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I hope you had a great week!

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Random Things Happening Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms

What a week it was!

After a fun weekend in Vermont, I spent the week in the gardens.

It was sunny all week long in the 80’s so it wasn’t too bad getting out there for a few hours each day cutting flowers, harvesting vegetables, weeding, and watering.

I spent some time adding more support for some of the dahlias too. After those heavy rains a few weeks ago, they really took a beating.

They still look gorgeous but are leaning over a little too much for my taste. So I threw a few extra half-moon support hoops in there to help prop them upright.

dahlia thomas edison and fountain with arbor in potager garden
Dahlia ‘Thomas Edison’

And while we are on the subject of dahlias, can we just take a step back and appreciate how they are doing this summer?

Last summer was a total bust with them. So I am really thrilled they are blooming so profusely this year.

They love the raised garden beds as much as I do.

dahlia karma lagoon in the potager garden
Dahlia ‘Karma Lagoon’

Aside from the dahlias, the zinnias have also hit their stride this week. I planted several in the raised beds, but also around the perimeter of the garden.

They are so fun and easy to grow. And I’m really enjoying them again this year.

As I’m admiring my gardens, I’m taking lots of notes for next year. I think I’m going to do almost all of my cut flowers in the potager instead of in different beds around the property.

And I’d like to simplify how many flowers I start from seed. Although I say that every year and then I go big or go home when it’s time to start seeds.

So remind me that I said this when I start talking about starting flowers from seeds in January. LOL!

zinnias in the potager garden on a gorgeous sunny day
Zinnias and dahlia flowers

Some of the onions are bursting out of the ground and the potato foliage is dying back. So I started harvesting them.

Not all but some.

Even the celery looks ready to harvest!

We’ve also got a ton of ripening tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and jalapenos I’m trying to keep up with too.

This is the best time of year in the vegetable garden.

Before harvesting the onions
ripening tomatoes on the plant

What I’m Shopping For This Week

I am shopping for garden supplies and lots of college dorm stuff!

While we had a bunch of stuff from my older two, we still needed to shop around for a few things.

If you are looking for dorm stuff too, you can check out my dorm essentials shopping list here.

But aside from the college dorm stuff, I had to restock on a bunch of garden supplies so I’m ready for fall gardening. Here’s what I bought!

purple coneflowers
Purple coneflowers

What’s Happening at Bricks ‘n Blooms

It was a fun week but a busy week on the blog!

We kicked off the week chatting about how to dry flowers and hydrangea flowers. I mean, if we are going to grow all these flowers, we should cut and enjoy them indoors too as the season starts winding down.

Learn how to dry flowers with these simple tips.

Oh, and I’ve got an even EASIER way to dry hydrangeas.

Learn how to do it here.

If you’ve noticed deer damage in your garden, I also shared 7 of the best deer repellents.

I’ve used each one of these and found they work differently but are each successful at keeping deer away from your flowers and plants.

close up of lavender flowers
Lavender flowers

Speaking of deer, if you want to perennial plant that they tend to avoid, you’ve got to try growing lavender!

Are you growing it in your garden yet?

Learn how to care for lavender and enjoy the flowers with these simple tips.

And finally, I shared a few YouTube videos this week after a brief hiatus.

First, we toured my potager garden where I shared what’s growing and blooming in the raised beds that Chris built for me.

Come tour the gardens with me here.

potager garden tour early summer 2023 with fountain and flowers in raised garden beds

Second, I shared a beautiful summer tablescape in the potager garden.

You may recall seeing it last week on the blog, but I shared it in real time on my YouTube channel as well.

Watch it here.

Close up of peachy summer tablescape in the potager garden

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.

This coastal DIY is perfect for the beach.

This DIY felt leaf garland is perfect for fall.

Love this yard sale find of the century!

These open letter ideas for your college student.

These dahlia flower arrangement ideas.

close up of panicle hydrangea
Panicle Hydrangea

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.

Close-up of a heart-shaped green leaf from a monstera thai constellation with white variegation on a potted plant. The plant is supported by a brown, coir-wrapped pole. Soft natural light highlights the leaf's texture. There’s a blurred background of greenery and a pathway.

Monstera Thai Constellation: A Care Guide

Learn how to care for the beautiful Monstera Thai Constellation. This guide covers light, water, soil, and more to help your rare plant thrive. The Monstera Thai Constellation is a stunning variegated cultivar of the popular Monstera deliciosa. Its unique creamy-white markings, resembling a starry night sky, make it a highly sought-after houseplant. While generally…
Read More Monstera Thai Constellation: A Care Guide
A cozy living room with sunlight streaming through large windows. Features brown leather sofas, a checkered armchair, a wooden coffee table, decorative pillows, plants, and framed artwork on the wall. A patterned rug covers the floor.

Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly 204

Hi there! I hope you had a great week! Random Things Happening Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms What a week it was! The Bulbs Are Planted! I FINALLY got all the bulbs planted this week…all 2000 of them! It was a lot of work but thankfully, I had my auger to help drill…
Read More Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly 204
Home and Garden Blogger Stacy Ling cutting zinnia flowers in her cottage garden with wood picket fence in front of garden shed

Thank you so much for following along.

Enjoy a beautiful day! xo

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The bricks \'n Blooms guide to a beautiful and easy-care flower garden book by stacy ling
The Bricks ‘n Blooms Guide to a Beautiful and Easy Care Flower Garden
  • Have you never met a plant you couldn’t kill?
  • Have you dug around in the dirt with nothing to show for it except a sunburn and a sore back?
  • Do you currently enjoy growing flowers, but are looking for more tips and ideas to level up your gardening game?

Then the Bricks ‘n Blooms Guide is for YOU

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2 Comments

  1. Happy Sunday Stacy! your garden is looking fabulous. I am still waiting for my purple coneflowers to bloom, what the heck. Have a great week. Thank you for sharing my dahlia arrangement post.