Spring In The Garden

Spring in the garden time is officially upon us.  On that note, happy first day of spring!

spring-in-the-garden-vegetables

Warmer and longer days set the tone for getting outdoors, back to nature, and into the green of things.

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House & Home – Photography by Janis Nicolay

“Springtime is the land awakening.
The March winds are the morning yawn.”

—Lewis Grizzard

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spring-garden-lilies

Spring gardening tips prove once again it’s time to ready, plan, and plant spring flower, vegetable, and herb gardens.

spring-tomatoes

Three-Piece Live Mini Tomato Heirloom Set

Tomatoes rate high as a spring into summer delicacy at Places In The Home.

homegrown-tomatoes

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Give your tomato plants a good grow by feeding the soil with a small amount of fertilizer and compost at planting time.

Tomato tips:

Tomatoes at room temperature release more flavor compounds when cut up compared to the taste of tomatoes that have been refrigerated.

That deliciously explains why garden ripe tomatoes from the vine gathered, washed, cut up or sliced, and served bypassing the fridge altogether tastes so good.

garden-grown-carrots

Consulting those sources in the gardening know for the answers to the gardening what, when, where, and how questions gardeners have gets it growing.

Maule Seed Book 1908 seeds cover print

The Maule Seed Book 1908 Giclee Matte Print

Gardening Apps:

GardenTags

Gardenize

From Seed to Spoon

Garden Journal from the Old Farmer’s Almanac

ground soil

All gardens grow in soil, but not all gardens grow in the ground.

Wood Raised Garden Bed with Lockable Wheels, Liner

Wood Raised Garden Bed with Lockable Wheels, Liner

Designed for a four-foot-square raised bed, here is a simple spring vegetable garden plan ready to advise and download from Better Homes and Gardens.

Simple Spring Vegetable Garden

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Costway Wooden Vegetable Raised Garden Bed Backyard Patio Grow Flowers Planter

Costway Wooden Vegetable Raised Garden Bed Backyard Patio Planter

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Burpee Early Italian Bush Bean Seeds

Supplying oodles of summer and spring garden goals plans is the
8 Vegetable Garden Layout Plans to Boost Your Homegrown Harvests.

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Better Homes & Gardens also offers plans for creating the perfect cottage garden suited to your taste, zone, and design vision.

Garden Plans for Cottage Style

Garden Plans for Cottage Styles

Knowing what and when to plant according to your planting zone gets gardening off to a growing start.

Here’s the link to the USDA Planting Zone Map for U.S. Growing Zones.

planting-flowers-in-soil

Gardening is good clean happy fun.

Planting and potting in the soil gets your hands dirty which is believed to increase serotonin levels.  Research shows when our hands have contact with soil and a specific soil bacteria, Mycobacterium vaccae, the release of serotonin in the brain is triggered.

Serotonin is not only a natural antidepressant but it strengthens the immune system.

“In spring, at the end of the day,
you should smell like dirt.”

—Margaret Atwood

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House & Garden – Photography by Sarah Cuttle

Gardening nurtures mind, body and soul providing a relaxing, healthy, delicious and visually gratifying result.

Call it green therapy.

boxwood-garden

Southern Living – Photography by Lisa Romerein

Vegetable and flower gardens grow well together, companion gardening if you will.

Flowers growing in a vegetable bed will attract bees and beneficial insects. Lending their natural way spreads pollen around encouraging vegetable plants to thrive in growth and the production of food.

person-watering-garden

Markus Spiske

Composite shaped flowers such as sunflowers, cosmos, daisies, and zinnias attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

This helpful Pollinator-Friendly Native Plant Lists from The Xerces Society takes the guesswork out of what plants best in your region.

different-kinds-of-fresh-herbs

Herbs add the scent of spring into summer freshness and provide visual interest to the garden mix and the mingle.

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Rabbits do what rabbits do as in look so darn cute and nibble on garden growth goodies.

rabbit-eating-leaves

Chicken wire cloches look as good as they cover and protect.

Chicken Wire Cloche with Extension

Chicken Wire Cloche with Extension garden

Chicken Wire Cloche with Extension

Deterring rabbits from feasting upon the harvest hints from The Old Farmer’s Almanac include the following:

Rabbits do not like the pungent smell of onions therefore these may serve as a the scent of discouragement.

Try dusting around the garden and targeted plants with powdered red pepper.

