The Week in Review: Your Summer Tutorial

From fresh eggs to the beauty of Barcelona (where Michelle is headed right now, if the plane took off on time), we’re reveling in the heat of summer.

• Erin reported that we can have a well-kept yard with roaming chickens. Daydreams of fresh eggs with marigold-colored yolks are enough to sidetrack us from writing the rest of this post. But. We will focus because there is much more to report.
• Did you realize that firefly populations are declining? We do not want fireflies to disappear (would summer even exist without them?), so let’s spread the word about how to save them.
• Can anyone help us identify this hanging plant in the photo? Gardenista reader Melanie Freeman wrote to us in dire straits (well, not really, but the heat makes us prone to exaggerate), eager to buy one after spotting it on Moon to Moon. Now she has us yearning for one as well. If you know the plant’s name, please let us know in the comments section so we can pass along the information to Melanie.
• Our friend Robin Plaskoff Horton’s recent tour of the tallest residential living garden in Barcelona evoked excitement, particularly in Michelle, who was packing for a trip to Spain for our Travels With an Editor series.
• Speaking of Europe (weren’t we?): Shop the Parisian flea markets like pros. As we have a strong affinity for using vintage glasses as vases, we took notes.
• Over on Remodelista, we fell in love all over again with one of our dream homes: London-based architect David Kohn’s Stable Acre, a light-filled dwelling created from a ruined 19th-century stable block.
• On a more modest scale, this home and office on wheels also piqued our interest.
• Digging in the dirt makes you into a happier person. Yes, we know we have a vested interest in saying this, but this time we’ve got proof. According to a survey by UK-based Gardeners’ World Magazine, gardeners “are less likely to show signs of depression or unhappiness,” writes Huff Post Home.
• How can planting a parking strip create a food movement? Janet’s watching South Central LA’s guerilla gardener and LA Green Grounds founder Ron Finley’s TED talk.
• So, exactly what does Mark Bittman keep stocked in his pantry?
• Did you ever think to make a sweet syrup from honeysuckle? We didn’t either until Gardenista contributor Yossy Arefi took us foraging with a “weed eater.”

Finally, we were so excited to announce the results of our first annual Considered Design Awards. With more than 500 projects submitted and more than 40,000 votes, we couldn’t have asked for a better first year. Our thanks to all who submitted–and a huge congratulations to our winners.

N.B.: In August, all Considered Design entry images will go live on our Photo Gallery, so you’ll be able to see every single submission.