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!

My book release date is THIS WEEK! Can you believe it? I am so excited for you to get your copy and hear what you think!

It is surreal getting it out into the world after all of the hard work that went into it behind the scenes. I hope you enjoy it and if you do, I would love it if you left a review on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, or wherever you purchased it from. Those reviews help authors like me get into their online algorithms to sell more books.

In the Garden

Seed Starting

Considering it is winter, the weather here has been relatively mild. I spent the week organizing my seed packets and creating labels for what I’m sowing this week using the winter sowing method.

If you recall, last week I sowed all of my sweet peas and larkspur. This week, I’m winter sowing snapdragons, foxgloves, bachelor buttons, hollyhock and coreopsis. Interestingly, the coreopsis is from seed that my neighbor brought back from their trip to England last year. So I hope that seed does well and blooms this year!

calendula larkspur and snapdragons in potager

Pruning Hydrangeas

I usually wait for the first warm day in winter to prune my hydrangea paniculatas and this weekend was it.

It was really nice out so I grabbed my pruners and cut back all the limelight hydrangeas and other paniculatas that I have here on the property. There are some in the back I need to get to as well, but because there are tons of flower beds, I usually break them up so it’s not as overwhelming.

hydrangea paniculata tree in fall

Cutting Back Lenten Roses

I also noticed that my hellebores have already put out new shoots and have some flower heads that are on there way. So I also spent some time out cutting all that foliage back to make way for this year’s growth.

Much like my hydrangeas, I only got to the ones in the front flower beds. I’ll get to the backyard hellebores and hydrangeas later today.

pink hellebore flowers (lenten rose) in the garden

Spring Bulb Heave

Ugh I’ve had my work cut out for me the last few weekend as pretty much every single bulb that I planted in the front pond garden heaved out of the ground. Between the warm winter and excess moisture from the rain we’ve had, the freezing and thawing of the ground has hoisted them right out. And to be fair, I don’t think the ground froze all that much. *Sigh

So there I was digging them all back in. I’m predicting the blooms will be pretty lackluster in this garden as a result but hopefully it was cold and enough and it will surprise me. There is growth coming out of the bulbs both in the form of foliage and roots. But the question is…will they bloom?

Fingers crossed!

close up of tulip 'creme upstar'
Tulip ‘Creme Upstar’

Make Space Podcast

I appeared on the Make Space Podcast with my good friend Cara from Never Skip Brunch. We chatted about all things flowers and keeping your plants alive. Come join us here.

Real Homes Magazine

Real Homes Magazine also interviewed me about growing houseplants! Read up on these informative articles.

Garden Design

I’m not sure if I shared this one with you guys, but it’s a GREAT recap by Garden Design on what 24 gardeners learned from their gardens in 2023. And I was one of the gardeners included in the piece! You can read all about here.

New Jersey Home and Garden Show

I’m also working hard on my booth for the New Jersey Home and Garden Show. Will you be there?

If you are in the New Jersey area at February 23-25 in Edison, New Jersey. Come hang out with me at the New Jersey Home and Garden Show! I’ll have a booth there #465 near the marketplace in the expo center. The theme is burst into spring so you know there will be lots of incredible floral displays to soak in, including mine! While I’m there, I’ll be running a few giveaways, signing my book, and creating a gorgeous display of the prettiest spring flowers that you’ve got to see!

Admission is $10 with kids under 16 free. Chris and I took our kids to this event when they were younger and it was a great opportunity to walk around a beautiful venue, with lots of fresh flowers, ideas, and inspiration for home and garden renovation projects.

close up of tulip creme upstar by front porch at sunset

What I’m Shopping For This Week

A bunch of stuff that I ordered from Magnolia arrived this week and WOW let me tell you they are even prettier in person than the photos online! Here’s a rundown of what I bought with a quick review of each. If you want to refresh your home for spring, Joanna really knocked it out of the park on this one.

