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I hope you had an amazing week!

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Random Things Happening Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms

In the Garden

It was a hot one this week! The crazy fluctuation in temps is becoming an issue for some of my plants. I just noticed my lungwort has powdery mildew – which has never happened ever! But the cool nights and hot days has probably stressed it out. I’m treating it with neem oil, but honestly, it may not recover this year. Which is so sad cause that foliage is gorgeous!

I also wrapped up seed starting by planting cosmos, sunflowers, nasturtiums, borage and tithonia. To help protect them from wildlife, I snagged some more wire cloches to help get them started before they get eaten.

While deer have been leaving my plants alone (so far), I saw a groundhog nosing around the cottage garden and three bunnies in the formal garden. With these sightings, I’ve noticed some damage on my gomphrena and nibbles on achillea so I got right on it and started spraying this repellent on my plants. It is super stinky but works!

My roses are really having a moment this week. There are so many blooms and the eden climbers I planted last year are flowering so beautifully! I can’t wait to see what they do next year.

The zen garden is wrapping up the Japanese Snowbell and Rhododendron flowers. Sad to see them go but wow was it a great season for them.

A lush garden with blooming pink and white flowers, leafy green trees, a small waterfall flowing over rocks into a pond, and a curved wooden deck in the foreground.

Book Club

I hosted my book club this month so the ladies came over for some light bites I’m sharing on the blog this week and gave them a garden tour. It’s amazing to see how far the beds have come and they enjoyed seeing all the pretty flowers.

For book club, we read The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. Have you read it yet? If not, def add it to you summer reading list. It was a total page turner and kept you guessing until the very end. Loved it!

Before I read it one of my good friends said to text her when I got to the thing but I have to tell you…there were alot of things!!! So I wasn’t sure which one she meant and waited until I was done reading it to chat about it!

Six women smiling outdoors, posing for a selfie on a sunny porch. Some wear sunglasses and hats; flowering plants hang in the background. The group appears happy and relaxed, enjoying a casual, cheerful gathering.
A woman wearing a green patterned romper and sunglasses takes a mirror selfie in a bright living room, while a black dog with a brown collar stands beside her.
OOTD for Book Club and a Garden Tour:

Plants of the Week!

I’m highlighting some favorite garden blooms from the week so you can see the plants and varieties I’m growing. Here are a few that I’m loving this week!

A stone planter sits on dark pebbles and holds vibrant pink and green caladium leaves, accented with small white flowers, surrounded by lush garden greenery and a green lattice fence in the background.
Va Va Violet Caladiums
Bright yellow star-shaped flowers with orange centers grow on tall green stems surrounded by lush green foliage in a garden setting. The background is slightly blurred with hints of more greenery.
Loosestrife
Pink and orange roses bloom in a sunlit garden, surrounded by green leaves. A green fence and trees can be seen in the background, adding to the lush, peaceful atmosphere.
Eden and At Last Roses
close up of evening primrose with yellow flowers in the backyard garden - 15 common mistakes new gardeners should avoid
Evening Primrose
A garden bed with blooming pink and purple flowers grows beside a path lined with smooth, round stones. Green foliage fills the background, and the scene is bright and colorful.
Supertunia Pink Tiara and Blue Tiara

Come See Me in Mendham, New Jersey!

Chapter One Bookstore is graciously hosting me for a book signing event on Saturday, June 21 from 1-3PM. Drop by if you are local!

What I’m Shopping For This Week

  • I’m also using this rabbit and groundhog repellent. It’s great to switch it up with these wildlife to keep them away.
  • I just bought a new pair of birkenstocks because I’ve worn my regular set one too many times in the garden.
  • Gave a garden tour during the heat this week and this outfit was perfect! Can be worn out to brunch, a day with friends or even a cover-up. Super lightweight. I regularly wear M but in this brand, I size up to L.

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

A lush garden scene with a small pond surrounded by rocks, green water plants, pink and white flowers, and a large potted plant. Trees and shrubs form a dense, leafy background.

