Nitrile Gardening Gloves with a breathable knit back; available in four colors and in a range of sizes. They are $5.95 at Fire Escape Farms.

Above: The rugged Women's Gauntlet Gardening Gloves have a puncture-proof but pliable goatskin body with padded palms and a nearly 3-inch gauntlet to protect wrists and keep out debris; $39.50 at Duluth Trading Company.

Above: Made from fabric that comes from recycled bottles, The West County Work Glove is a multi-purpose gardening glove suitable for most tasks. West County is a glove company, and the people who work there are experts in the field. The gloves are reinforced everywhere that comes into contact with tools or soil. This glove has a padded synthetic palm and stretch mesh back, and a built-in terry cloth brow wipe. Available in bright colors so your gloves don't disappear into the landscape if you lay them down; $21.60 at West County Gardener. Need a harder working glove? Consider the heavy-duty West County Landscape Glove for $28.80.

Above: Handmade in Bend, Oregon, the Deerskin Work & Garden Gloves are made of supple leather that conforms to the shape of your hands with use; $44.95 at Kaufmann Mercantile.

Above: The machine-washable knit West County Garden Grip Gloves are coated with double-dipped nitrile for a waterproof and abrasion resistant finish. Available in three sizes; $12 at Rejuvenation.

Above: A classic used by gardeners at Buckingham Palace, the Gold Leaf Dry Touch Garden Gloves are made with supple and durable deerskin leather that is treated for water resistance. The gloves are designed to start with a very snug fit that then stretches and molds to the contours of your hands. Available for $42.95 at Gardener's Supply. The Gold Leaf Dry Touch Garden Gloves (UK) are also available in the UK for £18.99 through the Royal Horticulture Society (which endorses this glove).  

Above: For those who prefer an adjustable cuff closure, Gold Leaf Soft Touch Garden Gloves are made with deerskin leather palms and fingers with a nylon and lycra back for flexibility. Close fitting, they are designed to stretch and mold to your hands; $42.95 at Gardener's Supply.  The Gold Leaf Soft Touch Garden Gloves (UK) are available in the UK for £20.99 through the Royal Horticulture Society.

Above: Sophie Conran Gardening Gloves are available in a short length for everyday gardening and a long length that offers extra protection when pruning and cutting; £14.95 at Burgon and Ball.

Above: The all-purpose West County Classic Garden Gloves feature reinforced stress points, a protective palm, and silicon grip dots. The Synthetic material is machine washable. Available in four sizes and three colors for $28 at Terrain.

Put your gloves to work with one of our 10 Favorite Garden Pruners. 

N.B.: This is an update of a post originally published September 20, 2013.

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For my aunt—architect Sheila Bonnell—designing a house for herself and husband Mon Cochran (see page 108 in Remodelista: A Manual for the Considered Home) meant creating a dwelling that felt integrated with the landscape overlooking Pleasant Bay on Cape Cod. "I wanted the interior/exterior spaces to bleed into one another as much as possible," she explains. "The house sits right on the ground. The many windows and doors, as well as the surrounding decks are designed to blur the lines between in and out."

This concept of merging the inside and out is one that these Cape Cod natives also extended to their garden. Rather than "having it over there somewhere," Sheila situated the garden right next to the house, nestled between two ells to create an "outdoor room." Filled with native plants, it not only creates a transition to the landscape beyond the immediate garden, it also reflects Sheila and Mon's desire to live simply with the land.

Photos by Matthew Williams for Gardenista.

Above: Sheila and Mon designed a raised bed garden to run parallel with the longest side of the house. They made two raised 4-by-8-foot beds using 4-by-4 pieces of lumber. The beds are enclosed by 4-foot-high fences of chicken wire and metal rods. Beyond the fences, grasses "hide a multitude of sins." The garden gate (Below), painted the same white as the home's exterior, echoes the architectural style of the house.

Above: Sheila and Mon placed the garden between two ells on the side of the house opposite the bay. The ells shelter the garden from wind and salt spray, and on a third side a hedge of native bayberry and beach plum (not shown) creates a courtyard effect. Sheila explains, "It's a much more intimate setting than the dramatic, windswept views from the front—a quiet place to read, and interact with a more cultivated side of nature."

Above: Sheila notes that the "Cape Cod lawn"—her way of describing a lawn left to its own devices and filled with crab grass and burned spots—is intentional. "We don't fertilize, water, or weed it. It is the lawn we grew up with. It reflects the texture of the landscape and creates yet another gradual transition from the house to the sloping meadow beyond and finally the water's edge." Here you may also note how the garden provides a transition point between the house and the woods that flank the back of the property.

Above: In addition to the bayberries, beach plums, and the untended lawn, wherever possible Sheila and Mon use native or drought-resistant plants. The grasses mimic those found at the beach and have proved a hardy and cost-effective way to hide the fence.

Above: Sitting low to the ground, the ell of the house that encloses one side of the garden shows the decks that extend right from the interior floor planes. ASEK skirt boards, which are made from PVC, prevent rot.

Above: In another outdoor nook off the kitchen, Sheila and Mon designed a smaller plot using stones left over from the construction of their indoor fireplaces. Here they experiment with textures afforded by grasses and herbs and also with color from bright nasturtiums. Again, taking advantage of the ASEK skirt boards, Sheila and Mon were able to place the garden right up against the deck.

Above: The garden plantings reflect Sheila and Mon's desire to interact simply with the land. "Our annual trips to Italy to help harvest olives really influenced what we grow in the garden. I love that I can pick parsley, mix it with a little garlic and olive oil, make a salad from the garden, and call it dinner." In addition to lettuce and parsley, which Sheila says produces all summer into the fall, the couple grows cucumbers, tomatoes, and herbs. "One year we brought fava beans back from Italy. Delicious." 

Above: Several of the doors surrounding the gardens are painted a sunny yellow: Benjamin Moore Luminous Days from its MoorGlo soft gloss acrylic line. 

Above: Within easy access at the border of the woods, a custom tool shed from Pine Harbor is painted the same colors as the house.

N.B. Want more coastal garden inspiration? See 10 Easy Perennials for the Seaside Garden and A Seaside Garden in Northern France. Considering a beach lawn? See A Low-Maintanence Lawn Right At Home at the Beach. You can also see more of Sheila Bonnell's work in A Cottage Reborn in Rural Maine on Remodelista.