I was also eyeing these for my home and garden too!

vintage farmhouse with daffodils and flowering crabapple with stone wall and beautiful front porch in new jersey
Daffodil mix in front of vintage farmhouse in early spring

Seed Starting Supplies

If you’ve been thinking about starting seed indoors, you’ve got to get your supplies now! Here’s the list!

What’s Happening at Bricks ‘n Blooms

It was a fun week on the blog!

The Best Purple Flowers

Want to paint your garden purple? Sun, shade, or dappled – find stunning purple flowers for every nook in your garden. Discover vibrant hues & sweet scents with beautiful photos from my garden with purple flowers names!

close up of alliums globemaster
Globemaster Alliums

Starting Snapdragon Seeds

Grow your own breathtaking snapdragons for vibrant, long-lasting cut flowers. This beginner-friendly guide shares the secrets for starting snapdragon seeds both indoors and out. No greenhouse required.

pretty snapdragon flowers bouquet from the cut flower garden with view of cottage garden with gomphrena truffala pink

Theme-Based Flower Bed Ideas

Embrace a fabulous garden with these stunning theme-based flower bed ideas (think butterflies, moonlight blooms, & edible delights!) to transform your yard into a total showstopper. Get inspired and plant now!

zen garden ideas with koi pond at night

5 Plant Decor Hacks to Level Up Your Home

Cozy up your home and get creative with your houseplants! These 5 simple plant decor hacks will take your home from basic to botanical bliss. Read on and get inspired.

close up of the reading nook in the sunroom with white swivel chairs, pilee plant and kalanchoe

Grab-n-Go Mini Crustless Quiches

Ditch the bread, keep the deliciousness! Mini crustless quiches packed with protein & veggies for a guilt-free grab-and-go healthy egg breakfast. Ready in under 30 minutes!

Healthy egg breakfast on a plate: mini crustless quiches

Easy Coconut Shrimp Tacos

Forget takeout and whip up this restaurant-worthy coconut shrimp tacos recipe in under 30 minutes! Easy, breezy instructions, fresh ingredients, & finger-lickin’ good.

coconut shrimp tacos recipe easy

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.

boston fern plant in sunroom

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.

A wooden table with decorative Christmas trees, framed floral art, and a small potted evergreen. The staircase is adorned with festive garland, gold poinsettias, and berries. A wicker basket leans against the stairwell.

Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly 206

Hi there! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving week! Random Things Happening Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms What a week it was! Garden Updates Baby it’s cold outside but gardening season is still in full force for me! I potted up all of my amaryllis bulbs. And this year, I’m growing 7…
Read More Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly 206

Thank you so much for following along.

Enjoy a beautiful day! xo

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

Buy Now

Related Posts

Stacy Ling

Stacy Ling is author of the best selling book, The Bricks 'n Blooms Guide to a Beautiful and Easy-Care Flower Garden, and writes the blog Bricks ’n Blooms from her 1850 farmhouse located in zone 6b northern New Jersey. She is a master gardener who’s been gardening for over 25 years and enjoys sharing her passion to help beginners find their inner green thumb, as well as discover a love for all things plants and flowers. Stacy loves to bring the outdoors inside her home and decorates with a comfy, casual, and cottagecore style. Come grow stuff and create beautiful spaces with her.

Leave a Reply

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

4 Comments

  1. my goodness, Stacy. You have been busy! I’m so excited to read your book. Especially now that I am home more. I can’t wait to spend some more time loving on my gardens…they are in some major need of TLC!

    Thanks so much for sharing my Valentine’s Day cookies. I hope you have a great Sunday!

    Reply

    1. You are welcome Jen and I hope you enjoy the book! I am jonesing to get working in the beds – I was outside yesterday and plan to be back out there today. I love the fresh air. Even if it’s a little cold. Enjoy the rest of your weekend! xoxoxo

      Reply

  2. I don’t know how you do it with how busy you are Stacy. I couldn’t be more excited about your book. I just love it and there’s so much information and tips in it. Thank you so much for sharing my Valentine’s Day cloche post. Hugs.

    Reply