Bricks 'n Blooms Weekly 294

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Hi there!

I hope you had an amazing week!

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Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms

This was one of those late summer weeks that had a little bit of everything, and I’m soaking it all in while I can.

One of the highlights was getting together with some friends in my cut flower garden to make bouquets for Heartworks. We gathered flowers straight from the garden and spent the evening turning them into the most beautiful bouquets to donate. They turned out amazing, and it felt so good knowing all of those blooms were going somewhere special.

Of course, Mother Nature had other plans for us at first. We got completely rained out just before we were supposed to get started. Best laid plans, am I right? Thankfully, we were able to wait it out and get back to bouquet making.

I’m not going to give away the whole story here because I shared the entire experience in my latest YouTube video, including what we picked, how the evening came together, and what we did with all those flowers. You’ll have to watch that one to see how it all unfolded!

Two women in straw hats arrange colorful flowers at an outdoor table in a lush garden. A house and trees are visible in the background. The scene is bright and vibrant, evoking a sense of summer and creativity.

Seven women in summer hats stand around a table with flowers and greenery, smiling outdoors in a lush garden. The table holds bouquets, drinks, and phones. Trees and garden beds surround the group.

Two women in straw hats smile outdoors, holding colorful bouquets of flowers. They stand at a wooden table with garden tools and flowers, surrounded by lush green trees and plants.

Two women arrange colorful bouquets of zinnias and purple flowers in glass jars on a dark table outdoors, surrounded by green plants.

Two women in sun hats stand outdoors in a lush garden, smiling while holding colorful flower arrangements. A table in front of them displays flowers, wine, and garden tools.

I discovered a raging problem with my zinnias in the welcome garden this week. And it’s not the first time I’ve seen it either. I noticed some black and brown spots last year later in the season and dealt with it, but now that I’m seeing it much earlier this year after all the rain we’ve had…it needs to be more seriously addressed. I shared a whole post on it here if you want to drill down more on what happened and what I did. But it’s led me to conclude that I will not be growing them in this location anymore. Ugh.

The good news is after pruning the worse foliage off and applying a copper fungicide…they actually look pretty healthy now! So fingers crossed, I can get several more weeks out of them.

A colorful garden with blooming purple, pink, and white flowers, lush green foliage, and tall trees in the background on a misty day.

We also squeezed in a gorgeous yacht cruise around New York City this week. The views were absolutely incredible. Between the NYC skyline, Brooklyn Bridge, and Statue of Liberty, I couldn’t stop taking pictures. It was such a beautiful summer night and a fun way to enjoy the city from a completely different perspective.

And somewhere in between all of that, I managed to play a few rounds of golf, do some weeding and deadheading, and keep up with the usual late summer garden maintenance.

I’m trying not to get too caught up in everything that needs doing right now. Late summer goes by so quickly, and sometimes it’s better to leave a few weeds behind and simply enjoy it.

It was a pretty great week both in the garden…and out.

A smiling man christopher ling and woman stacy ling in sunglasses pose for a selfie at a marina with boats and tall city buildings in the background, under a clear blue sky.

Three smiling women wearing sunglasses pose for a selfie outdoors with tall city buildings and a blue sky in the background.

Five women smile and pose together on the bow of a boat, with a marina, sailboats, and city skyline in the background under a bright blue sky.

The Statue of Liberty stands illuminated at night, with its torch raised high and the pedestal lit by golden lights against a dark sky.

Seasonal Essentials

Just ordered more copper fungicide as I’ll need to reapply in another week.
For my next yachting cruise – these pants!

A stone path curves past vibrant, blooming flowers and lush green shrubs alongside a house with white pillars and hanging baskets.

From the Week

This Week on the Blog

Late summer is such an interesting time in the garden. Everything is lush and full, the pollinators are everywhere, and we’re finally getting to enjoy so much of what we’ve worked toward all season. But it’s also when some of those garden problems start showing up!

This week, we’re talking about how to create a beautiful butterfly garden and some of my favorite low-maintenance plants for attracting them. I’m also sharing some of the most common flower gardening mistakes that can come back to haunt you later.

And if your flowers aren’t looking quite as good as you’d hoped right now, I’ve got you covered there too. We’re troubleshooting dahlias that won’t bloom and those frustrating black and brown spots that start appearing on zinnia leaves this time of year.

Of course, August wouldn’t be complete without something delicious from the garden. If you’ve got tomatoes coming in, I’m sharing my grandmother’s classic bruschetta along with easy caprese appetizer bites that are perfect for summer entertaining.

Tall purple flowers in a garden with green foliage, a monarch butterfly in flight, and a tan garage door and potted plants in the background.

This Week on YouTube

Over on YouTube, we’re taking a closer look at what our gardens can teach us at the end of the season.

First, I’m walking through the garden design mistakes that really start to reveal themselves in late summer. This is actually one of my favorite times to evaluate the beds because you can clearly see what’s working, what’s not, and what might need a little tweaking later.

Then, I’m sharing something really special from my own garden. We cut armloads of flowers and donated them to Heartworks, a local organization that supports families in need. It was such a meaningful reminder that all of these flowers we grow can do so much more than make our gardens beautiful. Sometimes, the best part of growing a garden is getting to share it with someone else.