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A twinkly outdoor dining room in Los Angeles gets points in our book for not being fussy. Major elements include a rustic table and benches, white string lights, and a low-key table scape. We've done the sourcing to help you recreate the look:

Above: Los Angeles-based SIMO Design designed the gazebo that houses this outdoor dining room. Hear about this remodel from the designers themselves in The Designers Are In: Expert Tips from Remodeling Pros on Remodelista. (We also featured the facade of this house in Shades of Gray: Architects' Top 10 Paint Picks on Gardenista.) Photograph by Joe Schmelzer.

Above: We were delighted to find a close match to the dining table. The Welded Steel X Base Table is handmade in Arkansas by furniture company James+James; $880 for a 6-foot table.

Above: For outdoor globe lights like the ones shown here, the Party Globe Light String from Restoration Hardware is currently on sale for $35 (from $45). For more options, see 10 Easy Pieces: Cafe-Style Outdoor String Lights.

Above: Tucked into the right corner of this scene, we spotted the white and black Hoop Chair from Los Angeles-based Plain Air. It's made of powder coated steel and vinyl cord. Contact Plain Air to purchase; $450. (See Required Reading: Gardens Are for Living for more from Plain Air founder Judy Kameon.)

Above: Tossed onto the bench, a cloth napkin. We think Vintage Red Striped Dish Towels make perfect outdoor napkins; $8.22 for a package of three 18-by-28-inch towels on Amazon.

Above: On the table, blue glass candleholders. The Kivi Candleholder is a comparable design classic available in a broad spectrum of colors. Designed by Heikki Orvola for Iittala and shown here in light blue, it's on sale for $12 each (marked down from $16) at Scandinavian Design Center.

Above: For a simple glass pitcher, consider the Garcia Pitcher. It's made of recycled glass and on sale for $19.97 (from $24.95) at Crate & Barrel. 

Above: We like the pale aqua color of Wine Punts Recycled Glassware; $34 for a set of four 16-ounce tumblers. 

Above: The look wouldn't be complete without the bunch of tulips in the middle of the table. To hold the tulips, try the Pit Fired Ceramic Textured Vase, handmade in Connecticut; $50 from Caitlin DeSorbo's shop on Etsy. 

Steal the look of some of our favorite scenes in Steal This Look: Romantic Outdoor Kitchen in Puglia; Steal This Look: A Seaside Beauty in Marin; and on Remodelista, Steal This Look: Dinner in an Atelier. 

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When Holly Becker, author of Decorate, teamed up with stylist Leslie Shewring to write a book about floral arranging, the pair knew theirs would be a spontaneous approach to bringing flowers into the home. Rather than focusing on formal, studied arrangements, Decorate With Flowers offers readers simple ideas for incorporating farmers' market, grocery store, and fresh-picked flowers into interior décor.

The book is arranged into eight chapters corresponding to a range of interior styles from vintage to "girly" to modern. Each photograph-rich chapter gives inspiration for arrangements and floral DIY projects designed to play off existing patterns, textures, and color schemes.

A useful introduction lets readers peek into Holly and Leslie's prop closets and outlines their list of "trusty tools" for prop styling and floral arranging. Holly and Leslie also give pracitcal tips for choosing flowers, prepping them for arrangements, and getting them to stay fresh, longer.

Photographs from Decorate With Flowers, courtesy of Chronicle Books.

Above: An over-sized print of Debbie Carlos's cascascading flowers photograph provides the backdrop for a simple arrangement of white buddleia. The chapter called "Black and White" offers suggestions for folks whose personal style errs toward the monochromatic and focuses on "bringing the outdoors in through lush foliage in white and greens."

Above: Holly and Leslie invite readers to relax a bit when it comes to tabletop decorations. Here, they've plopped loose arrangements of fennel flower, Queen Anne's lace, chive blossom, Japanese anenome, eucalyptus, verbena, mint, and dahlia into jam jars and tied plain linen napkins with sprigs of rosemary for an extra spot of green on an otherwise simple table.

Above: A festoon of flowers from the chapter devoted to natural interiors. Here, Holly and Lindsey tied individual stems of flowers and herbs along with vintage luggage tags to a single piece of string. A backdrop of vintage botanical prints completes the vignette.

Above: A cluster of flea market apothecary bottles prop stems of flowering pea, astrantia, and fennel flowers in shades of green and yellow. Holly and Leslie suggest collecting pretty meadow cuttings from the countryside to use in easy arrangements. Cautious not to advocate rampant wildflower foraging from protected lands, they encourage readers to focus on "the common 'weedy' ones that grow in abundance."

Above: A festive bottle chandelier is one of my favorite DIY projects from the book. Made from wire of differing gauges, this budget-friendly project would put my ever-growing vintage bottle collection to good use. I'd fill mine with delicately scented jasmine and mint for a fragrant white and green look.

Above: My favorite bit of advice from the book comes from the chapter on coastal-inspired interiors. Holly and Leslie favor straightforward arrangements that use what you already have. In this case, wispy flower choices in clear glass bottles "keep the look light and fresh, just like a day at the shore."

Above: Decorate With Flowers is available for $17.79 from Amazon.

See more from Holly Becker in Remodelista's Required Reading: Blog-to-Book post. Looking for more inspiring garden reads? See our entire archive of Required Reading posts.

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A pampered mom is a happy mom. Or at least that's true of my own mother. But I think that's safe to say about most people; we all like a little rest and relaxation. At a young age my mother imparted her "take time out for yourself" mentality on me, which I embraced without a problem. Thanks, Mom.

To return the favor, here are five projects from our archive that I plan to treat my mom (or myself!) to this Mother's Day. 

Above: Hang eucalyptus in the shower and the steam will release essential oils. The oils are a remedy for cough and cold and also relieve stress, making this a perfect start to an at-home spa day. Learn more about eucalyptus in the shower at Design Sleuth: Instant Spa Shower. Photograph courtesy of Free People. 

Above: This personal treatment focuses on the feet, easily making it my favorite of the bunch. Erin illustrates an easy way to pamper your feet at home with Epsom salt, peppermint, lemon, and rose petals in A Miracle Treatment to Make Your Feet Feel Like They Checked Into a Spa. Photograph by Erin Boyle. 

