Kitted out by a professional yacht interior designer, a 1952 Airstream at the Hotel Daniel in Vienna offers luxe minimalism for the urban camper.

For more information, go to Hotel Daniel.

Above: The polished exterior of the Airstream reflects the surrounding park-like setting.

Above: Everything you need for a short-term land stay.

Above: A slice of mirrored wall adds a feeling of expansiveness to the interior.

Above: A tiny washing-up basin sits atop a sleek custom sink base.

Above: The built-in bed is reminiscent of boat bunks.

Above: The designers managed to fit a full-size bathtub into the bathroom area.

A modern take on the Adirondack chair by Eric Pfeiffer for SF-based Council Design has us rethinking our outdoor seating.

Made with durable treated Southern pine (a new product from Perennial Wood) and a powdered-coated steel rod base, the chairs are designed to withstand the elements and can be used indoors or outdoors. Contact Council Design for ordering information; read a quick Q & A with Pfeiffer at Dwell.

Above: The Plank lounger is available with or without arms.

Above: The dining chair is stackable.

Above: Pfeiffer says he was inspired by midcentury architecture in his design for the Plank series.

Marcio Kogan’s Chimney House in the sprawling city of Sao Paolo, Brazil, is an example of architecture with an uncompromising modernist conception of space and attention to detail. The lesson learned: simple beauty exists in purity.

With his careful choice of materials and discerning articulation of textures, Kogan (he's the founder of Studio MK27, one of Brazil’s leading architecture firms) created a home with multiple readings of what can be construed as inside or outside; changing continuously in response to Sao Paolo’s notoriously unreliable weather. It's a modernist take on contextualism.

Photography by Reinaldo Coser and Gabriel Arantes via ArchDaily.

Above: There is a strong emphasis on horizontality throughout the house: note the window opening, the coursing of the narrow wooden formed concrete, and the planks of the wood decking.

Above: The lush greenery of Sao Paolo's humid subtropical climate is encouraged to grow on the building and become part of the architectural landscape.

Above: Full-height sliding glass doors, which run the length of the living/dining area, create a dissolving distinction between inside and outside. The entire ceiling plane is made of one material; narrow wooden formed concrete.

Above: When both sets of doors are open; the space flows seamlessly between the interior and exterior (it's difficult to tell if you are inside or outside).

Above: The low ceiling of the living room creates a sense of coziness as it contrasts with the limitless height of the sky outside.

Above: Kogan's previous career as a film director is evident in the dramatic nighttime lighting.

Above: The wood deck is reflected in the narrow wood-formed concrete ceiling.

Above: A wooden deck with trees extends out seamlessly from the living/dining area.

Above: The lights of Sao Paolo's office buildings shine beyond.

Above: The entry to Chimney House is a study in shifting planes and textures.

Calling all cocktail connoisseurs: here's to the clink of the ice in the summer ice bucket.

Above: The Arne Jacobsen-designed Cylinda Ice Bucket for Stelton is made of stainless steel and is available in two sizes; $299 and $399 at Horne. Tongs sold separately ($44.95).

Above: Handyman's Ceramic Pail; handmade in South Africa of glazed stoneware; $128 at BHLDN.

Above: The oversized Maison Margiela Polished Steel Champagne Bucket would work well as an ice bucket for large (and fashion oriented) parties. Handcrafted of stainless steel; $446 at the A+R Store. Maison Margiela devotees take note of the stamp on both ends of the bucket.

Above: San Francisco designer TIna Frey's Melted Edges Ice Bucket is made from resin (her signature material), with rustic leather handles. Available in white or dark gray; $238 at Anthropologie.

Above: The Double Wall Mirror Ice Bucket by UK designer Michael Anastassiades is a future classic; $200 at Vivre.

Above: UK designer Jasper Morrison's Alessi Ice Bucket in stainless steel is available with a matte or a mirrored polish finish; $125 at All Modern.

Above: The Stainless Steel Shiny Ice Bucket with-double wall insulation is $34.95 at CB2.

