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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!

A Week in Atlanta!

I spent most of the week in Atlanta, Georgia the Haven Conference where I learned some best practices about content creation and met up with some of my blogging besties. My niece Sutton from @offtheclockcrafts joined me on the trip and we had such a great time!

She got to meet my blogging mentor and good friend KariAnne from Thistlewoodfarms.com and some of my other great friends like Jennnifer from Cottageonbunkerill.com, Chas from chascrazycreations.com, Leslie from my100yearoldhome.com, Dee Dee from @myresportreport, Kim from perfectingplaces.com, and seriously so many more!

I attended the conference as a mentor and guide to other bloggers and content creators. The classes were really amazing, I got a lot out of them, and if you are interested in getting into the content creation space, look into the Haven Conference for next year! It is chock full of really amazing information where you’ll learn a lot and will fire you up!

We got back late last night so I’m feeling a little wiped today. I haven’t had a chance to get out there in the gardens and hope it’s all okay after a few days of absence. Here are a few pics from the conference.

Three women smiling and posing for a selfie outside on a sunny day. They are wearing name tags and appear to be at an event. The background shows a modern building with large windows and a walkway lined with plants and people.
Rooftop happy hour with my niece Sutton and bestie Jennifer
Two women stand side by side, smiling in front of a colorful puzzle-piece mural with various illustrations. The left woman wears a denim jacket and a light pink dress, while the right woman wears a dark green blouse and a black skirt.
Ready to represent!

This Week’s Garden Favorites

One of my favorite flowers that is blooming right now is ageratum! This is the first year I’ve grown it – not sure why it’s taken me so long – but let me just tell you how much I love it!

I started it from seed indoors and also bought plants from the nursery. The seed starts are beyond beautiful! They are perfect for cutting and drying. I love the ones I got from the nursery too, but the seed starts are a winner for me and I will definitely do many more next year.

Another favorite for me for third year in a row would be the yarrow and coneflower combination that I have planted in the welcome garden. I swear it gets me every year! The pollinators love it but you can’t beat the texture and color it adds.

A vibrant garden features a blooming arrangement of pink coneflowers and clusters of light pink yarrow flowers. A stone path winds through the lush greenery, leading to a house in the background, surrounded by tall trees and a well-kept lawn.
Yarrow and Coneflowers
Close-up of numerous small, fluffy purple flowers blooming among green leaves. The flowers have delicate, frilly petals and are clustered together, creating a vibrant contrast with the foliage. The background shows more greenery blurred slightly.
Ageratum

The Rabbits Are Eating Everything!

Are the bunnies eating everything in your garden like they are in mine? Wow there are a lot this year! I haven’t seen this kind of damage in a long time!

I tested out some repellents and ​THIS ​one is working the best for me in my garden.

If you are using a repellent or some other means to keep them out away from your precious plants, can you please leave a comment in below? I’d love to hear what’s working for you, and if you have a favorite product or repellent you like to use too. I’ll compile a good list in a future post and I’m sure other readers would love to know too!

I’ve gotten sooooooooo many comments about it on my Instagram so it seems like they are a big problem this year.

A charming yellow house with white trim is surrounded by a lush, colorful garden filled with various flowering plants. The neatly maintained lawn and vibrant flowers create a picturesque and inviting scene. There's a tall, artistic wooden structure to the left side.

She Shed Reveal

If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you’ve probably been watching the transformation of the she shed! I’m not sure how much I shared about this space before but I’ll give you a little backstory here.

The former homeowners built this cute little shed and added electricity and finished walls so their grandkids could glamp in them. Isn’t that so cute?

Well after 3 years of living here and having no one glamp in there yet, I saw the space a little differently and changed things up!

We added some flooring from a leftover project, painted the walls, and added some barn beam shelves from my sister-in-law’s old farmhouse. To create a workspace, I moved our old farmhouse dining table out there but raised it up on bed risers so I could have a counter-height space where I could make projects like centerpieces, wreaths, and other organic decor with flowers from my garden.

But the ultimate upgrade to this amazing space? My husband Chris built me drying racks for my flowers from some branches he foraged on the property. And let me tell you…they look amazing!

