Hi there!
I hope you had an amazing week!
(Posts on stacyling.com may contain affiliate links. Click HERE for full disclosure.)
Random Things Happening Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms

Vermont Ups and Downs
While we had a great time with my family skiing, dining, doing puzzles, and shopping. However, we closed out the weekend with a small blockage in our drainage line at the cabin. Yikes! We scrambled to get some help and Uncle Bob’s Service came to the rescue. If you are in the Dover, Vermont area, we highly recommend them!
The Countdown to Spring Has Begun
While I’ve been riding high with my houseplants the last few months, I got down to business this week sowing seeds for my cut flower garden and vegetable beds. My good friend Arden helped me get them going as I had 21 different varieties of plants that I wanted to start from seed. Here is what I sowed so far!
- Sweet Peas
- Larkspur
- Ageratum
- Snapdragons
- Calendula
- Statice
- Swiss Chard
- Spinach
- Kale
- Arugala
- Romaine Lettuce
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Artichokes
And now that I kicked off my seed-starting season, I am seriously ready to kick winter to the curb! LOL. Over the next few weeks, indoor seed starting will begin And the first batch of seeds? Gomphrena, some snapdragons, and foxgloves. Hard to believe the season is upon us already!

The Dahlias Have Been Ordered
I also ordered all of my dahlias this week! This year, I drilled down on shades of pink and purple so you’ll see quite a range in the blooms. I reordered some favorites like Thomas Edison, Penhill Watermelon, and Kogane Fubuki; but also ordered some new-to-me varieties like Daisy Duke, Taiheijo, and Break Out.
The Year of the Lily
I also just ordered several varieties of lilies. Years ago, I grew stargazer and a few others but had an issue with a pest and never grew them again. I figured it was time to give them a whirl again and ordered about 6 different varieties! It’s going to be a fun growing season.
Planting the Formal Garden
This year, I’m pretty excited to plant more in the formal garden. I’m adding lots of peonies, bearded irises, and a few other goodies to jazz up the beds. I can’t wait to see this space come alive!
More Amaryllis Blooms
It seems every week, I’ve got more and more amaryllis flowers. And I am definitely not made about it! This week, White Amadeus kicked off it’s creamy white blooms with touches of pink and let me tell you…they are stunning! Add this one to your list next year!

Spider Mites – Yuck!
When we returned from Vermont, I noticed some spider mites on my Calathea White Fusion. I quickly isolated it from the rest of my plant collection, dunked it under water, doused it with insecticidal soap, and have been on watch ever since. So far so good, I think I caught it very early! But I will treat it again for a few more weeks to ensure they’ve been eradicated.
As an aside, this is why it is so important to keep an eye on your plants every day. Cause if I hadn’t, that could have easily spread to several other plants.
We Got A Puppy!!!!
And the big news of the week…we got a puppy and he is the cutest thing ever! Super sweet and very chill. We love him – say hello to Gus!


Preorder My Second Book Here!
My next book publishes with Harvest House Publishers on March 11, 2025! Did you preorder yet? The Bricks ‘n Blooms Beautiful and Easy Flower Garden Planner is available now for preorder and is a great accompaniment to my first book.

What I’m Shopping For This Week
It’s been a random week of stuff! Here’s what I’m shopping for this week!
- I bought two new pet gates for the puppy to keep him contained. We have two of these already, but they are being used for the kitten. I love them because they are 4 panel and cover a large area so they work great around stairs or even a xmas tree.
- For seed-starting, I needed to buy more vermiculite. You can cover the seeds with soil, but they grow much easier through the vermiculite.
- Speaking of seed-starting, I ran out of potting soil for winter sowing, so I needed to buy more.
My Top Trending Gardening Products This Week
These are the most popular products on my blog this week!

What’s Happening at Bricks ‘n Blooms
It was a fun week on the blog!
10 Easy Flowering Perennials and Shrubs For Your Shade Garden
Love your shade garden! Discover 10 easy flowering perennials and shrubs that bring vibrant color and effortless beauty. Wait until you see these 10 flowering plants for your shade garden.

Confessions of a Hoya Plant Addict: A Guide to Wax Plant Care
Learn how to care for your Hoya plant with this easy-to-follow guide! Tips on watering, light, soil, and more for a happy wax plant.

Vegetable Garden for Beginners: A Simple Guide
Start your vegetable garden today! This beginner-friendly guide offers tips on soil, planting, and care.

Purrfectly Safe: Best Cat-Friendly Plants to Enhance Your Home
Discover a variety of cat-friendly plants! From spider plants to orchids, find the purrfect addition to your home.

5-Star Caramelized Pear Flatbread Recipe
Impress guests or prepare an easy weeknight meal with this effortless caramelized pear flatbread recipe! 5-star flavors, ready in 20 minutes.

Pilea Peperomioides (Chinese Money Plant): Tips for Thriving Plants
Pilea peperomioides (Chinese Money Plant) care made easy! Tips for thriving plants, propagation, and troubleshooting.

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.
- These Valentine’s Day party favors are so cute!
- If you are looking for some Valentine’s day projects, this is a great resource of creative ideas.
- I love these hutch decorating ideas for spring.
Thank you so much for following along.
Enjoy a beautiful day! xo