BUDGET OPTION

Above: The galvanized steel Hosto Bucket (at a bit over 10 inches tall) is the perfect size to be used as an ice bucket. Available in classic galvanized steel or a choice of yellow, blue, or pink powder-coated finishes; $6.99 at Ikea.

A summer essential: a sturdy dining table that be pulled out when unexpected guests arrive (and stowed away when they leave). Here are five we are currently coveting.

Above: The Tavern Rectangular Folding Dining Table is $559 for the dining size and $349 for the bistro size at Pottery Barn.

Above: The Bollo Folding Table from Ikea is $49.99.

Above: The Fermob Luxumbourg Table is available in 23 colors and is $1,157 at Horne.

Above: The Vino Table is $179 from Ikea.

Above: The Shattuck Rectangular Bistro Table is $399 at Pottery Barn.

Above: The Japanese-made Snow Peak Single-Action Folding Table is $255.95 from REI.

We've been admiring actress Jennifer Carpenter's Laurel Canyon patio for a while now; from the strand lighting casually laced through the overhanging trees to the eclectic mix of outdoor classics.

Carpenter collaborated with Ashe + Leandro to transform a 1930s LA hunting lodge into a color-splashed bohemian abode. The garden patio features bright citrus colors, a vintage glider, and shade-loving house plants; a winning combination. Recreate the SoCal vibe with the following elements:

Above: In LA, you have the advantage of abundant foliage, creating an automatic screen. Throw mod furniture and bright accents into the mix and you're done.

Above: The white Acapulco Chair is woven of flexible vinyl cord with a black wire frame; $475 from Innit Designs.

Above: Designed by Denmark-based company Hay, the Hee Lounge Chair is available in six different colors, including yellow (shown here) for $790 from A + R Store.

Above: The Table in a Bag Outdoor Commercial 15-Light String Light Set Up is $99 for the 48-foot-long strand from Amazon.

Above: Design Within Reach's Outdoor Pillows in Rove Maharam Fabric are free of PFOA chemicals and stain-resistant. Available in orange (shown), green, and taupe; $85 for the 18" pillow.

Above: The Civil War Gettysburg Twin Blanket is made of reprocessed wool and nylon, warm enough for outdoor evenings; $109 from Woolrich.

Above: The basic white Malaro Bench is made from acacia wood on a steel, powder-coated frame; $69.99 from Ikea.

Above: Potted pathos and mother-in-law tongue plants live in a bright green Bullet Planter. Made from compressed-molded fiberglass on top of powder coated steel, the medium size is $165 from Design Within Reach.

Above: Ikea's classic Tarnby Rug is made of flatwoven natural fibers; prices range from $99 for the 5-by-8 foot size to $149 for the 6-by-9 foot size.

Summertime means a lot more meals outdoors, which means more wasteful paper and plastic products. This season, we'll be thanking bees for a new product called Abeego, made with beeswax-infused cotton and hemp.

Designed by Toni Desrosiers and Colin Johnston, Abeego is a versatile line of reusable food storage solutions. Each product is made of sustainable, biodegradable materials: a blend of cotton and hemp, infused with beeswax (for durability), and plant extracts (which have antimicrobial properties). Minimally adorned with colorful zigzag stitches and vintage-style tension ties, Abeego harkens back to a time when everything was less chemically engineered, making it not only an eco-friendly, but also a stylish alternative to plastic.

Above: At room temperature, Abeego is more malleable and adhesive. A combination of pressure and the warmth of your hands allows it to mold tightly around any container. The wraps then stiffens when cooled.

Above: Durable, water resistant, and breathable, Abeego is ideal for wrapping anything from watermelon to cheese.

Above: Abeego, in a snack, wrap, or as a set of three different sized squares is available at Branch Home; $11 to $15.

Restaurateurs Aimee Olexy and Stephen Starr make an unlikely pair. The two joined forces last year to create Talula's Garden, a restaurant that plays to both of their strengths.