Forsythia, zinnias, daffodils, lavender, and snapdragons seem to work as rabbits do not find these flowers appetizing. Planting these flowers strictly to deter is not a guaranteed solution to a bunny issue, but it is a colorful suggestion.

rabbit-squirrel-green-wallpaper

York Fable Wallcovering

Ever the decorista, garden trends grow gorgeous for spring.

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Antique French Garden Pot

Antique French Garden Pot

On trend for garden gorgeous this 2023 spring season, antique containers make a striking choice of planter complementing the beauty of spring flowers.

Estate and garage sales are garden supplies treasure troves for finding pots, planters, tools, and decorative garden statues in good and stylish curb appeal condition.

Vintage recipe boxes come in handy as a storage organizer for seed packets.

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Garden Answer is one of my most favorite Facebook pages to follow. Here Laura plants a stunning container display pairing yellow ranunculus with yellow violas, and voilà- it’s spring.

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Spring Crudités Board with White Bean-and-Pea Dip

Welcome spring into summer blooms to grace garden, basket, jar, vase and ultimately tabletop.

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Pretty is as pretty plants.

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Strawflower, Tom Thumb Mixed Colors

Garden friends and finds~

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Decorative Butterfly Stepping Stone Bronze Cast Iron Paver 17" Long

Decorative Butterfly Stepping Stone Bronze Cast Iron Paver 17″ Long

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Country Living Magazine – Photography by Mark Lohman

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Take a seat for in full bloom gardening and decorating inspiration.

Pavia-Armchair-with-Turned-Legs

Acoetes Black Armchair with Turned Legs

Little Books of Tips: The Little Book of Gardening Tips

Little Books of Tips: The Little Book of Gardening Tips

Readers-Digest-gardening-secrets

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The Pioneer Woman Mazie Embossed Patina Hose Pot

We’ve now come to the how to build a wooden obelisk DIY project portion of this spring in the garden post. Find the tutorial here.

wooden-garden-obelisk

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Tools

Heavy Duty Steel Folding Shovel
3-Piece Set Black Iron Gardening Tools
Adjustable Impact Tripod Sprinkler
Expert Gardener Indoor Garden Tool Set with Carrying Case
Steel Bypass Lopper

Spring in the Garden

Expert Gardener Indoor and Outdoor Potting Soil Mix, 8 qt. Bag
Preen Garden Weed Preventer
Large Capacity Black Growing Bag Raised Garden Flower Planter
30 Packs Assorted Heirloom Vegetable Seeds 30+ Varieties

Supplies

Pink Garden Tote Storage Bag with 8 Pockets
The Pioneer Woman Vintage Floral Goatskin Leather Gloves
ECO Rubber 5/8 in. x 50 ft. Garden Hose
Evergreen Metal Watering Can with Brushed Artisan Finish

Goodies

12″ Gray Willow Basket by Ashland®
Decorative Butterfly Stepping Stone Bronze Cast Iron Paver
Cool Summer Floppy Wide Brim Straw Hat with Ribbon
Cotton Linen Pinafore Square Cross Apron
Home Decor Resin Rabbit Outdoor Statue

Happy gardening!

Spring Garden Goals

Spring garden goals are taking root with many of us who love to lawn and garden.

spring-garden-goals

Designing a garden begins with a spring garden goals plan.

Garden Journal

5 Year Garden Journal

Homesteading - (Back to Basics Guides) 2nd Edition by Abigail Gehring

Homesteading – (Back to Basics Guides) 2nd Edition by Abigail Gehring

I dig (ha!) spring garden goals advice from one of the top sources of info, Better Homes and Gardens.

8 Vegetable Garden Layout Plans to Boost Your Homegrown Harvests supplies oodles of summer and spring garden goals plans.

spring garden goals

Illustrations by Gary Palmer

Knowing what to and when to plant according to the area you live aka your planting zone gets things to growing.

Here’s the link to the USDA Planting Zone Map for U.S. Growing Zones.

Balance of nature best describes the early planting vs. late seasonal frost dilemma we face here in Louisiana and our neighboring states.

April-garden-checklist

Following Facebook friends and garden gurus such as Mississippi State University Extension Service and LSU AgCenter keeps me in the know when and what to grow zone.

farmer's-market-Mississippi

Safe bet vegetables to plant in March and April (early spring) include corn, cucumber, summer squash, tomatoes, radish, lima beans, mustard and collard greens, eggplant, cushaw, okra, snap beans and watermelon.

planting-fresh-garden-vegetables

Establishing what veggies to plant is easy, gardenistas!

Plant what you love to eat.

Crisp, colorful with the taste of home grown goodness,  vegetables fresh from the garden are ripe for the spring into summer grilling, roasting, stir-frying, sauteing and steaming season.