Here’s a quick pic of the space and I’ll share more about it in a blog post soon.

What I’m Shopping For This Week

With potting flowers, I spent the week shopping at the nursery as well as online for plants, flowers, and supplies! Here are some garden and home items I bought this week.

In the Garden

  • Deer Repellent – I’ve got a lot of new plants to protect.
  • Neem Oil – Some of my garden roses are a bit fussy and get black spot that need it. I usually lean toward growing roses that are more resistant, but these are plants that were planted well before I moved in. They are much more work!
  • Slow-release fertilizer for my annuals – I am stocking up before I reapply in early August.
  • RoseRX for my roses – I’ve got a sawfly problem!
  • This lightweight cordless leafblower is PERFECT for me to use on the porches. I keep it tucked behind some potted plants for quick and easy clean up.

For Me!

  • I bought these super comfortable sandals in black that you can dress up or down. Seriously – it’s like I’m walking on air.
  • This teal blue boho dress.
  • This black boho maxi dress.
  • I bought this rust-colored boho dress last year and brought it with me to the conference.
  • These cozy loose overalls are perfect for hanging around or a casual night out.
  • I bought this summer jumpsuit in laurel green.
  • Sunscreen – We are running low and need it! If you are spending more time outside you need it too. I’ve had a few friends recently who were diagnosed with skin cancer.
A vibrant garden bed displays a colorful array of flowers, including pink, purple, and yellow blooms. Lush green foliage surrounds the flowers, creating a lush and lively scene on a sunny day.

What’s Happening at Bricks ‘n Blooms

It was a fun week on the blog!

The Best Blue Flowers For Your Summer Garden

From agapanthus to hydrangeas, explore the best blue flowers to bring a pop of color to your summer garden.

Clusters of small, purple flowers with fluffy petals bloom among vibrant green leaves in a garden bed. The bright green foliage contrasts with the rich purple, creating a colorful and lively scene. Brown mulch is visible in the background.

DIY Floral Arrangement: How to Arrange Flowers

Learn how to arrange flowers like a pro and make your own DIY floral arrangement with these expert tips and step-by-step guide.

Close-up of a vibrant bouquet featuring a variety of flowers. The bouquet includes large zinnias with earthy pink and white petals, surrounded by colorful blooms in shades of yellow, red, and magenta, set against a backdrop of lush green foliage.

How to Keep Your Plants Alive While On Vacation

Learn how to keep plants alive while on vacation. Learn about watering, irrigation, and more for worry-free plant care.

A vibrant garden in full bloom, showcasing bright pink and magenta flowers among green foliage. A stone wall runs alongside the garden, and a paved pathway is visible in the background. Sunlight filters through the trees, illuminating the scene.

DIY Cottagecore Kitchen Ideas: Get the Look for Less

Transform the hub of your home into a charming cottagecore kitchen with these affordable DIY projects and decorating tips.

How to Make a Simple Hydrangea Wreath

Upholstery Fabric Painting: Easy Chalk Paint Guide

Discover simple fabric painting and achieve stunning, durable results with this step-by-step chalk paint technique for upholstery.

Easy Hummus Recipe with Creative Rice Cake Flowers for Healthy Snacking

Discover a simple, healthy & easy hummus recipe paired with creative rice cake flowers, perfect for nutritious snacking and party appetizers.

A colorful assortment of fresh vegetables, rice cakes, and cheese on cutting boards. Cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, radishes, broccoli, and carrots are arranged artistically like rice cake flowers. A knife and a jar of hummus are also visible, along with a striped cloth underneath.

Inspiration From Around the Web

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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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.

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4 Comments

  1. I guess it’s a great year for. Hydrangea and bunnies! I’ve had many gardens in my life, however, I don’t know how you keep up with all of yours. They are so beautiful.❤️

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much Deborah! It must be the tradeoff this year for all those gorgeous hydrangea flowers!!!! It is a lot of work but it’s been really fun having something new to work on after leaving my last garden of 23 years! I only moved about 20 minutes away but things grow so differently here. I love it!

      Reply

  2. Happy you had a great Haven conference.

    I sent a DM yesterday with a link of a repellent we are using and it’s fantastic! Check it out

    Reply