Olexy owns Talula's Table, a 12-seat restaurant in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, which boasts a year-long waiting list for its celebrated farm-to-table fare. As for Starr, it's almost easier to list the restaurants he doesn't own in Philadelphia--the latest count puts him at 20 restaurants in the city, plus seven more in NYC, Atlantic City, and Florida. (Some of his most famous include Buddakan, Morimoto, and--a personal favorite from my time in Philadelphia—French bistro Parc.) The fruit of their shared labor is Talula's Garden, a 102-seat Starr restaurant with the spirit of a gardener's dinner table. Olexy designed the space herself, in conjunction with landscape design firm Groundswell. She likes "organic, undesigned spaces," a contrast to Starr's usual hyper-designed approach. In the end, the design (like everything else) is very much a joint result.

Above: A no-fail gardener's color palette of green, wood, and white.

Above: Simple planter boxes serve the design intention of making the patio look like someone's (really nice) back patio.

Above: A collection of vintage cake stands and cloches is used to display the restaurant's impressive daily cheese offerings.

Above: Mismatched garden chairs provide an ad hoc look. Table centerpieces vary, but always include greenery (of course).

Above: The food presentation matches the decor perfectly. Here, mushroom pâté en croûte.

Above: Wall tile and colored glass pendants lend a Moroccan vibe to the front entrance and bar.

Above: Groundswell created a functioning waterfall from vintage faucets.

Above: The pergola overhead is cantilevered, made from a reclaimed truss.

Design lovers take note: we're back at Dwell on Design with another Remodelista Market and an even bigger roster of designers. Come and check us out at the LA Convention Center, June 22nd to 24th.

Our curated selection of goods includes the work of: Blk Pine Workshop, Brendan Ravenhill, Fleet Objects, Fruitsuper, Grain Design, iacoli Mcallister, Joey Roth, Mimot Studio, Olmay Home, R and L Goods, Piano Nobile, Scout Regalia, Small Trade Company, and Studiopatro.

Shop the market: Friday 10am to 6pm; Saturday 10am to 8pm; and Sunday 10am to 5pm.

N.B.: Remodelista readers can get a $5 discount on tickets to Dwell on Design. Enter discount code: Remodelista12.

Ever since we spotted vegetables used in lieu of floral arrangements at Babylonstoren in South Africa, we've been intrigued (make that obsessed) with the idea. Here's a roundup of some recent favorites.

Above: Our friend UK stylist Sania Pell uses carrots and radishes as table arrangements; see more at Tea with the Queen of Homemade. Photography by Rahel Weiss.

Above: Beet greens stand in for traditional floral arrangements at Babylonstoren.

Above: The potager bouquet; for instructions, go to Tabletop: Seasonal Potager Centerpiece.

Above: A lettuce plucked from the garden anchors a table set with K by Keaton dinnerware in grass and white; see Easter in the Garden with Diane Keaton for more.

Above: A cabbage sliced in half makes a compelling centerpiece. Photo via Gandas on Flickr.

Above: Consider the artichoke. Photograph from Africa Bespoke.

Above: Dark leafy greens in a cut-glass vase at Babylonstoren.

If you're like us, you've been obsessively watching the HBO series Girls, a spot-on portrayal of post-grad, pre-career life in New York. We’ve been laughing, cringing, and taking note of the disheveled and lived-in interiors, which ring as true as the plot lines.

In particular, we like the Tribeca loft by production designer Laura Ballinger Gardner, who conjured up a home for what she calls "a modern urban New York family.” Working with set decorator Rich Devine, she created a groovy space featuring loungey seating and dashes of unapologetic color. Gardner, a sage in the world of production design and art direction (her work can be seen in Brokeback Mountain, The Fighter, and HBO’s Veep), divulged her sources; recreate the look with the following elements.

Photos by Rich Devine.

Above: The family loft, dreamed up by Gardner, is a mix of modern and vintage. The Place Sofa from Vitra offers sprawling seating; a West Elm ottoman is reupholstered with a vintage carpet (an idea dreamed up by Devine). The rug is vintage Moroccan sourced from Imports from Marrekesh.

Above: Gardner's sources span the high/low spectrum: For the children's play area, she and Devine used a Vitra Cité chair ($4,130 at AllModern), Dexton Great Plains Canvas Teepee ($125.99 at Amazon), and Mxyplyzyk ottomans. For a similar carpet, consider Ikea's Vitten Rug ($129).