What’s Happening at Bricks ‘n Blooms

It was a fun week on the blog!

How to Beat Japanese Beetles on Your Zinnias

Tired of Japanese beetles ruining your beautiful zinnias? Discover effective and organic methods to protect your flowers and keep these pests at bay. Your zinnias will thank you!

A garden bathed in sunlight, featuring vibrant zinnia flowers in shades of pink, red, and yellow. The lush green leaves contrast with the colorful blossoms, and rays of light create a serene atmosphere among the surrounding dense greenery and trees.

The Secret to a Blooming Lipstick Plant

Discover the simple secrets to make your Lipstick Plant burst into stunning blooms! Learn essential tips for light, water, soil, and more.

A close-up of a green houseplant with elongated, patterned leaves. The plant is in a woven basket, with a blurred natural background of greenery and stones.

How to Host the Best Clambake Ever

Learn how to host the best clambake ever with tips on preparation, menu ideas, and expert advice for a perfect seafood party. Make your event unforgettable!

close up of outdoor entertaining ideas for low country boil with red and white checkered tablecloth, brown craft paper, on farmhouse table with wicker chairs and honeysuckle in the garden

Best Drought-Resistant Plants for a Low-Maintenance Garden

Learn how to create a beautiful, low-maintenance garden with drought-resistant plants that thrive in dry conditions, even during the hottest summers.

A close-up of a field of growing English lavender in bloom. Tall stems with clusters of small purple flowers rise from the green foliage. The background is a soft blur of greenery, giving the image a serene and natural feel.
Lavender flowers

Light & Refreshing White Wine Spritzer Recipes for Any Occasion

Looking for a refreshing wine spritzer recipe? Get 3 delicious & light ideas, including lemon basil, strawberry limeade, and lemon lime variations.

Two glasses filled with ice and lemon-lime beverages, reminiscent of a refreshing white wine spritzer recipe, are garnished with lemon and lime slices. The glasses are surrounded by halved lemons and limes on a light cloth surface. The image captures a refreshing and citrusy drink presentation.

The #1 Trick for a Peony Bouquet That Last for Weeks (It’s All in the Bud!)

Wish your beautiful peony bouquet would last longer? Learn the #1 bud cutting trick for stunning blooms that stay fresh & vibrant for weeks.

A hand holding a bouquet of pink and magenta peonies with sprigs of purple flowers, set against a lush green garden background with yellow flowers.

EDIBLE AND ORNAMENTAL GARDEN TOUR: Roses, Hydrangeas in Pots, & Potager Harvests! 🌸

Watch it here!

A garden bed with blooming white flowers in front and purple flowers in the background. The text "FOOD AND FLOWERS" with a purple flower graphic is overlaid on the image.


Cut Flower Garden: My Top 5 Flowers, Tips & Designs for Armloads of Blooms All Season Long!

Watch it here!

A colorful bouquet of flowers is in the foreground, with bold text over it reading “NEVER BUY FLOWERS AGAIN!” A garden with greenery and a path is blurred in the background.

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

Buy Now

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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. What are the beautiful, drippy, white flowers leaning over the pond-Zen garden? The flower looks a little like Soloman seal, but, even with enlarging the picture I wasn’t sure, all the pictures are delightful as always. The garden cloches are pretty for a utilitarian object, I have some, but, my Hostas get too big for them, so I got metal ‘pet’ fence, which can be put together in fours or larger, and the rabbits can’t get at the stems, they eat the stocks like a celery, leaving me the leaves, haha. Weekend posts are a highlight to my weekend, thank you. Kim

    Reply

    1. Hi Kim! Do you mean the ones on the left side coming off the tree? That is Japanese Snowbell. The pretty white flowers cascading over my pot near the pond is Bacopa Snowstorm Giant Snowflake

      Reply

    2. Yes, off the tree, do you know what zone they grow in?I don’t think I have seen those here in south-central Ontario, I am 5a. They are spectacular. Kim

      Reply

      1. From my research they are zoned 5-8 – I’m in 6b (formerly 6a). I bet it will do well there!

        Reply