Gardening may be tough for me, but for designer Sebastian Bergne, it’s child’s play. Literally. Behold this fully-functional greenhouse he constructed from LEGO bricks!

Photo: Tafline Laylin

Bergne was tasked by LEGO UK to assemble the hothouse for the 2011 London Design Festival, and though it took an astounding number (approximately 100,000!) of translucent and brown blocks, it has me wondering if I could build a box for some veggies and flowers. Hmm. Perhaps I’ll just try a store-bought terrarium first. Still can’t believe your eyes? Check out Inhabitat for more cool shots of the structure.

It’s been well-documented that I am a miserable failure at taking care of plants. But if I had this sweet elephant watering can, I’m betting I’d be better at gardening. In fact, I’d be dying for excuses to use the little guy.

I’m sure budding gardeners (har) would appreciate this can’s playful pachyderm shape, too. And if all else fails, I think watering cans make perfect centerpieces when filled with fresh flowers. The elephant could be a terrific table topper at a kids’ circus or zoo-themed birthday party.

If you came to my house right now, you’d see 50′ and 100′ garden hoses strung out all over our front yard and backyard. It drives my husband crazy, but I have no desire to wrangle these unwieldy, slick beasts all the way back to home base when I’m just going to have to pull them out all over again to water the garden the next morning. I’ll admit, though, it looks a little ridiculous to have two giant green mambas strung out in the grass, but I’m not changing my ways. That’s why I was overjoyed when Anna shared with me the chicest garden invention since paisley printed watering cans. I’m talking about Hose Clothes, people.

A sassy leopard print covering for my gangly, green monstrosities? MEOW! We partnered with Dirt Couture (my new favorite online store, btw) to give away one handcrafted and mildew-resistant Leopard garden hose cover. To be entered for a chance to win, simply leave us a comment in the field below before 12/11c Monday, August 29.

This week’s question: What ugly household necessity should Dirt Couture produce covers for next? The boring, black cable TV receiver? Utilitarian washing machines and dryers? How about the metal fuse box?

Click for official rules.

It’s Caitlin for the win! Like a teapot, a handle and a spout are expected in the design of a watering can. However, this one sports a cylinder body and a flexible hose. I’m assuming that’s why a few of you guessed a hookah pipe. Like Sue and ‘tokenblogger’, I first thought fire extinguisher or tire pump. Watch out for Lori, she guessed a gas tank siphon.

This stylish and minimal indoor watering can, by Born in Sweden‘s co-founder and designer Pascal Charmolu, comes with a built-in magnet so the hose can attach to the can’s body when not in use. Pascal’s outdoor watering can is pretty nifty, too.

I’ve found that watering cans are something people develop great affection for. After all, they hopefully help us keep our beloved plants alive. My favorite of the three in our household is an antique French watering can that leaks, but I don’t care. What about you? Do you have a cherished watering can?

Tell us in the comments below.

Glass houses: Not so great for stone-throwing purposes, but pretty excellent for growing plants, as these stylish West Elm terrariums demonstrate.

The terrariums trap condensation, which makes them perfect places for small plants and succulents to thrive, but you could use these in lieu of bell jars to display decorative objects instead. Or, you could do both, like the super-cool company Twig Terrariums does. You grow, girl!

If your garden is anything like mine, it starts to look a little haggard come August. It’s not that I’ve given up on keeping it in tip top condition. I’m watering it regularly, I swear! But all that was once lush and bright has faded, and my spindly petunias and wilting gladiolas are making me sad. That’s why I’m ready to take on another garden project. August and September are the perfect time to refresh your outdoor space with some hardy, colorful plants that will thrive through cooler fall temps. While you’re at your local garden center, swing by the hardware store for some metal trashcans and the limited additional supplies you’ll need for featured blogger Brian Patrick Flynn’s fast and easy mobile container garden how-to. The combination of glossy metal containers and fresh plants is the perfect decoration to wow guests at your up-coming labor day party!

