Love is... by kaibara87 on flickr

Scientists tell us what women already know: men who garden are hot.

“As little as 30 minutes a week tending the garden or allotment can dramatically improve men’s performance in bed, according to the experts in the field.

Digging, weeding or mowing the lawn for half an hour reduced men’s risk of failing to live up to expectations in bed by more than a third, the survey found.”

Suddenly “Honey, wanna help me in the garden this afternoon?” takes on a whole ‘nother meaning.

Via The Telegraph.

Posted by Andrea Bellamy at 11:14 pm | Permalink | Comments (11)

Is it just me, or is moss everywhere these days? I love all the new applications designers and artists are finding for the lovely green stuff. Like this prototype moss carpet by designer Nguyen La Chanh.

The base is constructed of a foam called plastazote, which is soft and retards the growth of mold. Each piece of moss sits in a different cell so if one needs to be replaced, it can be done easily. The designer also chose traffic-resistant mosses, but reminds us, “of course, this carpet is not meant to last a year in your bathroom.”

More art piece than everyday functional object, but I love it regardless.

Via Abbey Goes Scouting. Thanks Degan for the tip.

Posted by Andrea Bellamy at 11:30 am | Permalink | Comments (8)

My balcony veggie patch, future home to new raised beds.

Happy New Year! Here’s to 2009 being good to all of us.

Every year, I make resolutions for my garden. Sometimes they’re lofty, sometimes precise, and sometimes, like last year’s, general and acheivable.

This year, everything revolves around growing more edibles. How much (more) can I grow in one little city garden? I’m looking forward to finding out.

1. Build raised beds in the back alley. Inspired by Cait and Owen’s back alley raised beds, which are home to potatoes and other root vegetables, I’m determined to create some more space for edibles by appropriating some alley space. Strata approval pending.

2. Redo my containers. After three years of just mild refreshing (a bit o’ new dirt, an annual or two) they desperately need an overhaul. This year, I’m challenging myself to incorporate edibles in my decorative container plantings, which have traditionally been home to only ornamental plants.

3. Add more raised beds. My third-floor deck is home to two raised beds totaling 16 sq.ft. and a motley assortment of containers. The containers are good in a pinch, but the raised beds are way better for intensive veggie growing. I’ll invest in a couple more.

4. Lastly, I’d like to garden with Lila. She’ll be a year old at the end of April, and I’m hoping she’ll enjoy spending some time outdoors in the dirt with her mom.

What are your garden-related resolutions for ‘09?

Posted by Andrea Bellamy at 9:28 pm | Permalink | Comments (17)