Above: Bentonite clay is used for drawing out impurities in the skin. This recipe for A Beauty Mask Made from Flowers is foolproof for anyone (like me) who gets a little prickly about synthetic skin care products. Add ground oats, ground almonds, dried lavender, and dried rose petals for a holistic at-home skin regimen. Pack it into little jars for a wholesome gift for your mom (or the other women in your life). Photograph by Erin Boyle. 

Above: Is there anything rosewater can't do? The tonic can offer endless benefits: it's calming, anti-inflammatory, and moisturizing. We're big fans. Sophia shows us how to make our own in DIY: Rosewater Hydrosol. Use it as a refreshing face splash or add it to shampoo to soothe an irritated scalp. Photograph by Sophia Moreno-Bunge. 

Above: The idea of a spa popsicle is new to me, but it sounds like an invigorating way to round out a day of leisure. Spa popsicles are typically made with freshly squeezed fruit juice, water, and sugar. In DIY: Spa Popsicles, there's one surprising ingredient: avocado. Photograph courtesy of Rancho Valencia. 

For more DIY projects like how to make your own Rose, Cardamom, and Ginger Body Soak see our DIY Archive. And if you've caught the DIY bug take a look at the stockpile of projects on Remodelista. 

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Never a one-hit wonder, a good garden is always in flux, introducing new colors, and textures throughout the season. The same can be said for the best bouquets. But while we celebrate the vicissitudes of nature, we tend to think of the cut floral arrangement as static. Frustration ensues as some flowers fade before the rest, or if overeager specimens continue to grow after being snipped and disturb the structure of our composition. Cut flowers never seem to last long enough.

But like plants in the garden, a bouquet is a living thing. It morphs as blooms open, follow the light, and die out every day. So why fight Mother Nature? After you learn to embrace this evolutionary nature of a floral arrangement, you may learn to delight in its changeability.

Photographs by Justine Hand for Gardenista.

Above: My choices: fresh spring blooms from Winston Flowers included lilacs, ranunculus, narcissus, and leggy French tulips.

Above: I also chose grape hyacinths and sweet peas for their more demure stature.

Day 1: Freshly arranged, my bouquet added a much-needed touch of spring to the Halloween Hall decor that I never took down!

Rather than reduce the dramatic heights of my larger blooms to bring them into scale with the petite flowers, I decided to create a tiered vignette with sweet peas and grape hyacinths in a smaller vase up front.

Above: I dubbed this version of my arrangement "Bodacious Spring," and used pink ranunculus, lavender lilacs, and sherbet frosted narcissus to create a look that was both breezy and lush.

Day 2: Still fresh and opening up a bit.

Because this experiment required me to embrace change, I decided not to (ahem) stem the growth of my tulips by piercing the base of the bloom with a needle. By the next day my swooping tulips gave my previously vertical arrangement a more horizontal aspect. Groovy.

Day 3: Calamity: one of my ranunculus blossoms broke. In addition, one narcissus had already faded and my tulips had run completely amok. I tried to "fluff up" the taller arrangement by cutting down the tulip stems, but it still looked weak. The old frustration started to creep in. Then I remembered: "Wait, I'm supposed to be embracing change here, not fighting it." And so, taking a deep breath, I grabbed a pair of scissors and headed outside to see if my yard had anything to offer. A single just-budding azalea branch later, I was enjoying the second phase of my bouquet, which I called "Victorian Romance."

Day 5: After the lilacs, narcissus, and sweet peas all wilted, it was finally time to remove them from the arrangement and merge my two bouquets into a smaller arrangement. With this change in the arrangement, I decided to also change location. This compact composition seemed more suited for the bedside table than for my lofty hallway. You'll also note that I saved the broken ranunculus, which looked charming in a small teacup.

Day 7: Eking the last life out of my arrangement, I cut the tulips even shorter. At this point my blooming azaleas added not only structural support, but also a potent shock of color as the buds opened. Interestingly, this was my favorite version of the arrangement, and I never would have discovered it, had I not embraced the evolutionary process.

For some other unruly arrangements that embrace change see Foraged Ikebana Floral Arrangements and 10 Tips for Floral Arrangements With Native Flowers, from Brooklyn Florist Emily Thompson. Want more fresh florals that keep on giving? Over at Remodelista, Christine explores some Wallpaper for Spring and Meredith reveals our favorite architects' choices for Paint and Palettes: Schemes for Spring.

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It's official: we're ready to live outdoors for the next four months. And that means we're also ready to spruce up our outdoor spaces with stylish metal plant stands that will look just as good when we move them indoors five months from now. Here are ten of our favorites:

Above: With a black matte frame and two mesh shelves, an Angled Plant Stand is $129 from CB2.

Above: Made of wrought iron and suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, a Side Table Plant Stand is $118 from Terrain.

Above: A Ferm Living Plant Stand comes in two heights, 50 and 65 centimeters, and costs from 24.40€ to 28€ at Ferm Living.

Above: A metal Cultivate Garden Cart on wheels with a removable wire basket is $148 and is available exclusively online from Anthropologie.

Above: A Mobile Salad Garden is a metal trolley with a plastic planting tray; suitable for indoor or outdoor use, it's $139 and will available June 12 from Gardener's Supply.

Above: Painted black and made of steel, a Tiered Plant Pot Stand is from 57€ Manufactum.

Above: A sturdy vintage Mid Century Magazine Rack has three wire shelves that can do double duty to display houseplants is $66 from The White Pepper via Etsy.

Above: A white three-tier PS 2014 plant stand holds three pots with diameters of up to 8.25 inches and is $14.99 from Ikea.

Above: Made of steel, a gray Socker Plant Stand can display up to 13 plants. At 63.5 inches tall, it can be used as a room divider; $39.99 from Ikea.

Above: Made of steel, a rust-resistant Threshold Wire Plant Stand is 16 inches tall; $24.99 from Target.

Got your plant stands covered, but looking for a place to display your favorite party supplies? See 5 Favorites: Industrial Bar Carts on Remodelista. For more patio inspiration, browse the Gardenista Photo Gallery.

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Our favorite stairs are the ones that are part of the garden, nestled right in to something green. We found ten we like by members of the Remodelista + Gardenista Architect/Designer Directory—some are stone, some are wood, all are nicely settled in: 

Above: Greenwich, CT-based Doyle Herman Design Associates designed this landscape—complete with neatly trimmed topiary—to complement a grand historic property. See more from the designers in The Grandes Dames: 10 Stately Gardens from the Gardenista Gallery. 

