By JOE LAMP'L, DIY Network

My friend and fellow gardening author, Felder Rushing, coined a term not too long ago: "slow gardening." According to Felder, "slow gardening isn't lazy or passive -- it actually involves doing more stuff, but carefully selected to be productive without senseless, repetitive chores.

I recently stepped back in time a few hundred years.

Gardeners deal with an interesting dichotomy.First, we undoubtedly possess some appreciation and respect for deferred rewards; otherwise, we wouldn't be gardening. On the other hand, we manage to exhibit several behaviors that provide an outlet for that all-important instant gratification. And that's where the trouble begins.

On Memorial Day I think just about everyone I know took the day off except me. I don't mind, though. I love my "work" and many times I have to remind myself that traveling to beautiful gardens is technically how I earn my living. It helps me feel less guilty about having so much fun as I spent this day floating down the River Walk in San Antonio.

In my role as television host of "GardenSMART," a show that features beautiful gardens, I've seen some pretty spectacular places. Yet none compares to the garden I just returned from this week. Although it may never qualify as drop-dead gorgeous, and its location might deter all but the bravest visitors, to me, this was the most beautiful garden I have ever seen.

When I'm not on the road, I enjoy cooking meals at home. I'm big on using fresh ingredients, yet store-bought "hot house" tomatoes in winter will never compare to the quality and taste of homegrown. Many fruits and vegetables travel about 1,000 miles to get to us!

As we gardeners and weekend landscapers work to beautify our personal outdoor space, we have a tremendous opportunity to be greener at the same time. In fact, our opportunity may be bigger than it is for most others. That's because many of the things we normally do to make our personal environment look manicured and beautiful are anything but green.

Today it's estimated that the average American uses about 100 gallons of water a day. And between 25 percent and 40 percent of that goes to outdoor use.

I'm ordinarily not much on self-promotion. But my latest book, "The Green Gardener's Guide," is so timely that I feel compelled to tell you more about it.

Bringing home healthy, disease-free plants will make your garden look better and make your gardening experience more enjoyable. Here are a few simple guidelines as you head out to the nursery.