Being a green gardener is even harder to define than being an organic gardener. Most of us love being out in nature, or we wouldn’t be gardening in the first place. But unless all you’re doing is hugging trees, gardening is a manipulation of nature, not a joint effort. Still there’s a lot of “green” in the green around your house. According to the non-profit Project EverGreen, creating and preserving green spaces in your neighborhood contributes to the health of both you and the environment. For example, “...the net cooling effect of one young, healthy interior tree is equivalent to ten room-sized air conditioners operating 20 hours a day...” How’s that for living green?

I just learned about Project EverGreen recently, but they’re doing some really interesting and fun things. Want to become a member of YEA! (Yard Enthusiasts of America) and share tips on having a great yard? Maybe you can help Beulah, the compostaholic, with her composting addition.

Or maybe you’d like to volunteer for GreenCare for Troops, a program that has helped over 7,000 military families to date care for their yards and landscapes while mom or dad is on active duty.

OK, you might not be ready to get rid of the air condition in favor of a ficus tree, but you can get to know a little more about gardening green by reading these 5 Myths vs. Fact: The Truth About Green.

Photo: © Marie Iannotti (2008) licensed to About.com, Inc.

Fall can be such a sigh of relief. If you’re thrilled when the heat lets up, just think how your plants feel. There’s no central air conditioning for the garden. Plants seem to put on one final hurrah in the fall, both in jubilant colors and refreshed foliage. If you don’t have the time or the room to spiff up the garden beds with fall beauties, you can still enjoy the season with your containers. Kerry Michaels show us some stunning examples in her photo gallery of fall container ideas. Best of all, you don’t even need to go out and buy a lot of new plants. Forget the mums and put your humble lamb’s ears on display.

Photo: © Marie Iannotti (2008) licensed to About.com, Inc.