Bricks 'n Blooms Weekly 183

Hi there!

I hope you had a great week! And happy Mother’s Day to all of the amazing moms out there!

(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!

After a long weekend in Columbus, Ohio celebrating Shana’s graduation from THE Ohio State University, I am exhausted! It was a fun weekend and a real thrill to see her graduate with 12,554 other graduates! That’s a lot, right?

Here are some pics from her big day!

Stacy Ling and her family smiling and standing together in a park with lush greenery and a pond in the background on a sunny day for her daughter's graduation from Ohio State University

When we returned, I got right back into planting mode potting up some flowers in the zen garden containers. It’s not done yet but coming along!

I also planted some flowering annuals in the front porch gardens that will fill in when the pansies start to lose their luster.

I had a few seedling casualties while I was gone in my raised beds in the potager. Strange that is the only place a critter is getting to my seedlings! To battle them, I sprayed them all with Plantskyyd repellent and added a few more cloches until they are a bit larger.

A vibrant garden scene featuring several blooming purple alliums with lush green foliage, set against a background of a quaint house and a decorative birdhouse.

New Koi Fish to Love

Do you guys remember when we lost all of our backyard koi fish in the fall? We were so devasted and have been anxiously waiting to restock them! Well this weekend was the weekend! Happy Mother’s Day to me!

Chris and I shopped around for new koi fish for the backyard pond at Atlantis Water Gardens in Denville, New Jersey. We bought five new koi fish to add to our growing fish family.

Buddha in the Zen Garden

I’ve been wanting a buddha statue in the zen garden since before we moved in. And I finally got one! For Mother’s Day, the family helped bring this beautiful statue home. I’ll have more to show you once my planters are all potted up, but here’s a sneak peek!

A stone statue of a seated Buddha with a calm expression, holding a lotus, draped with a pink ribbon, in a lush garden setting.

Book Signing at Engraved Images

Thanks to Heidi from Engraved Images in Far Hills New Jersey for hosting me in her shop this week for a successful book signing event! It was so fun meeting some locals and chatting about all things flowers!

Two women smiling while standing outside a store, one holding a book about growing flowers. Poster beside them promotes the book with floral images. Stacy ling at book signing

What I’m Shopping For This Week

I’ve been stocking up on garden supplies again as I’m getting low on some things and need to prepare for growth in the beds! Here’s what I shopped for this week:

Potting Soil – seriously, I need more. I am starting to plant potatoes in bags and they are really sucking up soil because I have to keep adding more to them.
Deer Repellent – I’ve got a lot of plants to protect so I run out quickly and like to keep stocked for the next month.
I also ordered more of this deer repellent too because it’s less stinky and a little easier to use.
More of these half-moon plant supports.
This organic slug bait for my hostas.
And I needed more fertilizer for my herb and vegetable garden.

A serene garden featuring a stone pathway leading to a circular arrangement of wooden adirondack chairs, surrounded by lush flowering plants and trees.

What’s Happening at Bricks ‘n Blooms

It was a fun week on the blog!

Front Yard Garden Tour

Join me in the front yard for a garden tour where the tulips and flowering trees are putting on quite a show! It is beyond gorgeous!

A vibrant display of pink tulips in the foreground with a backdrop of a lush garden featuring blooming white trees and a wooden sculpture.

Companion Planting for Hostas

Tired of slugs and deer ruining your hostas? Learn the secrets of companion planting for hostas to keep pests away and create a gorgeous, low-maintenance shade garden.

Close-up of vibrant green and yellow variegated hosta leaves with purple flowers in the blurred background, in a garden setting. — Hosta plant with lavender purple flowers

The Best Deer Repellents for 2024

Garden under siege? Protect your garden with this buyer’s guide to the BEST deer repellents of 2024. Sprays, granules, & more! Read on to reclaim your veggie and flower patch!

variety of vibrant dahlia flowers in a colorful cut flower garden — Different varieties of dahlias in a colorful cut flower garden

Beginners Guide to Direct Sowing Flowers

Sunflowers, zinnias, and more! Discover the best flowers to direct sow in May for a garden bursting with color. Learn how to directly sow seeds with this beginner-friendly guide.

A hand holding a vibrant bouquet of fresh-cut zinnia flowers in pinks and yellows, with a lush garden landscape in the background.

Homemade Strawberry Lemonade Recipe

Skip store-bought mixes! This quick and easy strawberry lemonade recipe delivers the perfect balance of sweet and tart for ultimate summer refreshment.

Close up of the best recipe for strawberry lemonade — Strawberry Lemonade

Easy Baked Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Succulent shrimp tossed in a garlicky, buttery sauce and baked to perfection. Wait until you try this baked shrimp scampi recipe!

Oven-baked shrimp scampi in a butter and garlic sauce, garnished with fresh parsley. The shrimp are pink and arranged in a circular pattern in a creamy sauce. — Baked Shrimp Scampi

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 DIY standing glass terrarium is super cool!
These gardening books should be on your library shelf!
These tips for decorating a basket tray.
This pineapple slush drink.
This repotting project had some pros and cons.

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

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