Above: The photography on display throughout the apartment illustrates the parents’ artistic backgrounds, says Gardner. The play area wall features prints by Youngna Park, Paul Madonna (both sourced from 20X200), and Michelle DeBakey, The Eames Elephant is $320 from Hive Modern.

Above: A vintage framed Fritz Kahn hangs on the wall in the corner family workspace. The Crane Fog Desk Lamp is from CB2 ($99) and the Vitra Vegetal Chair can be purchased at All Modern ($635).

Above: The shelves are painted a crimson red; the rocking chair is from Denmark (similar Danish chairs may be found at Horseman Antiques).

When our friend Ben Pentreath, a London architect and interior designer whose clients include Liv Tyler and Sarah Jessica Parker, turned his classicist's eye on a Dorset garden that had gone to ruin, the result was .... well, see for yourself.

Two years ago, Pentreath took a long lease on a house in the far west of Dorset, in southwest England. "This is the second summer of my herbaceous borders at The Old Parsonage," says Pentreath. "When I first saw the house, it was deserted—the garden completely overgrown." No more.

Photography by Ben Pentreath, for Gardenista.

Above: Gardening, says Pentreath, is about looking forward. "As I am enjoying the garden one minute, I am in the back of my mind considering—what would I be doing differently? What new planting do I need to consider? What’s working, and what’s not?" he says.

Above: "All these plans are subject to the usual vagaries—I’m away at the crucial moment when it’s time to plant up wallflowers; or the frost takes something," says Pentreath. "In part, these things could be solved if one was in the garden all the time. But if you are a part-time country dweller, spending weeks in the city and weekends in the flower beds, the consequences of timing don’t always work out for nursing a garden with quite the degree of care that it requires."

Above: "The gaps are filling fast – to the extent that I realize that I never, ever, give plants enough room to grow – I think I’m too impatient for that," Penreath says.

Above: Two years in, and things are beginning to come full, he says. Plants that struggled a little in year one have found their way.

Above: When Pentreath first saw the house, "One or two rather special plants hinted of previous glories, but the whole was overwhelmed with bindweed and ground elder, and shrubs that were on the way to becoming trees." A year of clearing followed, to bring the ground back to clean soil; digging and filtering, and removing every last scrap of ground elder root (which if left in the soil will create a completely new plant).

Above: "At last it was time to plant up—with some trepidation, as I had never made a border before," Pentreath says. "All the reading in the world only gets you so far—trial and error takes you a lot further, I think."

Above: "If, like me, you are a compulsive planner, you will have a small notebook on hand most of the time, to jot down thoughts as they occur in time to reconsider, and remember, in the months to come," Pentreath says.

Above: "Last evening, after a day of completely drenching rain, the downpour ceased, a stillness set upon the valley and a gentle mist spread down," Pentreath says. That's when he shot these photos.

Above: The border took on the tones of the softest gray, white, and lilac.

Above: "I went for a walk around the garden, completely quiet save for birdsong, and thought of the past," Pentreath says.

Above: Alliums, irises, foxglove, lady's mantle, and yellow lupines.

Above: The house at twilight.

Above: "And I dreamt of the future," Pentreath says.

It's no surprise that everywhere I look in New York City, gardens are flourishing on fire escapes. The only mystery is why it took us city dwellers so long to figure out we too have a right to tomatoes that actually taste like tomatoes.

Early June is the time to prepare for an August crop. The only requirements for urban gardeners are a sunny spot big enough for a pot—and a little ingenuity. Here's some help, from Fire Escape Farms, a Bay Area-based urban gardening store that offers delivery by bio-diesel wagon for all San Francisco orders. With tomatoes this attainable, what will we demand next, corn? (A girl can dream.)

Above: Salad for dinner. image by Ann Rafalko, via Flickr.

Above: In addition to having a reputation for blemish-free fruit, the Black Prince Tomato produces a relatively small tomato—it's about two and a half inches in diameter—that makes a good choice for small-space urban gardening. Black Prince Seeds are $4 per packet from Fire Escape Farms. Image via White Flower Farm.

