Listen, in some ways I can understand being given a flower and thinking, “Ech, I hate this thing.” Seriously, if a guy ever gave me carnations, I think I’d just burst into tears.
 
But I’d do that on the inside, as they say. I’d get a bad taste in my mouth, but that mouth would still bend its way into a smiley shape, and I would graciously thank the person and hope like hell that he couldn’t tell I was disappointed. This is because I was raised with this crazy thing called “manners.”
 
The bottom line with the Madonna-loathes-hydrangeas flap making the Internet rounds is this: How do you hate hydrangeas? They’re pretty much the best flower ever. I now have to question every home and design decision the Material Girl has ever made.

The East Coast may be in the middle of the floodpocalypse, but the South is still suffering through some of the worst drought conditions on record.

Even when there’s no shortage, saving water is just good policy. As a child, I used to watch my dad shave. Rather than running the water over his razor to rinse it, he would fill the sink with water and swish the razor through at top speed. He said that serving in the Navy taught him how precious water is. 

“Why don’tcha save some for the fish,” he’d mutter, if I was letting the tap run too long.

We could all stand to preserve a few drops this summer. Here are some tips for saving water at home. Some are strange, some are easy, and some will save you buckets of cash on your water bill, for reals.

I love my darn iPhone. Every time I try to quit it, I find myself in need of its services – as a Filofax, a research tool, a camera. So when it comes to home and garden help, it’s seems like it would be a natural fit.

The trouble with apps (many of which are also available for the Android and BlackBerry, if you swing that way) is they’re only as good as their makers, and people who are skilled at coding and designing apps aren’t necessarily the same people who have a deep and meaningful knowledge of vegetable gardening. On the other hand, coders do tend to know about making things look nice, so ...

Here are some apps I find most useful for all things home and garden. Have you got more to add to the list?

The nation’s midsection is burning! I'm talking about the scorching heat wave that just won't die. I heard about it on the radio. It’s actually quite balmy and pleasant here in the city by the bay, and even a bit breezy in the late afternoons. But don’t drink the hater-ade, it won’t cool you down -- and I’m only trying to help.
 
You may be suffering, but if you think you’ve got it bad, how would you like to be buried neck-deep outside with no air conditioning? I’m talking about your poor little tomatoes. They’re in serious danger of immolation. They need you to rescue them -- now!

I was just reading about a local garden show that featured special products designed specifically for "medicinal gardeners." For people who don’t live in this very hippie-friendly part of Northern California, let me do the translation for you: "Medicinal gardens" are where people grow marijuana for medical reasons, which is indeed legal in certain parts of the country.
 
Well, that’s genius, I thought. People growing pot have to be some of the most dedicated, careful, and skillful gardeners out there. Even if I’m just growing herbs, not herb, couldn’t I take advantage of some of their expertise?
 
Turns out that many innovations have been brought to us by the proud tradition of cannabis farming.

Talk about a departure for Better Homes and Gardens. The magazine's very name calls to mind quiet gentility. But add First Lady Michelle Obama to the mix, and what do you get? Major buzz. So much for the death of print, huh?

For the first time in nearly 50 years, the magazine your mom reads to get her "savvy design tips for under $50" and how to "create a backyard retreat" has put a famous face on its cover for the August 2011 issue. The first lady, perched on a picnic table in a summery blue floral dress and a yellow cardigan, is proclaimed in bright lettering as "Fresh & Healthy Michelle Obama." They couldn't have made a better pick.

As I’ve mentioned maybe two or three billion times, I’m space-challenged. My small terrace and a fire escape are my only outdoor space unless I want to put on shoes and go down to the sidewalk. But there’s been a lot of talk about vertical gardening lately, and I think it’s a trend I can get behind … or next to, anyway.
 
The idea is to use not just your floor space but your wall space -- growing things sideways on a “living wall” or “green wall,” as it's called. Vertical gardens were initially thought to be a great way to green up urban areas, increase oxygen in cramped quarters, and even cool down overheated buildings. But people are taking the trend home, too. It might sound tricky, but it’s actually doable thanks to some innovations that make the whole thing easier.

It's time to play "Watch Government Waste in Action!" Today's contestant is the city of Oak Park, Michigan. Here's what's going down: The powers-that-be in this Detroit suburb decided to pick a fight with a mom who started a vegetable garden in her front yard, and use their limited funds to take her to court for daring to grow a string bean. But wait, it gets better.

The vegetable farmer in question planted the garden after the city had torn up her front yard to repair a sewer line. So her response to the city trashing her yard was to improve the area. The city didn't like that. Huh?