Home » Bricks 'n Blooms Weekly » Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly 125

Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly 125

Hi there!

I hope you had a great week!

(Posts on stacyling.com may contain affiliate links. Click HERE for full disclosure.)

Random Things Happening Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms

What a week it was!

Chris and Mark made some serious progress with the raised garden beds. They are almost completed building them. And then next up, I need to fill them!

We also removed ALL of the boxwoods from the potager garden and wow, does it look different in there now.

Most were relocated to other areas of the property. A few were not worth keeping. Hopefully, they will survive the move this season.

Christopher D Ling, AIA and Mark Cable building raised garden beds in the potager garden for Stacy Ling, home and garden blogger.
another raised garden bed in construction for the potager garden with a green fence

I also planted 40 bare-root roses from my favorite grower, Proven Winners. Here’s a list of what I planted this weekend:

  • ‘At Last’
  • ‘Ringo Double Pink’
  • ‘Oso Easy Double Pink’
  • ‘Ringo Landscape Rose’

They didn’t all go in the potager garden but many of them did! I also tucked some in the pool garden as roses seem to like the spot there.

It’s been a long week of planting already and we haven’t even scratched the surface yet of the season. I am seriously giddy with excitement.

raised garden bed halfway filled with soil in potager garden with green fence

I started painting the new arbor and it’s looking good! Hopefully, I’ll wrap up painting it this week so we can install it.

Overall, I’m really pleased with the progress of this garden. It’s really coming along and my vision is starting to come to life!

I also started some more seeds that include amaranth, ageratum, strawflowers, and California poppies. Next week, I plan to wrap up the indoor seed starting with 9 zinnia varieties.

With the forsythia starting to bloom, it’s time to fertilize the lawn and put down any pre-emergent control. This is the only time of year I fertilize the lawn as I am not a fan of applying pesticides throughout the season.

The daffodils are in bloom in the front yard garden in zone 6a New Jersey

Not sure what to get friends, family, and others in your life this year? I got you!

Get my 25-page free downloadable shoppable gift guide that has lots of great ideas for him, for her, teen boys and girls, kids, teachers, gardeners, pet lovers, and lots lots more!

My hope is that this guide will help you knock this part of the hustle and bustle off your list so you can sit back and savor the season a bit more.

Grab your free guide here.

front entry hall christmas tree 2023

I’d rather overseed with tall fescue every late summer which is more drought-tolerant and pest resistant here in NJ.

The daffodils are starting to profusely bloom here. They look so beautiful right now!

Oh, and the hellebores are looking pretty spectacular too. Did you plant them yet? They are really a treasure in the early days of spring.

close up of a purple hellebore aka lenten rose

What I’m Shopping For This Week

This week, I’m stocking up on a few odds and ends while getting ready for the gardening season. Cause it is about to get super busy here!

  • I bought a few of these grow through plant supports. They come in a pack of 5 so I ordered a few bunches as I use them on my peonies and other flowers that need staking.
  • To help with plant divisions this year, I bought this hori hori knife. Do you have one yet? It helps when you are dividing tubers and other types of plants. It can even be used to help loosen soil and has been on my wish list for some time now.
  • I bought these grow bags to start my potatoes in this year. I’ve not grown potatoes before and don’t want to use the space in the raised garden beds for them so will grow them in these instead.
  • I also bought more drip irrigation kits so I can more easily water the hanging baskets and planters on the porches and in the zen garden.
front of our 1850 farmhouse with daffodils blooming en masse. farmhouse is mustard yellow in color with beautiful front porch and large windows

What’s Happening at Bricks ‘n Blooms

It was a fun week on the blog!

We slowed things down a bit this week as I’ve been spending a lot of time working outside and enjoying the beautiful spring weather in the gardens.

To kick off the week, I shared everything you need to know to grow peonies. And if you find that they have a short bloom season, there’s a trick to getting an extended bloom time.

If you have trouble getting your peonies to bloom, this post will help you learn why and how to fix it.

close up of pink peonies that are cottage garden flowers deer tend to avoid

With spring bulbs starting to bloom, how are yours doing? If they didn’t come up or failed to bloom, there are a few reasons why that could be.

Learn what may have impacted flowering and how to fix it here.

And finally, we chatted about how to grow zinnias and enjoy the flowers. If you aren’t growing these in your garden yet, you are missing out!

white front porch rockers in fall with zinnias and alliums

Amazing Inspiration from Around the Web

I love finding cool inspiration from around the web and wanted to share some of what I’m loving right now.