Above: This 2.5-acre residential landscape in Geyserville, California was overgrown and blocked views of nature beyond. Andrea Cochran Landscape Architects made room for the views and established a fluid landscape beginning at the home's entryway. Photograph by Marion Brenner. For more, see Garden Visit: Andrea Cochran's Courtyard Vignettes.

Above: At this former prune packing facility (now a mixed-use complex) in Northern California, Andrea Cochran established a series of landscaped "piers" to protect the main buildings from flooding of the nearby river. Photograph by Marion Brenner. For more, see Stone Edge Farm: A Peaceful Retreat in Northern California. 

Above: Stephen Stimson Design Associates faced technical challenges connecting disparate pieces of a sprawling wooded property on Mount Desert Island, Maine. A series of game trails now links rocky outcrops and shaded forest with auto courts and lawns for the family's enjoyment. For more from Stimson, see Architects' Roundup: 10 Contemporary Farmhouse Gardens. 

Above: An informal wooden staircase meanders toward the coast in a landscape by Bernard Trainor + Associates from Landprints: The Landscape Designs of Bernard Trainor. Photograph by Jason Liske courtesy of The Style Saloniste. For more, see Landscape Architect Visit: Bernard Trainor's Most Beautiful Swimming Pool. 

Above: A strong interplay between the natural and man-made exists on this four-acre Martha's Vineyard landscape by Stephen Stimson Associates. Photograph by Roger Foley. See more from the designer in Let Twilight Linger: 10 Early Evening Gardens from the Gardenista Gallery.

Above: San Francisco-based landscape architects Pedersen Associates created this heavy stone stairway leading to a converted garage behind a Mill Valley, California house. Hear more from the designers in Expert Advice: 10 Best Low-Maintenance Houseplants. 

Above: Architect Jonathan Feldman built a stone staircase into the wooded hillside between two Mill Valley cottages—one for yoga and one for art. Photograph by Joe Fletcher. Read all about the cottages in Feldman Architecture: Cottages in the Mill Valley Forest. 

Above: Landscape architect Robin Key has been restoring parts of her Londonderry, Vermont property for years, including an 1806 farmhouse and an apple orchard. Extensive stone walls and stairs wind through the property, built entirely from stone collected on site. Photograph by Peter Mauss. For more from Robin Key, see Lush Life: A Townhouse Garden in Manhattan. 

Above: Robin Key Landscape Architecture created several terraced areas with stone retaining walls and stairs to link a residential vacation home in Connecticut with its sports areas and outbuildings. Photograph by Francine Fleischer. For another image from this project, see Architects' Roundup: 10 Emerald Green Gardens. 

For more garden inspiration, see Dry Garden Roundup: Best Drought-Tolerant Designs from the Gardenista Gallery; Garden Roundup: 10 Signs of Spring from the Gardenista Gallery; and on Remodelista, RADD Roundup: Concrete. 

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Until I stumbled upon Green Heron Tools, I thought all gardening tools were created equal. Gardening tools marketed to women just meant shades of pink and mint and plenty of florals. Not so, say Ann Adams and Liz Brensinger, the founders of Green Heron Tools, the first company dedicated to providing gardening tools and equipment specially designed for women. According to Adams and Bresinger, most gardening tools are made with men, or at least with man-sized bodies and man-sized strength, in mind. These two farmers set out to change that. The result? The HERShovel, a tool designed for women, by women.

The basic tenet behind Green Heron Tools is that because women's bodies are different from men's, their tools should be too. They explain that in general women have 40- to 75-percent less upper body strength than men. As a result, women rely on their lower body strength to power tools. With narrower shoulders, wider hips, and smaller grips, women's bodies have different ergonomic needs. Equipped with a USDA grant, Adams and Brensinger curated a collection of female-body-friendly tools—available for purchase through the Green Heron Tool Online Store—and designed their own shovel specifically engineered to capture the strength of a woman's body. 

Above: The HERShovel is $64.99 through Green Heron Tools.

How does the HERShovel differ from the run-of-the-mill garden shovel? It isn't just about downsizing. Designed as a hybrid of a shovel and a spade for versatility, the HERShovel weighs in at light 4.5 pounds and features an angled blade to complement a woman's digging style. Its D-shaped handle accommodates two hands and is tilted for added leverage. The smaller grip is textured for secure handling.

Above: For the most ergonomic fit, the ash shaft of the HERShovel comes in three sizes according to the user's height. The small is for women 5 feet 2 inches and under, the medium for women 5 feet 2 inches to 5 feet 7 inches, and the large is designed for women who are 5 feet 7 inches and taller.  

Above: Made to be used with female leg-power in mind, the HERShovel features a larger than normal foot tread.

Above: Green Heron offers ergonomic grips to enhance the usability of tools you already own. The Motus D-Grip mounts mid-way down the garden tool handle and gives more lifting leverage; $13.

Above: The lightweight BAHCO Expert Telescoping Bypass Lopper is an example of the female-friendly garden tools on offer in the Green Heron Online Store. Made in France, they weigh in at only 2.5 pounds. According to the Green Heron site, the loppers are well-balanced and feature comfortable grips, a fully-hardened blade made of high-grade steel, and a special locking system that locks or unlocks with just a quarter-turn, allowing the user to easily adjust the handle length; $85.

Above: The Korean Handplow (also known as EZ Digger or Ho-Mi) is another mainstay in their collection; $17.99.

Michelle found the Perfect Stylish Storage Garden Tool Rack for your shovel. Looking for more? See our featured Garden Tools ranging from spades to secateurs. 

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Inside a tiny shed studio at the back of a sprawling artists’ compound in East Austin, Texas, Tamara Becerra Valdez is surrounded by nature. Dried and drying herbs and wildflowers are everywhere—stacked on shelves, arrayed in baskets, and hanging from the ceiling. Other works in progress are drying on the floor—a series of delicate, hand-formed ceramic roses, created by Valdez for an upcoming art show.

Inspired by folk legend, tradition and the expansive Texas landscape, Valdez has created her own line of apothecary products, Botanicals Folklorica. And she's pouring her art into this project—even the packaging.

 Photography by Leigh Patterson for Gardenista.