Above: Most tomatoes require a soil depth of at least 12 inches to allow their roots to spread; the Handmade Redwood Tomato Planter is 16.5 inches deep and constructed of sustainably harvested, weather-resistant redwood. It's $50 from Fire Escape Farms.

Above: A 20-quart bag of all-purpose Potting Soil contains mycorrhizal fungi to help build a healthy root system; it's $6 from Fire Escape Farms.

Above: Set up a tomato cage while the plant is still small, to avoid having to deal with unwieldy, sprawling limbs. A 54-inch Galvanized Steel Wire Round Tomato Cage will provide support for ripening fruit; it's $4.78 at Lowe's.

Above: Cherry tomatoes on a fire escape; image by Mike Lieberman, via Flickr. For an ultra-small fire escape, the tiniest tomato plant is Micro Tom, growing to a height of 8 inches; seeds are $3.40 per package from Reimer Seeds.

Above: A hose you can stretch from the kitchen sink to the fire escape: The lightweight, indoor-outdoor 40-Foot Mini Coil Hose & Wand comes with an aerator adaptor to fit a male or female sink thread; it's $36.95 from Water Right.

Above: For a miniature tomato like Micro Tom, you can get by with a smaller pot. The EcoForm Planter comes in three sizes and four colors; the large size, with a diameter of eleven inches and a depth of eleven and a quarter inches, is $18 from Fire Escape Farms.

To give you a sense of the size of my garden, somebody asked me the other day what tools I've been using since I moved to New York City two years ago. I thought very hard and finally came up a comprehensive list: a dinner fork, a soup spoon, and sewing scissors. Urban gardens deserve better.

True, my raking chores consist of smoothing out the pebbles in a terrarium. The extent of my "pruning" is to snip some herbs. Any plan to expand my tool collection would be constrained by the size of my "storage shed" (aka: the floor of the coat closet). And yes, I know it's boastful to mention that I have an actual coat closet in Manhattan but, hey, you'd drop it casually into conversation, too.

In a perfect world—and by perfect, I mean one in which there's a chicken in every brownstone backyard and extra basil growing on your next door neighbor's fire escape—upon signing a 12-month lease, we'd all be issued a gardener's kit bag:

Above: Room for five tools—and more. A commodious, 20-inch Canvas Mason Bag with a heavy duty leather bottom is $105 from Hickoree's and doesn't require any more storage space than a handbag.

Above: Compact hand tools should be of high quality, sturdy enough to stand in for a full size shade, hoe, or rake. A trowel with a cutting edge, like the DeWit sharp-edged shovel, can do double duty when it's time to slice through roots to separate overgrown container plants. The three-piece DeWit Garden Tool Set—including a hand shovel, a cultivator, and a dibber—has ash handles; it's $69.40 from Kaufmann-Mercantile.

Above: For serious digging in a backyard or to transplant a pot-bound tree on a balcony, a D-handled spade—which has a shorter handle than a full size shovel—is easier to maneuver in tight spaces. The Ladies Spade With D-Handle by Sneeboer is $137.50 from Garden Tool Company.

Above: To snip herbs or cut stems when you're arranging flowers, Tajika Flower Shears, made by a Japanese company that has been producing handmade tools for four generations, are useful for other household chores too; $56.42 from Analogue Life.

Above: Technically, it's a sixth tool. But you don't have to count it against your tool allowance if space is tight; Natural Garden Twine from Nutscene is useful for a multitude of tasks beyond tying unruly tomato branches to the fire escape. It's perfectly reasonable to store twine in a kitchen drawer; tell the garlic peeler to move over a little to make room. A 500-foot roll of twine in a tin is $14.90 from Kaufmann-Mercantile.

It turns out to be possible to grow an entire farm on a 3-inch deep window sill. Spotted at Anthropologie:

Above: The Micro Greens Grow Box comes with seeds to grow organic red cabbage, mini carrots, and tom thumb peas. It's $40 from Anthropologie.

