Bricks 'n Blooms Weekly 277

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Hi there!

I hope you had an amazing week!

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Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms

In the Gardens

It was a HOT week here in New Jersey. My newly planted ranunculus and some seedlings I was hardening off did not love heat at all! All is not lost but it was rough keeping my foxglove seedlings going. Sadly, I lost a few.

But you know what? I’ll salvage whats there and hope for the best. I don’t think they loved being in the small cell trays still during 90 degree humid days. Ah well…it happens. I probably should have shaded them during the heat but didn’t even think about it cause I was busy doing other things.

Lesson learned!

In other breaking news, I got all of my winter sown seedlings planted. So I am feeling pretty accomplished there because that was a lot! It’s always fun to start all those seeds but finding the space and getting them in the ground is a different challenge.

When I start designing the raised beds with them, I am thinking through what they’ll look like as they grow. I want to squeeze as much in as I can too while keeping some sort of spacing rules in mind so planting them took some time.

Next up – are the snapdragons that I sowed indoors. I will get them in the ground later today. They also want out of the cell trays at this point.

We are expecting a cooler week, so I’ll start hardening off my warm season flowers like zinnias, strawflowers, and gomphrena that I started indoors under grow lights when I see nighttime temps staying warmer.

We are getting much closer to the last frost date so it is time to make the move and they’ll be much easier to care for outdoors than in my basement while I’m busy planting outside.

Everything is blooming here and the fragrance is unbelievable. My tulips look amazing, the crabapples are flowering, and there is a lot happening in the gardens so I’m just going to share some pics so you can see how it’s going!

A vibrant garden bed with blooming pink, purple, and yellow flowers, surrounded by green foliage. A stone border lines the left side, and a wooden garden trellis stands in the background among tall trees.

Close-up of pink tulips in bloom with green leaves, with more tulips and yellow flowers in the blurred background. Bare trees and soft sunlight suggest a springtime garden scene.

Pale peach and white double daffodil flowers bloom among tall green leaves in a garden bed, creating a lush, vibrant spring scene.

A cluster of yellow daffodil flowers with delicate petals blooming in a garden bed, surrounded by green leaves. A single tulip bud appears in the lower left corner. A house and more greenery are visible in the background.

Clusters of vibrant purple tulips bloom in the foreground, surrounded by green leaves, with yellow and white daffodils and trees visible in the blurred background under a partly cloudy sky.

Pink tulips bloom in the foreground with yellow daffodils and green grass leading up to a large beige house with white trim, stone wall, and a wooden sculpture on the left. Trees with bare branches are in the background.

A garden with blooming pink tulips, leafy green plants, a wooden sculpture near a fence, and large trees in the background under a clear sky.

Pink tulips bloom in a garden bed surrounded by green foliage and shrubs, with tall trees and a soft evening sky in the background.

In My Home

We hosted our neighbors for a wine tour and dinner this weekend and toured the gardens so they could see all the tulips and other blooms up close. It’s such a great way to take in the beds!

Later this week, I’m hosting some friends for a bubbly and blooms gathering. I was hoping I’d have more tulips blooming but I think we are passing the peak this weekend. I’ll still have some blooms but not quite what I was going for when organizing the party. I tried! I’m sure we’ll have a great time.

Purple hellebore flowers bloom in a garden bed with green foliage. A stone path and metal railings lead into the background, where pink tulips and trees are visible on a sunny day.

A garden scene with clusters of bright pink bleeding heart flowers, blue forget-me-nots, and lush green foliage, with tall trees and dense greenery in the background.

Bring the Outdoors In With My Third 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

A cluster of pink tulips blooms in a garden at sunset, with green grass, leafy shrubs, and tall trees in the background. The sun is partially visible through the trees, casting a warm light.

From the Week

Earlier this week I shared a look at my zen garden makeover and the evergreen plants I’m using to create a more structured, low-maintenance space.

I also wrote about companion plants for roses and how to design a perennial garden so it feels balanced, layered, and beautiful throughout the season.

There’s a post on the best cat-friendly plants if you’re gardening with pets in mind, plus an easy coconut shrimp taco recipe that’s perfect for warm-weather meals.

And over on YouTube, I shared how to refresh a perennial border without starting from scratch, along with the flowers that do the most work in my cut flower garden (and a few I skip).

Thank you so much for following along.

Enjoy a beautiful day! xo