Botanicals Folklorica is a line of tonics, tinctures, and other herbal remedies that Valdez makes herself using all-natural ingredients and traditional recipes. But Valdez isn't operating a quirky, one-woman apothecary: In everything she does, she's exploring the natural world, art, and the intrinsic relationship between the two.

Above: Valdez's products include incense sticks called Palo Santo Bundles (at left; $16) and medicinal honeys. She starts with raw herbal honeys sourced from independent Central Texas beekeepers, then infuses them with such unexpected ingredients as cardamom seeds, dandelion blossoms, ginger, turmeric, and Texas wildflowers. A jar of her Medicinal Mushroom Honey, made with reishi and maitake mushrooms and rosehips, sells for $24.

Above: A shelf of Botanicals Folklorica oils and herbal tinctures. 

Valdez's background is varied and far-reaching. Over the years she has studied studio art and anthropology, and worked at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in Washington, DC. When she attended Austin’s Wildflower School of Botanical Medicine, she learned about the healing properties of the native flora around her. 

Above: A jar of leaves from the spiny bush called agarita, believed to help heal digestive disorders. “I collect native plants that can be used for first aid,” Valdez says. “This spring I've been keeping my eyes peeled for agarita and for Indian paintbrush, the wildflower. I'm also looking for chaparral [Larrea tridentata], which grows in West Texas. You know when you’re near it because the air smells like rain.”

Above: One of Valdez's products, Four Storms Fire Water ($13). A tincture based on an ancient recipe for boosting the immune system, it contains 12 ingredients, including burdock and turmeric root, ginger, garlic, thyme, and elderberries. 

Above: Local wildflowers and herbs make up Valdez's beautiful Smudge Bundles ($22), meant to be burned so their smoke will purify a space. “I'm lucky to have friends and farms that can supply me with large amounts of the plants I use,” she says. “When I'm gathering them myself, I carry a notebook so I can jot down the locations, time of year, and descriptions of the plants I find. This season, I’m collecting native grasses that I'll braid and use to tie up packages.” 

Above: A tea for spring, made from violet, nettles, horsetail, dandelion, and clover. 

Above: A packaging idea germinates. “I'm always interested in the act of opening up a parcel or a present,” Valdez says. “Lately, I've been working with translucent papers, rope, and ceramic vessels. I like the way gracefully layered elements can create a lovely package.” 

Above: Items at the workstation—some ready for shipping, others still at the experimentation stage. 

Above: Valdez takes down medicinal plants that were hung to dry. 

Above: Some of the many dried herbs and other plants that go into Botanicals Folklorica products.

Above: Valdez finds inspiration for her remedies everywhere: in traditional crafts, folklore stories, and the heritage of a community. “I read a lot and take note of what intrigues me," she says. "Most often, I find the beauty in necessity and ritual.”

Looking for other herbal remedies? Browse our archive of Health & Beauty posts. Prefer to explore Austin a bit more? See In Austin, a Woodworker Takes Affordable Creativity to New Heights on Remodelista.

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We learned this early: When the third little pig chose brick, he knew what he was doing. As a building material, brick has stood the test of time. It's hardworking, aesthetically versatile, easily maintained, and affordable. Although it's sometimes considered a formal look for a patio, that depends on the type of bricks, the color, the pattern, and the application.

Here's everything you need to know if you're designing a brick patio.  

Above: Remodelista editor-in-chief Julie Carlson likes a mossy look; here's her brick patio in Mill Valley, CA. Photograph by Michelle Slatalla.

What types of bricks are good for a patio?

Most bricks are composed of clay soil combined with lime and sand. Although red bricks are the most common, bricks come in many colors, including cream, grey, tan, buff, pink, brown, and black.

Above: The color varies according to several factors: the relative proportion of lime, the color of the sand, and the temperature and duration of the firing. One strong attribute is that brick color doesn't fade with age or wear.  

Above: In this Connecticut garden designed by Doyle Herman Design Associates, the herringbone brick patio is bordered by a soldier pattern.

If you're looking for a weathered look and don't want to wait years to get it, you can buy tumbled bricks. Used bricks are another option—try searching under "building materials" on Craigslist. But don't buy unless you're assured that any residual mortar has been cleaned off. Whatever you choose, make sure they're bricks that will work well for a patio—they're not too porous, for example, or prone to flaking in freezing temperatures. If in doubt, check with a stonemason or stoneyard worker.

What are some patterns for laying a brick patio?

Your choice of pattern will be largely determined by how much space you have and how much money you want to invest. Here are the most common patterns, from the least expensive/labor-intensive to the most:

• Running bond just means bricks laid in simple rows. Concentric squares (shown above) or rectangles are variations on running bond; these are appealing if you have enough space to show them off. In smaller spaces, a concentric pattern can look busy.
• Basketweave is a classic pattern that's slightly more labor-intensive than running bond. It comes in many variations. To make the pattern work, you'll need bricks that are twice as long as they are wide (plus any mortar joint). That also reduces the number of bricks that will need to be cut.
• Herringbone is a timeless look that works well for both pathways and patios. A herringbone set at 45 degrees is somewhat more expensive because the bricks on the edges all need to be cut. Herringbone set at 90 degrees involves less cutting.

Above: Common brick patterns, courtesy of Rubio's Masonry and Construction.

Should my brick patio be set in sand or mortar?

There are two schools of thought on this, and both ways achieve different looks. The sand-set patio is less expensive, flexible (which is good if you live in a frost-prone area), and easily repaired. However, it's likely to shift over time and get bumpy. The mortar-set patio is not flexible, but will remain flat in any climate. Also, the mortar discourages weeds and ants.

If you choose sand, make sure you look for a type of sand, gravel, or grit that won't shift too much, and will repel ants. If you choose mortar, ask your contractor not to make the mortar joints any wider than half an inch.

Choose sand-set if you love the look of moss between bricks. It is possible to get moss to grow between mortar-set bricks, but it won't do so as readily.

 Above: Another view of the Connecticut patio designed by Doyle Herman Design Associates. The brick color was carefully selected to blend with the stone fireplace.

How do I maintain my brick patio?

The easiest way to get rid of any weeds sprouting up between the bricks is simply to pour boiling water directly on the plants. If your patio is in a heavily shaded area, algae and mold may appear on the brick. This causes no harm but can be unsightly. To remove the growth, use diluted vinegar and a scrub brush. Tougher stains might respond to hydrogen peroxide. The easiest way to clean a brick patio is by power washing, but the pressure should be no higher than 3,000 pounds per square inch.