Seurat-watering-can-1883

Successful vegetable garden growth is dependent upon well-drained soil.

Raised or planter box gardens tackle the excess water issue well allowing water to properly drain out of the bed.

Ainfox Wood Raised Garden Bed Planter Box

Essential to the harvest, sunlight aids maximum growth in plants and flowers.

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Factor this key component of garden growth success into the placement of your garden.

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Good soil garners a good garden.

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All-purpose garden soil establishes a good soil structure while aiding with drainage.

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For raised bed or garden box gardens, potting soil is a good fit as it enhances soil and encourages moisture.

Be careful in the amount you use so the garden will not hold too much water.

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Midwest Living

Fresh vegetables steal the spring centerpiece show, and put the wow in unique and easy arrangements.

Grab a vintage pitcher, woven basket, mayonnaise jar, bucket or watering can.

Arrange to please your eye with greenery clippings, raffia, ribbon, or simply arrange to showcase the shapes and colors.

garden-veggies

Decoristas who garden do so in stylish comfort.

For her

garden-rain-boots

Western Chief Waterproof Mid Rain Boot
Joules Navy Vegetables

For him

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Gardening Bee Whisperer T Shirt
SLM Mens Clogs Perforated Slingback Sandals Water Garden Shoes 

Spring garden goals include a producing vegetable garden complete with flowers planted within for dimension and floral arrangement beauty.

Roberson-Farms-zinnias

Companion garden flowers perfect for planting in your vegetable garden include nasturtium, marigolds, zinnias, lavender, and catnip.

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Carefully collect the flowers, placing spaced apart in a box or on a tray. Refrigerate flowers until ready to use.

When ready to use, gently wash off your gathered flowers including any garden variety debris. Next, remove the reproductive parts of the blooms which house pollen.

edible-flowers-in-spring-salad

Better Homes & Gardens

Decorate your selected salad, dish or dessert and enjoy!

pansies-in-garden

Pansies offer loads of color, plant and prosper rather easily, and make a fantastic visual and flavorful splash when added to salads and spring desserts.

we're-in-the-garden-iron-sign

garden-paint-colors-benjamin-moore

Color plays a vital role in everything from the palette to plate to potting bench.

Benjamin Moore supplies garden green colors inspiration.

Outsunny-39-Wooden-Garden-Potting-Bench-Work-Table-with-Hidden-Storage-Sliding-Tabletop

Outsunny Brown Fir and Wood Potting Bench

gray potting garden bench

Gray Wooden Shed Potting Bench Work Table

Add gardening theme wall hooks to the apron of the table (front, back, sides) to hang and house garden tools, supplies, and the like.

garden themed hooks

Bee Metal Wall Hook

faucet-head-metal-wall-hook

Turn this helping hands planter into a potting bench container perfect for housing garden supplies.

hands planter

Abbott Hands Planter

Planting, potting, and playing in the dirt is good clean fun, but messy all the same.

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lemon-yellow-kitchen-towels

Carrots
Lemons

Drop in a hammered copper sink, plumb it all up, and say hello to my little anything but garden-variety potting bench friend.

garden sink

Handmade 20 Vessel Hammered Copper Sink

How fabulous are these personalized planting tools in a copper and wood grain finish?

Personalised Luxury copper garden tools

Personalized Luxury Copper Garden Tools

garden-cart-rolling-work-seat-storageCostway Garden Cart Rolling Work Seat for Planting w/Extendable Handle

Easter basket goody for the gardenista.

Rabbits Potty Feet, Set of 3

No yard, no problem.

Plant and pot veggies and herbs in a decorative planter.

White Washed Brown Composite Faux Woven Planter

My mint harvest is a treat for the senses.

mint-basket

Iced tea with mint.

Green peas with mint.

Carrots with mint.

Mint sprigs floating in a bowl.

Looks, tastes, and smells like spring into summer.

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Another centerpiece idea in play with your food fashion.

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picking-vine-tomatoes

As I sliced into a fresh tomato this afternoon the freshness jumped off the cutting board.

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This tomato smells so good brings the tomato lovers running.

Duke's mayonnaise

In our house the perfect tomato sandwich is a spring into summer delicacy.

Fresh sliced home grown tomatoes, Duke’s mayonnaise, a dash of salt and a sprinkle of fine black pepper- it doesn’t get any better.

Heirloom Tomato Ricotta Tart

Heirloom Tomato Ricotta Tart recipe from Foolproof Living

Indulge in fresh vegetables featured in delicious recipes perfect for the best of the season menu.