Above: The kit comes in a box made of recycled steel, and includes enough soilless growing medium and seeds for two full crops.

I have a very serious vendetta against mosquitos and a few select summer insects, so I've decided to embalm myself in a force field of rosemary, catnip, lavender, and lemon; I suggest you do the same.

We spotted this recipe for bug repelling defense on Unplugged Sunday, and decided to give it a try. Armed with our jars of fragrant balm, we're looking forward to lounging outdoors all season long.

Materials:

• 1 cup Dried Calendula Flowers
• 1 cup Fresh Rosemary
• 1 cup Dried Catnip
• A mix of Olive and Coconut Oil (about 2 cups total)
• 1/4 cup Beeswax
• Lavender and Lemon Essential Oils (about 10 drops each)
• Double Boiler/ Sauce Pan and Bowl
• Cheesecloth
• Liquid Measuring Cup and Glass Jar
• 4-5 Lidded Jars

Above: Gather your fresh and dried herbs: calendula flowers for skin soothing, rosemary for bug repelling, and catnip as an anti-mosquito solution.

Above: Use enough beeswax (the equivalent of 1/4 cup) to congeal the oils into a salve.

Above: The main ingredients (clockwise): dried catnip, calendula, coconut oil, beeswax, lavender and lemon oils, and rosemary.

Above: Equipment needed to bring the salve together. To start: Set up your double boiler and bring water to a boil.

Above: Add the rosemary, calendula, and catnip to the top bowl and cover with enough olive and coconut oil to completely submerge the herbs. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 30 minutes to slowly heat up the oil.

Above: Strain the oil into a glass jar through the cheesecloth (L). Reheat the filtered oil over low heat, adding the 1/4 cup of beeswax until it's completely melted. At that point, add in your drops of essential oil and stir. Prepare your glass jars (R), fill with the mixture, and allow to cool completely.

Above: The final result: lemon-yellow salve to ward off insects on your next outdoor hike.

Photography by Alexa Hotz for Remodelista.

Perhaps you would like to grow an unusual custard squash in your vegetable garden? Or Klondike Blue Ribbon Striped Watermelon? Or Dixie Speckled Butterpea Lima Beans?

Or try any of the 1,200 other varieties of heirloom seeds for sale in a grand old bank building in Petaluma, the Northern California town that George Lucas considered iconic enough to serve as the backdrop for American Graffiti. At the Seed Bank, the West Coast outpost of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, tools and books and seed packets sit on the old marble counters where farmers once filled out deposit slips. Baker Creek, which started as a mail order seed catalog in 1998 sent by 17-year-old Jere Gettle, is on a mission to find and preserve rare seeds. Says Gettle: "I cannot believe the diversity of seeds that we are still discovering."

Above: Baker Creek, which sells only seeds pollinated by birds, insects, the wind, or other natural elements, has seeds from more than 70 countries. Image by Selket R. via Flickr.

Above: The Sonoma County National Bank building opened its doors for the first time in 1925. Image by Homegrowndotorg, via Flickr.

Above: Baker Creek also sells its seeds online at Rare Seeds. Image by Kamina Jamison, via Flickr.

Above: An assortment of different kinds of cow peas. Baker Creeks sells more than a dozen varieties, at prices ranging from $2 to $2.50 per packet. Image via Rare Seeds.

Above: Reminders of the bank building's past life remain. Image by Swedg via Flickr.

Above: Cream colored Crown of Thorns Gourds can be picked early and eaten in summer; left on the stem, they will achieve weights of a pound or more. A packet of 20 seeds is $2. Image by Homegrowndotorg via Flickr.

Above: Jam and local foods are also for sale. Image by Homegrowndotorg via Flickr.

Above: For instructions on how to save seeds from one year to the next, visit Rare Seeds. Image via Design Sponge.

When a historic mill keeper's house a hundred miles north of London recently got a new addition to meet the needs of a modern family, the architects also turned their attention to the gardens that once belonged to the Keeper of Hunsett Mill, on the banks of the River Ant. The garden design from London-based ACME celebrates a mix of old and new:

Photographs via ACME.

