For those who have wondered where I came up with the idea for the straw bale gardening, look here . There is another article on the same exhibit here that is good also.
Look here also for other gardening with straw bale ideas. One article I found online even had a gazebo made from straw bales, but I think that is a bit more than what I want to do in what little back yard I will have!
Cool stuff is out there, and I'm really looking forward to all the possibilities for gardening that await me.