Hi there!

I hope you had a great week!

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Where do I even start about the week?

My Garden Damage

We had some snow earlier in the week and when our plowing service came (who is also our landscaper) they drove 15 feet through my daffodil bed and perennial bed. The damage is pretty extensive.

It was about 9am on Tuesday when they arrived. We probably had a few inches on the ground but not too bad. About an hour or so after they left, the owner texted me to let me know there’s a tire mark in the bed because the driver slipped.

I figured a tire mark wouldn’t be the end of the world. So I ran outside in my slippers and pajamas and saw that the truck drove through the daffodil bed with my hardy hibiscus, sedums, nepeta, coreopsis, kent beauty oregano, lavender, St John’s wort, and pansies.

And it wasn’t just a tire mark – this damage went about 3.5 feet into the bed for roughly 15 feet. Before you jump down to the comments to tell me we need markers – we had markers.

daffodils, crabapple and spirea garden in spring

I can appreciate slipping a little off the driveway but I’m baffled at how far into the bed this is. And this particular bed slopes down so it is not part of the driveway. It is also located on the straightest part so I’m not sure how you’d slip off that far.

So anyway, the bed is totally damaged and the worst part is I can’t even assess it yet because there’s too much snow. I was so upset about it, I felt sick to my stomach and had trouble sleeping and stuff that night. But rallied the next day – let’s hope for the best on this one.

(Also, please don’t run down to the comments to tell me there are worse things in life that can happen for me to be upset about. That is 100% true – I’m just relaying a story that happened this week.)

The owner has offered to remediate and fix it so that is a good thing after this kind of damage.

A Weekend Away With a Catch

Chris and I spent the weekend in Vermont with his sister and her husband. They came up Saturday, but we got a call from my daughter at home with a scare that almost had me leaving to head back!

On Friday, we went out to dinner and came home to binge-watch our latest show, Only Murders in the Building. Have you seen it? It is so good!!!

Anyway, we were about to head into season 2 when my youngest daughter called to let us know the fire alarm went off and said carbon monoxide. So I’m now grabbing my boots to head home.

All of my kids decided to hang home this weekend with their friends. My oldest was out at dinner with hers so Tori was on her own for a few hours. She hadn’t cooked anything and was just sitting there watching TV when the alarm went off.

I called our neighbor who was wonderful to run over and check things out. The alarm wasn’t going off anymore but it wasn’t sitting right that the alarm said carbon monoxide. So my daughter called the police and fire department, who came and checked it out. All was good – nothing to worry about. So false alarm.

But scary for me to be in Vermont and have that happen to them while we were out of town. Aside from that, we had a great time with my in-laws and it was great to get away and get some down time.

Stacy and Chris Ling outdoors in VT

The Bricks ‘n Blooms Guide to a Beautiful and Easy-Care Flower Garden

Thanks so much for those of you that bought my book, The Bricks ‘n Blooms Guide to a Beautiful and Easy-Care Flower Garden. I’m really thrilled to hear how much you are enjoying it and hope that it’s brightening up your winter and getting you psyched up for spring!

Would you mind leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads and/or Barnes & Noble? Those reviews really help first-time authors like me get their books to become more visible on those platforms. Every review helps so much – so thank you in advance for your support!

Second Book

Speaking of books! This week, I submitted my manuscript for my second book! I can’t wait to share more about it with you guys but it will be out in February 2025!

The bricks 'n blooms guide to a beautiful and easy care flower garden by stacy ling book

New Jersey Home and Garden Show

I’m speaking now at the New Jersey Home and Garden show with a super impressive DIYer Doreen Stovenour.

Speaking times are at:

  • Friday – 4PM
  • Saturday and Sunday – 12PM, 2PM and 4PM

And 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 on 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.

tulip aveyron and tulip palmyra by stone wall
Tulip Aveyron and Tulip Palmyra

I updated my wardrobe this week! I needed a few outfits for the Home and Garden show this week and snagged some cute shoes too!

Here’s what I bought:

But that’s not all! I also wanted to get a few more houseplants to add to the gang and found some great ones from a grower that I really like. I usually buy my houseplants local but wanted to test out some online growers for you guys. And I am super impressed! Here’s what I bought.

close up of white accent chair in sunroom with jute area rug, boho poof ottoman, rattan side table, boho throw pillow, snake plant, boston fern, and anthurium lily

It was a fun week on the blog!

Beginner’s Guide to Growing an Herb Garden

Are you tired of relying on store-bought herbs with uncertain origins and limited freshness? Learn how to create and maintain a thriving herb garden with these simple tips.

two sage plants in the herb garden that are a great companion plant idea for flowers
two different sage plants in the herb garden

Potager Gardens

Looking for ways to elevate your vegetable garden so it’s more aesthetically pleasing to the eye? Create the perfect potager garden with these simple tips.

potager garden with outdoor dining space at sunset

Preparing Your Flower Beds for Spring

Say goodbye weeds and hello to gorgeous blooms! Learn the secrets to prepping your flower beds for a spectacular spring. Simple steps with stunning results.

the potager garden with green garden fence and raised beds in early spring at sunrise

Spider Plant Care

Unearth the secrets to lush, cascading spider plants with minimal effort! This foolproof guide shares everything you need to know for vibrant growth, how to avoid brown tips, and ways to keep your spiderettes thriving. Follow these tips for spider plant care.

close up of spider plant on harlequin tile floor

Plant Watering Wisdom

Stop drowning your flowers or losing blooms to dry, crusty soil. Follow these plant watering tips for a thriving flower garden throughout the season. Tips for containers, sun lovers, and more! Read on to grow your green thumb!

gorgeous front porch planters with gomphrena, supertunias, superbells and angelonia with garden treasures from the thrift store

Anthurium Lily Care

New plant parent? Conquer flamingo flower fears! This ultimate anthurium care guide covers watering, light, & secrets to year-round blooms. Don’t let the beauty of the blooms fade with these simple tips!

close up of anthurium with red flower

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

Chinese evergreen and white amaryllis flower

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

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8 Comments

  1. So sorry about your garden. You spend untold time developing and caring for your gorgeous gardens, plus use them to teach US how to grow beautiful gardens, also.
    There probably will be people who say it isn’t such a big problem as….but they are wrong. Flowers heal people. Gardening heals people.
    It is a loss of your work and time and money and heart. ( and Yes, I DO KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO LIVE HORRIFIC LOSS- this is one reason I understand that other losses are significant in our lives, also.).
    Thanks for helping us learn how to garden. Your positive enthusiasm is a breath of fresh air.

  2. Stacy,

    You be upset about your garden all you want. You put so much time and love into your gardens.

    I can believe how bad it is, been there at the okd house. You literally feel nausea.

    Scary about the carbon monoxide detector. Hopefully it means you need a new one. Everyone is safe so breathe.

    1. Thank you Cindy! I just want to assess it to see how much I can fix! And I hope I can fix it! Yes, we think we need to replace them. Hope you have a great week!

  3. Stacy
    Oh my gosh what a week. I can’t believe they drive through your flowers. 😢😢. And I’m so thankful it was a false alarm at your home. You are amazing for always sharing my projects. Thank you so much! Have the best week.

    1. Thank you so much Rachel! I just want to assess the damage and haven’t been able to yet. Hope you have a great week! xo

  4. I’m so sorry to hear about your damaged garden beds, Stacy. I can understand why you’re so upset. I would be, too. I am so excited to hear that you are writing another book. I can’t wait to hear more about it. Thank you so much for sharing my spring bulb blog post this week. I appreciate it so much my friend.