Above: Brick in a herringbone pattern. Photograph via The Glass Factory. 

How much does a brick patio cost?

A mortar-set brick patio costs about the same as bluestone: around $20 per square foot, installed. (Most bricks cost from $1 to $1.20 each; you need about four and a half bricks per square foot.) A sand-set patio will cost you less: from $12 to $15 per square foot.  

Above: This handsome brick patio in Belgium is laid in a classic herringbone pattern, with a "soldier" border. Photograph from Exceptional Gardens by Wim Pauwels.

Brick Patios Recap:

• After deciding on a color, consider talking to a specialist about the best type of brick for your area.
• Choose your paving pattern, such as running bond, basketweave, or herringbone, with spatial and financial constraints in mind.
• Sand-set brick is less expensive, flexible, and easy to repair, but may become uneven over time.
• Mortar-set brick is more expensive, but remains flat, repels ants, and is less prone to weeds.
• Brick is relatively easy to maintain. Vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or power-washing will keep it looking good. 
• Mortar-set brick costs $20 per square foot, installed, while sand-set is around $12-$15.  

Considering other materials for a patio? See our Hardscaping 101 archives for Ellen's take on Bluestone, Limestone, and Decomposed Granite.

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Ever since writing about the impact that Thoreau's carefully curated notebooks have made on modern day phenology research, I've been preoccupied with the idea of folks putting their general enthusiasm for spring's first buds to better use. Instead of only cooing over the first redbud blossoms popping up in Brooklyn, could we all be making like Thoreau and documenting the phenomenon? Given the likely scenario that scribbles in private notebooks won't one day line the shelves of world-class libraries like Thoreau's do, I was curious about ways that plant enthusiasts could share their finds publicly.

No surprise, it's easier than ever to do your part as a citizen scientist. Here are four free apps—and one web-based site—that can help turn an otherwise passive walk in the woods into an exercise in scientific documentation. Nature nerds, unite.

Photography by Erin Boyle.

1. iNaturalist

This was my favorite app. A simple interface makes it easy to use and the developers seem to have taken an especially social approach to data sharing. They say: "From hikers to hunters, birders to beach-combers, the world is filled with naturalists, and many of us record what we find. What if all those observations could be shared online? You might discover someone who finds beautiful wildflowers at your favorite birding spot, or learn about the birds you see on the way to work. If enough people recorded their observations, it would be like a living record of life on Earth that scientists and land managers could use to monitor changes in biodiversity, and that anyone could use to learn more about nature..." Sign me up. I used it to record my first sighting of highbush blueberry in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

2. Project Noah

Like most of these apps, you need to sign up to use Project Noah through their website first. The app was launched out of NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program as an experiment to mobilize citizen scientists. Users choose specific "missions" to which they can contribute their observations. The compiled research is then made accessible to participating researchers. My personal favorite mission? The "Flowers of North America," which currently boasts over 24,000 wildflower spottings from close to 9,000 particpants. Users are encouraged to document wildlife and organisms in their natural environment—so, yes to documenting wild garlic, no to documenting your favorite houseplant, lovely though it might be. From the developers: Project Noah is "a tool that nature lovers can use to explore and document local wildlife and a common technology platform that research groups can use to harness the power of citizen scientists everywhere." 

3. Nature's Notebook 

This app requires a bit more buy-in from the average user. Users select a specific research site to which they're expected to return on a regular basis. The developers encourage users to choose a site that's convenient, representative of typical environmental conditions in your area, and of a manageable size (no larger than 15 acres). After site selection, users can add their local plant or animal observations. For each plant observation, a simple Yes/No chart within the app prompts users to record whether there are breaking leaf buds, young leaves, flowers or flower buds, open flowers, etc. While I'm not sure I have the time to commit to regular observation of a specific site, the simple format of this app appealed to my affinity for checking off boxes. Buds? Check.

4. What's Invasive

Have plans to do some traveling this summer? This might be the app for you. Users can download lists of invasive species from a selection of participating parks and can help root out invasive species that have been idenitified in the region. Traveling to Acadia National Park, for instance? Download a sortable list of invasives and update the app with your own observation of any of these species. The list can be sorted by common and scientific names and each listing comes with a photograph, which users can also update, to help with identification.

5. Project Budburst 

This web-based site doesn't have a robust platform for allowing you to update on-the-go, but what it lacks in mobility it makes up for in robustness. Users can sign up to contribute regular or single reports. Users who contribute regular reports commit to recording their observations of a specific species throughout the year. Users hoping for a smaller time commitment can select a plant to observe just once, noting the leafing, flowering, or fruiting stage of the plant on one particular date. The project tracks plants in five different plant groups: wildflowers and herbs, deciduous trees and shrubs, conifers, evergreen trees and shrubs, and grasses. Project Budburst encourages active particpation of users ranging from botanist newbies to experts in the field.

Enthusiastic about what's growing, but not sure what it is you're looking at? See DIY: Identify Leaves and Flowers (There's an App for That). Prefer to focus on your own garden? See 10 Best Garden Design Apps for Your Ipad.

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Until I convince my landlord to allow me to build a tiny workshop on the roof of my building in Brooklyn, I'm satisfied to ogle photographs of other people's garden work spaces and cultivate a perfect vision for my one-day space. 

Artemis Russell is the blogger and collector behind the blog and online shop Junkaholique and the designer at Rust, a London-based jewelry company that she runs with her husband, Nao. Her tiny garden shed is one of the best I've seen. Endlessly talented, when Artemis isn't designing jewelry she keeps herself busy with sewing and knitting projects in the workshop she's outfitted with a sewing table, chair, and shelves to store her tools and treasures. 

The modest 4-by-6-foot wooden shed has been rebuilt three different times (you can see an earlier iteration of the shed here), and moved from one rental home garden to the next before settling into the backyard of the home that Artemis and Nao recently purchased on the Isle of Wight and live in with their young daughter, Pehr.

Photography by Artemis Russell.

Above: In their new garden, matching sheds for the creative couple. You can see photos of Nao's shed here.

Above: A weathered garden bench outside the shed and planters waiting to be filled.

Above: The inside of the shed is painted a bright white and filled with tools and equipment for Artemis's sewing and craft projects. 