Above: The focal point of the landscape, the red brick Hunsett Mill built in 1860, was until the advent of electricity an integral part of the pumping mill system that powered the Norfolk Broads.

Above: Natural prairie style plantings. Using a large variety of indigenous plants had the effect of boosting the biodiversity of the site.

Above: Sedum, phlox, and coneflowers create a changing tapestry of color seasonally, through November.

Above: Intermixed with the perennials are tall grasses, to provide structure.

Above: Clumps of identical plants strategically face each other across a path to create a sense of symmetry, and of order, despite the unruly shapes and textures.

Above: The landscaping strategy was to use native plants, to blend with the local ecosystem and to frame the architecture. The flower bed heights have been designed to enhance views or to frame the house from various vantages. Tall plants create privacy and short bushes frame views of the Mill from the river.

Above: Behind the house wild meadow flowers are surrounded by wild grasses to give a natural meadow appearance.

Above: Along the riverfront, informal flower beds border lush stretches of lawn. (N.B.: To see more of the modern addition ACME designed to suit an old house, go to An Ancient Mill Transformed in Norfolk.)

One cold, windy morning three years ago, First Lady Michelle Obama grabbed a pitchfork and joined 23 fifth-graders on the White House lawn to do something no one had dared since World War II: They dug up the grass to plant vegetables.

The 1,100-square-foot White House Kitchen Garden cost $200 to create (excluding the salaries of the National Park Service staff who tended it) and yielded, by the end of its first growing season, 740 pounds of fresh produce. We can all do that math. The First Lady, whose public campaign against childhood obesity prompted her to empty her own pantry of sugary drinks and microwave meals, added a beehive next. And last week marked the publication of American Grown, her book that exhorts the rest of us to grow our own food, too. Grab a pitchfork (no Parks Service labor necessary):

Photographs by Quentin Bacon for American Grown, except where noted.

Above: Michelle Obama and her dog, Bo, inspect the crops. For similar gardening garb, consider the Stretch Perfect Shirt in Casablanca Blue (on sale for $52) and Tretorn Canvas T56 Sneakers in navy ($68); both from J. Crew.

Above: Marigolds, to keep away aphids, edge the White House garden paths. Marigold Villandry is $4.95 per 4-inch plant from Annie's Annuals. Image by Flower Gal, via Flickr.

Above: The White House garden, spring of 2011. Among the vegetables cultivated: Red and Green Romaine Lettuce, Spinach, Chard, Broccoli, Carrots and Kale. For heirloom varieties, a seed packet is $1.75 at D. Landreth Seed Company.

Above: Lettuce and other vegetables at the White House garden are planted in raised beds. A rot-resistant Cedar Raised Bed Kit is $149.95 to $179.95, depending on size, from Williams-Sonoma Agrarian. Outredgeous Romaine Lettuce is $2.50 for a packet of 100 seeds from Baker Creek. image via BHG.

Above: A Seed Rule to space plants precisely. It's £19 from Hen and Hammock.

Above: The original planting plan, circa 2009, of the First Lady's vegetable garden. Image via White House.

Above: The White House Bee Hive near the garden on the South Lawn. A Backyard Beehive is $339.95 from Wiliams-Sonoma Agrarian. Image via Uncle Pete's Bees.

Above: Rust-resistant copper tools are fit for turning the dirt at the White House; the set includes a Copper Long-Handle Fork; it's $299.95 from Williams-Sonoma Agrarian.

Above: On the perimeter of the White House garden are blueberry and raspberry bushes; established pots of 2.5-foot-high Blueberries are $49.95 each from Williams-Sonoma Agrarian.

Above: The First Lady's new book, American Grown, is $17.75 from Amazon.

Spotted at Babylonstoren in South Africa: A simple tire swing painted green adds a citrusy dash of color to the garden.

Above: To create your own tire swing, consult the step-by-step instructions at My Mommy's Place. or WikiHow.

Above: Consider using low-VOC Benjamin Moore's Kiwi 544 Aura paint on a well-cleaned tire.

Above: Another option: the Leaf Green Loll Swing, made from recycled plastic; $225 at Design Within Reach.