Clockwise from left: Galvanized mobile container garden :: “Killer Klown” coleus :: “Purple Knight” alternanthera

This project is so easy and involves so few steps that there’s no excuse for an ugly summer or fall patio. My favorite thing about this project is the price — metal trash cans are a fraction of the cost of new containers. I also think the wheels are a major selling point. Do you know how much a container weighs when it’s filled with soil and plants? Being able to push them around to accommodate extra guest seating or a dessert table is absolutely priceless.

What are your best tips for lifting your garden out of the dismal days of late summer?

Share them with us in the comments below.

If you grow flowers, these Normann Copehagen grass vases would be a beautiful way to display your blooms. But honestly, I think they could elevate even the most humble of grocery store bouquets into a stunning arrangement.

The design duo Claydies transforms dull lumps of clay into these totally organic shapes. (Check out their handiwork in “The Making of the Grass Vase” video.) Suddenly all my glass vessels are seeming plain by comparison. I guess the grass is always greener on the other vase…

I would call myself a habitual plant murderer, but because there’s no intent, let’s downgrade me to a habitual plant manslaughterer. The longest I’ve ever kept a plant alive was three months. It was a beautiful white orchid that reminded me of the ghost orchid (I was on a big Susan Orlean kick at the time), and it seemed hearty. Until I went on vacation. On my return, the faux-ghost was but a ghost of its former self, and I ended up giving it a proper burial at trashcan. The good news is, I think I’ve found a planter that may reform my deadly ways yet…

These LECHUZA Delta planters are self-watering, thanks to each planter’s “sub-irrigation system and water reservoir.” After the initial root-growing phase of your plant, you only have to put water in once every three months. The plant will then supply itself with as much water as it needs. So whether you’re bad with plants, travel a lot, or are simply forgetful (or, all of the above, like moi), your flora will still flourish. What has two black thumbs and will be stocking up these cool containers before the long Labor Day weekend away? [points thumbs at chest] This girl!

My fellow editor Anna spotted this gorgeous “Wisteria Tunnel” from Japan’s Kawachi Fuji Garden on Tumblr the other day, and was so inspired she sent it around to a few of us via email.

Just spying this lush watercolor painting come to life in my inbox was like taking a mini-vacation. How serene would it be to park on one of those benches and sketch or read a book? (And as Anna pointed out, it must be as easy on the nose as it is on the eyes, too!) If you’re as inspired as we were, follow these steps to train a wisteria walkway of your own.

Summer heat (and almost-unbearable-humidity) fills me with nostalgia for the cooler good ol’ days of my childhood spent swinging in a tattered, country hammock. My mom would leave my sister and me at our aunt and uncle’s farm for a few weeks every August, and we fished, chased llamas, built forts, collected chicken eggs and got into mischief all day long. But I can guarantee one thing… my aunt’s favorite time during those summer days was naptime (not hers, ours). After exploring the woods and fields all day, she could always find us curled up on the back porch in the hammock, out like a pair of bats at mid-day. So when I came across these awesome hammocks on HGTV, I was instantly transported to that 300-acre farm.

Late summer, nothing seems more enticing than a glass of homemade lemonade and the back-and-forth sway of a hammock. A down comforter for padding like this one featured in HGTV’s 6 Stress-Free Hammocks would be even more pleasant. If you’re worried that a plain outdoor bunk isn’t your style, add some pops of color and character with accents like this brilliant red throw and speckled green pillow.

Whether you’re on vacation or at home, a hammock can serve as a centerpiece for entertaining. Like this hanging seat, it can become the place where you relax and catch up with friends. Or if you need peace and quiet, place it in the spot with the best view. Sit back, relax and enjoy a moment to yourself on your patio or porch. (I can’t get over how well the warm orange colors match the straw roof and sand. Can I please live there?)

This traditional Mayan hammock, made from hand-braided threads, would fit in any nook or garden. The way these hammocks wrap around your body makes it feel like you’re swinging in a cocoon (or at least that’s what my sister and I used to pretend.) They are also the perfect addition to a patio or backyard that needs a pop of color, as they come in a rainbow of hues. For more relaxing summer ideas, be sure to check out our 6 Stress-Free Hammocks.

But first… have you been longing for the weightless swing of a hammock?

Tell us in the comment area below.