Bricks 'n Blooms Weekly 289

Add me to see the latest gardening from me.

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

After spending the July 4th weekend in Long Beach Island, New Jersey with my sisters-in-law, we came home to the best surprise…a garden that was still intact!

All of the work we’ve been doing to keep the groundhog out of the potager seems to be paying off. The fencing, gate, and other deterrents have worked so far, and I’m hoping we can finally put that battle behind us.

While we were away, though, New Jersey was hit with several days of 100-degree temperatures, and the garden definitely felt it. My larkspur, sweet peas, Bells of Ireland, and even the snapdragons are showing signs that the heat was a bit too much. They’re all cool-season annuals, so it’s no surprise they struggled through those temperatures.

A garden with vibrant flowers, including daisies and purple blooms, surrounds a large empty clay pot beside a paved path. In the background, there is a yellow house with green shutters and a picket fence.

A colorful garden bed features blooming flowers in shades of purple, yellow, white, and pink around a large empty terracotta pot, bordered by a stone edge and surrounded by lush greenery.

Once I got home, I spent a day giving the garden a little TLC. I cut back the plants that had finished blooming, deadheaded what felt like hundreds of roses (is anyone else deadheading roses every single week right now?), and applied a bloom booster fertilizer to all of my annuals to help encourage another flush of flowers now that the worst of the heat has passed.

Of course, there are always a few new garden challenges to tackle. I noticed the volunteer sunflowers in the potager are covered with aphids, so I’ve been knocking them off with strong blasts of water every few days. My hope is that the ladybugs, lacewings, and other beneficial insects will eventually move in and take care of the problem for me.

The Japanese beetles also made their annual appearance after the heat wave. So far, the damage has been fairly light, mostly on a few roses and zinnias, and I’m hoping to keep it that way by staying on top of them when I have time.

I harvested a bunch of lavender to dry in my drying house. I thought I cut a lot but didn’t really make much of a dent in my garden. It’s always hard for me to cut my garden flowers because I love how they look in the beds. But this year, I want to use more of them later in wreaths and things so I’m committed to preserving my blooms.

My zinnias, strawflowers, china asters, and gomphrena that I started from seed are all starting to flower more. The dahlias are not far behind. They grew so tall while I was away – I swear, growth with those happen so fast!

A woven basket filled with freshly picked lavender stems, displaying vibrant purple flowers and green leaves, resting on a rustic wooden surface.

Outside the garden, I’ve been making a real effort to find a little more balance this summer. I played golf four times this week! Yes…four. I had another lesson and played with friends at both Neshanic Valley and Roxiticus Golf Club. I’ve realized that if I don’t intentionally schedule time away from the garden, I have a tendency to socialize mostly with the flowers. As much as I love gardening, it’s been nice making time for my friends too.

And to top off the week, Mackenzie came home after her beach vacation, so it was wonderful having the whole family together again for the weekend. Those moments are every bit as rewarding as seeing the garden in full bloom.

(Stacy Ling and friends) Three women in golf attire smile for a selfie outdoors. One holds a drink, another holds a colorful pouch, and trees and clouds are visible in the background.

Four women in golf attire (one is stacy ling) smile for a selfie on a sunny golf course. Trees, golf bags, and a golf cart are visible in the background under a bright blue sky.

Seven women (one is gardener stacy ling) sit around a patio table enjoying lunch with salads and drinks on a sunny day, smiling at the camera with a scenic outdoor view in the background.

Seasonal Essentials

The slugs have arrived so I bought some more organic slug bait to protect my hostas from damage.
Restocking these under-eye patches – I use them everyday!
I did another round of slow-release fertilizer for my annuals. This is what I use.
I bought this dress last week for my niece’s wedding. It fits true to size and is really well made! It’s on sale – I highly recommend.

A lush garden scene with clusters of pink and magenta flowers, green foliage, and a wooden trellis structure in the background, surrounded by dense trees and vibrant vegetation.

From the Week

This Week on Bricks ‘n Blooms

This week was all about helping your garden thrive through the toughest part of summer.

If Japanese beetles have started showing up on your zinnias, I shared the exact strategy I use to keep damage under control without giving up on growing these summer favorites. See how to beat japanese beetles on zinnias here.

I also rounded up some of my favorite drought-tolerant plants that provide beautiful color while needing far less water, making them perfect choices for a low-maintenance landscape during hot, dry weather.

As we look ahead to late summer, I shared some of the perennial flowers I rely on to keep the garden blooming well into fall, along with tips for extending seasonal color when many gardens begin to fade.

Bright orange and pink flowers blooming among green leaves in a garden, with a bee on the central orange flower. A paved path and lush trees are visible in the background.

And because summer is as much about enjoying the harvest as it is tending the garden, I also shared one of my favorite refreshing recipes: fresh strawberry lemonade with mint. Plus, if you’re looking for an easy seasonal meal, don’t miss my garden-fresh strawberry spinach salad with balsamic maple dressing.

If you’ve ever wanted to bring hydrangeas indoors but struggled to keep them from wilting, I also shared the simple technique I use to help fresh-cut hydrangeas last much longer in a vase.

Finally, if your dahlias are growing beautifully but still haven’t started blooming, I covered the most common reasons why that happens and the simple adjustments that can help encourage more flowers this season. See Why Are My Dahlias Not Blooming here.

A vibrant garden with blooming purple, pink, and yellow flowers, lush green foliage, and a stone wall. Trees and a birdhouse are visible in the background.

This Week on YouTube

This week on YouTube, I tackled one of the biggest reasons dahlias disappoint gardeners.

In “7 Dahlia Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Growing Season,“ I walk through the common mistakes that can lead to fewer blooms, weaker plants, and a less impressive display. If you’re hoping for armloads of beautiful flowers later this summer, this is one video you’ll want to watch before your dahlias reach their peak.

Thank you so much for following along.

Enjoy a beautiful day! xo