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Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly 274

ByStacy Ling Posted on
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Hi there!

I hope you had an amazing week!

(Posts on stacyling.com may contain affiliate links. Click HERE for full disclosure.)

Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms

In the Gardens

It was a busy week in the beds! My assistant helped me put down compost that will help improve the soil and feed my plants. The guys started mulching for me too. It’s much easier to start now while my plants are small and just breaking ground before they fill in.

I finally bought my pansies and sweet alyssum at one of my favorite local nurseries, the Farm at Green Village. It was a little chilly to work outside yesterday, but I’m planning to get all of my pots planted up later today.

Colorful potted flowers arranged on outdoor tables at a garden center, with a brown plush bunny and decorative carrots placed among the blooms; greenhouse and spring plants visible in the background.

While I was shopping for flowers, I decided to purchase some specimen plants for the zen garden because that space is getting a glow up this year. At the end of last season, I decided I wanted to go super low maintenance back there, ditch all the planters and go with architectural evergreen plants.

Well, we got a few in the ground and so far, it is beyond what I thought it would be! I will share some pics next week as we are mid-way through the project but wow, wow and WOW!

Yellow daffodils bloom in a mulched garden bed beside a stone path, with leafless trees and a pink and blue sunset sky in the background. The scene is calm and picturesque, suggesting early spring.

The crocuses, daffodils, and hellebores have started to bloom. And my tulips are all coming up and looking amazing! I sprayed them almost two weeks ago with deer repellent, so it’s time to hit them again.

Since we had a few warm days, my perennials are emerging from the ground as well. It’s not much but I bet we’ll see alot more growth this week as it warms up more and we get some rain.

I also spent some time pruning and fertilizing my roses. It was a big job this year but I got it all done. (This is the organic fertilizer I use on all my roses)

My winter sown seedlings are swimming along. I’ve been popping the cover off every day this past week and putting them back on at night. It looks like we will warm up more this week, so I think I’m going to leave the lids off moving forward until I get them planted. They are ready.

My indoor seeds are doing well too! I got my china asters sowed last week and will start my zinnias, celosia and strawflowers once my heat mats are freed up.

I also started cleaning up my front and back porches to get them ready for outdoor living season. They got new outdoor area rugs, fresh pillow covers like these, these, these, and these, and some pansies (for now). I’m still working on these spaces but hope to have pics for you next week! They look really good so far.

A tray of young green seedlings labeled with tags grows in rich soil, placed on outdoor tiles in bright sunlight near a wooden raised bed and a clear plastic cover.
Seedlings sprouting in multiple black trays lined up on stone pavers beside a raised garden bed, with plant markers in each tray. Sunlight casts shadows and a lattice fence is visible in the background.
A garden with green fencing, wooden walkways, sparse plants, and two wooden sculptures. Tall, leafless trees and a sunset are visible in the background.

My 3rd Book!

A quick reminder that my new book, Filling Your Home with Life, is available for preorder.

It’s all about bringing the outdoors in — helping you grow and style indoor plants with confidence. If you’ve ever struggled with houseplants, this one is for you.

Preorders truly help support the book and get it into more hands when it launches. Thank you for supporting my work!

Book cover for "Filling Your Home with Life" by Stacy Ling, showing a cozy porch with a white swing bench, floral cushions, potted plants, and greenery in the background. Subtext: a guide to styling your space with plants.

Seasonal Essentials

A Few Good Finds

I ordered these new pillow covers from Pottery Barn recently and just saw they are backordered until the end of July…WHAT???? So here I am shopping for spring-summer pillows and am not happy about it. They should list ON THE WEBSITE it is backordered until X. Not even the order confirmation stated it. And I’m hosting Easter…

Back to the drawing board.

🌷 Spring Garden Supplies I’m Stocking Up On

  • Bulb Fertilizer — gives spring bulbs the nutrients they need for stronger blooms and healthier returns next year
  • Evergreen Fertilizer — helps evergreens bounce back after winter and supports strong new growth
  • Rose Fertilizer — encourages vigorous plants and abundant blooms all season long
  • Slow-Release Fertilizer — an easy way to feed garden beds gradually as plants wake up for the season
  • PlantSkydd Wildlife Repellent — my go-to organic deterrent for rabbits, deer, and other garden visitors
  • Deer Out Deer Repellent — a second line of defense when deer pressure ramps up in spring
  • Wire Cloches — simple protection for tender seedlings, yarrow, and other plants rabbits love to nibble
  • Raised Bed Soil — rich organic mix that helps raised beds start the season strong
  • Potting Soil — my favorite organic blend for containers, seed starts, and transplanting
  • Collapsible Garden Bins — perfect for hauling weeds, garden debris, and cuttings around the yard
Two-story tan house with white trim, a covered front porch, and shutters. The yard has a stone wall, garden beds with yellow flowers, green grass, and leafless trees under a cloudy sky.
A tan house with white trim and green shutters features a landscaped front yard with blooming yellow flowers, a stone walkway, a dry creek bed with rocks, mulched flower beds, and a leafless tree in early spring.

From the Week

Earlier this week I shared what to plant with hydrangeas to create a more layered and cohesive garden design.

I also wrote about common backyard living mistakes that can make outdoor spaces feel less inviting, along with why some perennials fail to bloom and what you can do to fix it.

There’s also a herbed ricotta tomato tart with asparagus flowers recipe that’s perfect for spring meals and easy entertaining.

And over on YouTube, I shared how I design my shade garden so it never looks empty, along with the shade garden perennials I always use to keep it full and interesting all season long.

Thank you so much for following along.

Enjoy a beautiful day! xo

An illustration of a pink flower with green leaves on the left, accompanied by the words "Stacy Ling" in an elegant, cursive font to the right—a perfect piece for any garden decor.
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 trained master gardener who’s been gardening for almost 30 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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