Above: A shelf stocked with tools and vintage finds.

Above: Hanging from the door is a makeshift and pint-sized ironing board that Artemis devised so that she can give a quick press to fabrics without traipsing back to the main house.

Above: A self-proclaimed obsession with keeping the small space tidy means Aretmis keeps her cleaning supplies close at hand.

Above: Artemis at work in her shed.

Above: Close up on sewing supplies. 

Above: A rim lock that Artemis installed secures the shed when Aretmis isn't using it.

For another garden workshop I've been eying, see Outbuilding of the Week: A Backyard Writer's Shed by Weston Surman & Deane. For more from the Isle of Wight, see Pottery With a Sense of Place on Remodelista.

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It may seem old-fashioned to use onion skins to dye a hand-stitched quilt that's meant to be handed down for generations. But Texas-based quilter Maura Grace Ambrose wouldn't agree. Ambrose makes modern heirloom quilts for her line Folk Fibers, working from her home studio on a country road in Bastrop (30 miles southeast of Austin). Her specialty: patchworks that combine fabrics colored with natural dyes and vintage textiles. 

Photographs by Maura Ambrose/Folk Fibers unless otherwise noted.

Above: Quilter Maura Ambrose with one of her completed works. Photograph by Theron Humphry.

“My goal is to share the craft and folklore related to natural dyes and quilting,” Ambrose says. Her love of timeless textiles and her sharp designer's eye have earned Ambrose worthy recognition: She won the 2013 Martha Stewart American Made Award and recently collaborated with Levi’s to create custom denim quilts. Last fall she took part in the Levi's-sponsored "Station to Station" event, a public art project in which artists, musicians, filmmakers and artisans traveled for a month by vintage train, stopping in nine cities and towns for exhibitions and performances. 

Above: Ambrose's quilts are stitched entirely by hand, which adds "one-of-a-kind beauty," she says. Women in her community pitch in to help with large orders. Photo by Theron Humphry.

Ambrose has a degree in Textile Design and Fiber Arts from the Savannah College of Art & Design. But it was the time she spent working on organic farms that inspired her to start using the bounty of the natural world to create heirloom textiles. “I learned to appreciate the way farmers struggle against the odds to make something they believe in,” she says. "Farming is hard, tedious work, and they're really incredible entrepreneurs."

Above: A fall harvest of dye ingredients. Ambrose uses plants from her own garden and from friends in the community to make colors for dyeing her quilt fabrics. The Hill Country around Bastrop offers a range of wild dye elements, from persimmons to prickly pear, Mexican plum to xochitl flowers.

Above: Pomegranates grow in abundance near Ambrose’s Bastrop home. Here, a basketful awaits soaking. “When I'm making dye, I go whole hog," Ambrose says. "I use the entire fruit, and crush or break the skin either before or after I soak them in water.” 

Above: Ambrose with wood harvested from an Osage orange tree, used to create yellows, golds, and a mossy green. “It takes trial and error," she says, "since each plant is different."

Above: Wild mushrooms soaking in jars. “Sometimes a plant isn't ready when you need it," Ambrose says. "Nature doesn't always cooperate with your schedule."

Above: Straining onion skins that have been boiled and soaked. "Basically, you heat the plant material to slowly break it down. But nothing is guaranteed, so you have to experiment with each batch.”

Above: The earthy color range of yellow onion skins. “Onion skins give you a combination of red, yellow, orange, and ocher shades," Ambrose says. "For deep colors you need a concentrated dye bath and plenty of time for the fibers to soak." The same dye will produce different colors in different fabrics. Ambrose sticks with 100-percent natural textiles, using cotton, wool and silk.

Above: The quilter with five of her labors of love, made for the online housewares shop Terrain. Photograph by Wynn Myers.

Ambrose is writing a book about her experiences making plant-based dyes. Meanwhile, she suggests that would-be dyemakers consult two of her favorite works, Eco Colour: Botanical Dyes for Beautiful Textiles, by India Flint, and Harvesting Color: How to Find Plants and Make Natural Dyes, by Rebecca Burgess. "I also encourage people to experiment," she says. "There are no secret formulas or tricks; it just takes experience to learn and perfect."

Dying to know more about natural dyes? Read our Shopper's Diary post about a New York City designer whose silk scarves are colored with dyes made from discarded flowers. For lots more on plant-based dyes, consult our section on Natural Dyes. And don't miss this Remodelista post about making dyes from, yes, sawdust.

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While we've been admiring resourceful women in the gardening and outdoor world, the team at Remodelista has been featuring women contributing to the world of architecture and interiors (while also flexing their own handywomen DIY muscles). 

Here are a few of our favorite Remodelista posts from this past week:

A Shopable Austin Bungalow, Outdoor Teepee Included (And in case you're were curious, here's How to Know When You're Garden Needs a Teepee).

On the search for a tool box of your own? Take your pick from 10 Easy Pieces: Stylish Tool Boxes. 

Ever handy, Meredith gives step-by-step instructions for resurrecting unused picture frames in DIY: Repurposing a Vintage Frame. (Looks like we've found another solution for preserving those pressed violas.)

What's in your tool box? Izabella rounded up her essentials in 13 Favorites: Best of Household Tools. (Which reminds us: Erin showed us some of her own in Tool Box for a City Gardener last spring).

Next week we're taking on the subject of bringing the outdoors in. Sarah's piece The Olli Lounger: Slow Design for the Modern World has gotten us in just the spirit.

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We're wrapping up a week dedicated to the women in our lives with a few things that recently caught our eye: 

• Above: A Hollywood actress restores eight NYC gardens. Photograph courtesy of New York Restoration Project. 
• 26 ideas for deck remodeling. 
• Defining boundaries with greenery. 

• Above: The White House's new pollinator garden. Photograph by Amanda Lucidon. 
• The newest issue of the reimagined, advert-free Garden Design ships May 15. 
• 7 ways gardening can save (and make) you money.
  

• Above: Cherry blossom trivia. Photograph by Rebecca Bullene. 
• Interview with a potato professional.
• Made in America: modern outdoor fireplaces.

• Above: Small cat, big plant (Japanese Maple to be exact). Photograph by Christine Swinehart. 
• A mobile rooftop garden. 
• Gardenista in good company. 

