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I hope you had an amazing week!

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A snowy backyard is framed by leafless trees at sunset. Footprints lead through the snow to a black fence and garden area. The sky glows orange and purple, contrasting with the dark tree silhouettes.

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!

Cozy living room with a lit fireplace, flanked by armchairs. A wooden coffee table holds potted flowers and decor. Greenery adorns the mantel, and a large floral painting hangs above. Natural light streams in through the windows.

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!

A white amaryllis flower in full bloom in a clear vase sits on a sunlit table, surrounded by green leaves. The background features soft-focus elements of a cozy room with pillows and books.

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!

A person with long dark hair is holding a black Labrador puppy. The puppy has its paws on the person's shoulder and is looking at them. The scene is lit by bright sunlight, and the background shows the open car door.
A man in an orange jacket leans down to gently interact with a black puppy on a leash. They are outdoors, with sunlight casting shadows on the pavement around them. The puppy looks up at the man.

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.

A person wearing a denim jacket smiles while holding a floral-patterned book titled "The First-Time Gardener: Flower & Garden Planner." They are standing in a room with various plants and a sign that reads "Fresh Herbs.

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.

These are the most popular products on my blog this week!

A green plant with broad, lobed leaves in a wicker pot sits on a wooden table. Behind it, there are framed paintings and a glass terrarium. White flowers with long stems are in the background, adding to the décor.

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.

A lush garden scene featuring clusters of delicate blue flowers (brunnera) in the foreground, surrounded by green foliage. Further in the background are pink flowers, a white picket fence, and various trees, creating a serene and vibrant landscape. Growing brunnera in a serene 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.

A green leafy hoya plant in a white, ornate milk glass pedestal pot sits on top of a book with a floral cover. The background is softly blurred, creating a cozy atmosphere.

Vegetable Garden for Beginners: A Simple Guide

Start your vegetable garden today! This beginner-friendly guide offers tips on soil, planting, and care.

harvesting roma tomatoes
Roma tomatoes

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.

A collage of four indoor plants: vibrant purple violets in an ornate pot, a Pilea with round leaves, a long-leaf spider plant, and bright pink orchids with multiple blossoms. Each plant is displayed in a cozy indoor setting.

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.

A close-up of a rectangular flatbread pizza topped with caramelized onions, fresh greens, small dollops of white cheese, and drizzled with balsamic glaze, presented on a wooden board. Red onion pieces and herbs garnish the surrounding area, perfect inspiration for your next chicken spinach flatbread pizza recipe.

Pilea Peperomioides (Chinese Money Plant): Tips for Thriving Plants

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

pilea peperomioideas plant

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.

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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10 Comments

  1. Stacy
    Your puppy is the cutest. I know you’re in love. Thanks for sharing my Valentine party favors.

  2. I also have grown Oriental and Asiatic lilies, the pest eating them to destruction, was a small [4-5 mm long], reddish beetle. To deal with them, I took a largeish cup or small container and dropped then in, after picking them off the plant. Very satisfying work. Oh, and the same beetle will flock to Fritillarias .
    Congratulations on the two new furry members to the family, I remember pictures of two adult black Labs, and heard of the loss of one, are you introducing the pup to an older dog? Kim

    1. Hi – I had the same problem with mine! Thank you – and yes – he was introduced to our girl, Koda. So far so good!

    1. Hi Vilmarie! We had two dogs before, but our older boy passed away in late August. Koda was feeling pretty sad without him. So now we have Gus!

      1. Oh I’m so sorry!! I hope your new furbaby brings you much happiness. He is adorable!!! I love his face!