My good friend Rachel from the Ponds Farmhouse has been pretty busy.

She made this beautiful DIY painted rug and it looks so aweseome!

the ponds farmhouse painted rug diy on porch

My good friend Jennifer from Cottage on Bunker Hill shared her tips for creating a beautiful DIY gallery wall on a budget.

I love how this turned out. Doesn’t it look so pretty?

As an aside, I love that floor lamp too!

cottage on bunker hill living room gallery wall diy with gray sofa and farmhouse floor lamp

And here is some more inspiration you’ve got to see!

These April gardening to-do’s in the pacific northwest.

This deviled egg recipe two ways.

This natural Easter table setting idea.

Love this recipe for an asparagus spring salad.

This pretty spring vignette.

And this moss wreath DIY.

close up of purple lenten rose in bloom in spring

If you enjoy these posts, you can find past Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly posts here.

And… If you’re catching up on blog posts you may have missed, be sure to sign-up to get my newest posts via email to stay up to date with everything that’s happening here on the blog and more.

Click here to shop my vintage farmhouse with close up of the front porch with flowers
close up of caramel creme coreopsis
close up of pretzel chip with hot artichoke dip with spinach

Warning: This Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip is So Addictive That You May Never Want to Share

Craving a dip that’s creamy, cheesy, and oh-so-addictive? This hot spinach artichoke dip is the perfect party appetizer or game-day snack. One of my favorite appetizers to make is hot spinach artichoke dip. Have you had it before? For years, I played around with a bunch of different recipes until I settled on my own…
Read More Warning: This Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip is So Addictive That You May Never Want to Share
front porch Christmas Decor with red roses

Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly 159

Hi there! I hope you had a great week and a wonderful Thanksgiving! Random Things Happening Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms What a week it was! My girls came home for Thanksgiving weekend and our entire family celebrated Thanksgiving here in our home. It was so nice having everyone under one roof and…
Read More Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly 159
close up of charcuterie board with raspberries, oranges, manchego, brie and backberries with crackers on bistro table.

Unforgettable Christmas Party Food: Recipes for a Festive Feast

Create an unforgettable Christmas feast with these mouthwatering recipes! From classic favorites to new twists on tradition, this collection has something for everyone. With easy-to-follow instructions and stunning visuals, you’ll be whipping up culinary masterpieces in no time. Get ready to impress your guests with unforgettable Christmas party food that will be the talk of…
Read More Unforgettable Christmas Party Food: Recipes for a Festive Feast
Rustic farmhouse Christmas Decorating in the Living Room with roaring fire, tv over fireplace, mantel decorated for the holidays with faux greens and white christmas stockings, and poinsettias with mini trees and fairy lights

5 Rustic Farmhouse Christmas Decorating to Make Your Home Extra Cozy

Create a warm and inviting atmosphere with these rustic farmhouse Christmas decorating ideas. Embrace natural materials, neutral colors, and winter greenery for a cozy and inviting home. The rustic farmhouse aesthetic is all about creating a relaxed, warm and inviting atmosphere, and that’s exactly what you want for your home during the Christmas holidays. Am…
Read More 5 Rustic Farmhouse Christmas Decorating to Make Your Home Extra Cozy

About Me

Want to learn more about me?

I’m a master gardener who’s been gardening and growing things for over 25 years. With a deep passion for gardening, I enjoy helping others find their inner green thumb with all things plants and flowers, as well as find ways to bring the outdoors inside their homes too.

Get the inside scoop about my background as a master gardener, education, and experience, as well as why I started blogging.

stacy ling cutting dahlias in her garden
Home and Garden Blogger Stacy Ling cutting zinnia flowers in her cottage garden with wood picket fence in front of garden shed

Sign Me Up!

Sign up for my free newsletter to get blog posts, seasonal tips, recipes, and more delivered straight to your inbox!

Plus, get free VIP access to my Resource Library where you’ll find insider freebies not readily available to the public.

Thank you so much for following along.

Enjoy a beautiful day! xo

stacy ling logo

Let’s Connect!

If you like this post, please follow me @bricksnblooms on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel. Or join my Facebook Group.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

6 Comments

  1. Your potager garden is looking amazing! I love it. I can’t believe how much you are getting done in your gardens already. We are still getting snow. Ugh! I can’t wait to get my window boxes filled. Thank you so much for the feature. I sure appreciate you. Happy Spring, my friend.

  2. I’m so excited for you Stacy! The raised beds look so good, and I can’t wait to see them all full this summer. Thank you so much for sharing my April gardening tips my friend.