Did you miss this week on Gardenista? No problem; check out the The Handywoman issue. And take a look at this week's Handywoman issue on Remodelista, too. 

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Eudora Welty's parents built a house in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1925, when she was a girl, and until her death in 2001 she wrote there, sitting at a bedroom window with a view of life on Pinehurst Street. Now open for tours, the house and garden—where flowers planted by both her and her mother still grow—are reminders that ''a sheltered life can be a daring life as well,'' as she once said, ''for all serious daring starts from within.''

Above: Eudora Welty's backyard trellis, covered with roses. Photograph via Eudora Welty Foundation.

Above: It was never a grand garden, but a gracious one, with a design typical of the early part of the 1900s—my grandparents' backyard had a nearly identical layout, in fact, with a rose arbor and perennial beds bissecting the property to create separate "rooms." Welty's property extends, in the distance, to the gray shed. Photograph by Langdon Clay.

Above: Fragrant pink nicotiana. Photograph by Aimee Howell.

Above: Photograph by Aimee Howell.

Above: A Camellia japonica in Welty's garden. Camellias figured prominently in The Optimist's Daughter, as "Laurel's eye travelled among the urngs that marked the graves of the McKelvas and saw the favorite camellia of her father's, the old-fashioned Chandlerii Elegans, that he had planted on her mother's grave—big now as a pony, saddled with unplucked bloom living and dead, standing on a fading carpet of its own flowers." Photograph via Eudora Welty Foundation.

Above: The house Welty's parents built, in a style she described affectionately as "Tudor style with some timbering, you know, à la Shakespeare." A Rhododendron austrinum blooms against the wall. Photograph by Aimee Howell.

Above: Greenwood Cemetery in downtown Jackson, where Welty is buried, is home to more than 40 different named varieties of antique and modern shrub roses. For more photos, see "Eudora Welty House and Garden in Jackson, MS."

Above: "The memory is a living thing—it too is in transit, but during its moment all that is remembered joins and lives—the old and the young, the past and the present, the living and the dead."

Above: A cold frame in Welty's garden. Photograph by Aimee Howell. For more writers' gardens, see "The Poet and His Garden: Ian Hamilton Finlay in Scotland" and "A Gothic Garden Visit, Courtesy of the Mitfords."

Above: Eudora Welty in the garden, weeding, in the 1940s. Photograph via Eudora Welty Foundation.

N.B.: This is an update of a post originally published January 22, 2013 during our In the Library issue.

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Now that the weather has finally warmed up, we've thrown open our doors and are spending as many hours outside as we possibly can. If we have go indoors, we still want to feel like we're living in a garden. So this week, we're showing some of our favorite ways to bring the outdoors in.

Of course, a profusion of cut flowers can always add a little nature to our indoor lives. Even a single, sophisticated potted plant can lift the spirits—such as the fiddle leaf fig, featured in this week's Field Guide (and appearing in many a stylish photo shoot these days). Then there's the trick of large-scale nature photographs that can turn a blank wall into a window to the outdoors. See which ideas work for you.

Monday

Above: Sarah visits her friend Renee in Napa and discovers the secrets to creating a year-round indoor/outdoor garden. See more indoor/outdoor gardens in our Architect Visit archives.

Tuesday

Above: The courtyards of Southern France are a perfect example of habitats that blur the line between indoors and out. During this week's Garden Visit we browse through The Red Chair, an antiques shop in Hudson, NY, whose courtyard garden could have been air-lifted direct from Europe.

Wednesday

Above: The photograph that hangs in Emily Nathan's kitchen looks just like a window that offers a glimpse into a greenhouse. We'll show you how to Steal This Look, sourcing the same large-scale photo ("La Banane," shot by Nathan herself) and other tasteful accessories.

Thursday

Above: In the heart of Middle England, in the pretty town of Stamford, Miss Pickering runs her thriving flower business in a low-ceilinged shop built in 1463. This week's Shopper's Diary pays a visit to this heavenly spot.

Friday

Above: Nashville novelist J. Wes Yoder became an innkeeper after he bought a 1962 Shasta camper on eBay, renovated it from top to bottom, and turned a garden shed into a bathhouse. It's listed on Airbnb, so yes, you can book a stay in this week's cozy Outbuilding of the Week.

Finding yourself stuck inside the office too much lately? Take solace in a week full of beautifully designed work spaces in Remodelista's current issue, Working It.

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I had admired my friend Renee's Napa Valley house from afar long before I got to know her. Hidden behind a wooden gate, the house itself was hard to see, but the low front fence and graveled outer garden gave the setup the appearance of being open yet private at the same time.

When Renee bought the land several years ago, there was nothing on it except a small vineyard and a well in the middle of the lot. She knew she wanted to design a structure that embraced indoor/outdoor living, and ultimately the well ended up dictating the plan: it became the central courtyard that the house is built around. Renee tells us, "I have the doors open all day for a lot of the year, and the courtyard has become an extension of the living room. The outdoor space feels very much part of the house." Her indoor/outdoor mission duly accomplished. 

Photography by Mimi Giboin for Gardenista.

Above: The house is set behind a low fence; the graveled patio is used for bike parking.

Above: Wooden gates open onto an inner courtyard at the entry. Renee says, "I wanted to create something peaceful, so I could spend time on the front porch reading. It's a great spot to catch the afternoon sun."

Above: The view from the living room to the front gate through ivy that trails off the front of the house.

Above: The ivy carries over into the courtyard. " We usually have wine and cocktails outside and if it's cool out, we sit by the fire. When the kids were younger, they would paint and draw with chalk out here all the time."

Above: A bull's head above the stone fireplace.

Above: The outdoor Montego Seating came from Room & Board and the red Adirondack chairs were picked up at a local farmer's market.

Above: The children's collection of stones and bottle caps.

Above: "I have a lot of greenery in pots—Euphorbia, flax, and succulents, low maintenance sorts of things. The pots are good for adding height."

Above: An Ikea Doksta Table in the corner of the courtyard with two Eames Chairs from DWR.

 Above: Galvanized planters in a secluded area at the rear of the house.

Above: A small seating area in the inner garden at the front of the house.

Above: The garage with sliding barn doors.

Looking to spruce up your outdoor living space? See our gallery of Outdoor Furniture. And, for eco-chic garden furnishings, don't miss this post.

N.B.: This is an update of a post originally published August 2, 2013.

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