Bricks 'n Blooms Weekly 275

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Hi there!

I hope you had an amazing week!

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Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms

Happy Easter to those who celebrate. I am hosting a crew for brunch today, so I am busy preparing for the big event now.

In the Gardens

This week felt like a big shift in the garden.

I moved into a part of the backyard in the zen garden that I haven’t really shared before and gave it a full refresh — and it’s turning into something I didn’t quite expect (in the best way). I’ve been planting it up and can’t wait to show you!

And I’ll tell you where this makeover began…

At the end of last season, I felt the sheer volume of potted flowers I had in the zen garden was overwhelming and not capturing the feel I wanted for the space. As we’ve been here a few years and I’ve learned the space and how we use it, I wanted something less maintenance and easy on the eyes.

Well…I have not planted in such a restrained way ever in my gardening life and love how I stretched my design capabilities with this one! I could not be more thrilled with the result!!!!

I’ll be sharing a post on it when more of the backyard leafs out but here is a sneak peak of where it is going…

A landscaped garden with a manicured tree on a bed of stones, potted shrubs, stone edging, red mulch, and white railing stairs leading up to a stone wall with trees in the background.

While walking my gardens, I noticed a major issue with one of my ninebarks that I needed to address. Last fall it was on the struggle bus at the end of the season. I couldn’t see what was wrong with it but knew something was up. I tried to put a bandaid on it because I didn’t want to prune it back so late in the season and it made the problem a little worse.

I noticed black sooty mold on the foliage and had to make a call – cut the whole thing back so I could access the plant and clean it up easier or surgically go in and prune so it could stand a chance at flowering.

I chose the latter obviously and spent about three hours cleaning this plant up. It looks a lot better and I sprayed it with horticultural oil as I’m within that forsythia bloom window. I will keep an eye on it but I’m sure I will need to do more as the season progresses.

As a precaution, I also treated my roses and limelight hydrangeas in that same garden as well.

Ah, the life of a gardener.

So hopefully, I’ll get it blooming like this again this year. If not, I may prune it back more aggresively to really get into it.

Clusters of small white flowers with yellow centers bloom among dark reddish-brown leaves on a dense shrub, creating a striking contrast between the foliage and blossoms.

I also started planting some of my winter sown seedlings and began hardening off my cool-season starts that I sowed indoors, which always feels like a turning point in the season. I should be able to plant those out later in the week.

And today, I’m hosting Easter with all of my kids home, which makes it feel even more special. We are doing a brunch and I am hoping the rain holds off!

I got my pansy border all planted up in the welcome garden and of course, I’ve seen some rabbit nibbles. So I’ve been out here spraying repellent every few days to keep it tasting horrible.

If you are celebrating today, enjoy a wonderful day with your loved ones.

A garden scene with clusters of yellow daffodils planted in mulched beds along stone pathways, surrounded by bare trees and shrubs under a blue sky with light clouds.

A tan two-story house with white trim and a covered front porch, surrounded by blooming yellow daffodils and a stone retaining wall, at sunset.

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

🌷 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

Flowerbeds with yellow blooms line a stone wall next to a curved brick path. Leafless trees and a wooden garden structure stand in the background at sunset, with houses and hills in the distance.

From the Week

Earlier this week I shared a few important spring garden tasks, including how to prune roses and fertilize roses and how to keep peonies upright and off the ground as they begin to grow.

I also wrote about why some cottage gardens lack fullness (and how to fix it), along with why your African violet may not be blooming and what you can do to encourage more flowers.

There’s also a post on treating scale on ninebark before it becomes a bigger issue, plus a simple naked cake decorated with flowers that’s perfect for spring celebrations.

And over on YouTube, I shared how to design a low-maintenance cottage garden, along with why peonies should never be planted alone if you want a fuller, more layered look.

Thank you so much for following along.

Enjoy a beautiful day! xo