Click on the link under each photo for the recipe.

fresh-peas-on-a-wooden-background

Asparagus, Chicken, and Green Pea Salad with Mint

Asparagus, Chicken, and Green Pea Salad with Mint

fresh-carrots-vegetable-garden

roasted-carrots-recipe

Roasted Carrots Recipe – Southern Living- Photo by Jennifer Davick

Flavors from the Garden Heirloom Vegetable Recipes from Roughwood

Flavors from the Garden : Heirloom Vegetable Recipes from Roughwood

Season seasonal dishes and drinks with the fresh taste of spring and summer herbs fresh from your garden.

fresh-thyme-in-a-window

Gardening is a beloved tradition of master and amateur gardener, an exercise in fruitful happiness.

Into The Garden I Go To Lose My Mind And Find My Soul Poster

Container, patio or parcel of fertile ground, what are your spring garden goals?

Darleen-signature-love

Every-Day Beauty: Decorating with Flowers

As far as adding a touch of spring flair and fragrance goes, decorating with flowers is by far one of the loveliest, easiest, and visually delightful ways to bring the very best of the garden to the spring and summer decorating scheme.

Charlotte-Moss-Flowers-book

Charlotte Moss Flowers

Interior designer and tastemaker Charlotte Moss book, Charlotte Moss Flowers, is a delightful grab a cup or glass of tea-curl up with a good book guide to bringing in-full bloom beauty to house and home.

Charlotte-Moss-Blue-Vase1

Charlotte Moss Flowers

“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.”
—Henri Matisse

Wedgwood Blue Jasperware pitcher

Wedgwood Blue Jasperware

With the garden as her muse, Charlotte Moss celebrates the season of fresh and fragrant through inspired ideas for floral arrangements, tablescapes, and containers ideal for every-day living picture perfect placement around the house.

Charlotte-Moss-fern-leaves-in-container

Charlotte Moss Flowers

Inspiration truly is everywhere, especially at the movies.

Turner Classic Movies is featuring 31 Days of Oscar; a month long homage to the best of the best Academy Award winning Hollywood movie classics.

Multitasking at the movies is the activity I’ve mastered of late.

On monitor screen left is my blog post dashboard while on screen right is the feature film du jour.

Charlotte-Moss-blue-and-white-accents-roses-in-vaseCharlotte Moss Flowers

Classic blue and white in two lovely presentations.

Elizabeth Taylor Giant dining room gardenias

Classic movie set interiors and location choices of particular design and decorative accents visual interest include the breakfast scene from the movie Giant.

Chippendale, crystal, porcelain, and silver frame the scene, but the bowl of fresh gardenias steal the show.

Gardenias in a bowl will forever be a simple yet elegant decorating with flowers showstopper.

gardenias-in-green-bowl

Flower Magazine

Are you a fan of incorporating fresh from the garden (or floral department) flowers into your every-day decorating touches?

Darleen-signature-love

 

Spring Garden Buzz is Building

The first day of spring is right around the corner, and spring garden buzz is building.

bee-on-spring-flower

“Beauty surrounds us, but usually we need
to be walking in a garden to know it.”

—Rumi

alligator-alley-benjamin-moore1

Green is the color of spring- a back to nature neutral that lushly complements all shades of green and spring related colors.

endless-summer-shrubs-bushes

Hydrangeas bud, bloom, and beautify the Southern flower garden.

The blue hydrangea bush Dave the Builder planted for me last spring bit the dust this winter.

Although our winter was mild compared to our northern friends, yours truly failed to properly protect the hydrangea bush during the one below freezing blast we did have.

Guess what’s on my spring garden buzz list to plant.

spring garden center

Fliers from local nurseries and garden centers are beginning to arrive in the mail, and I’m plotting the potting garden path to full bloom color.

farming

Local farmers are preparing the fields, ready to plant, water, and harvest the sweetest corn and tomatoes soon to be the stars of the local farm stand.

garden-seeds

“Springtime is the land awakening.
The March winds are the morning yawn.”

—Lewis Grizzard

gardening-tools

Flickr

There’s no two ways about it, getting garden ready involves getting a little garden dirty.

Enter the garden workstation.

Opening a bag of potting soil, filling a pot or planter with it and working the soil, adding the seeds or gingerly removing a plant or flower from the nursery pot, and placing the plant or flower into the pot is a relaxing therapy session of sorts.

Spring Garden Buzz

Country Living – Photo by Tim Street-Porter

Garden workstations, potting tables, and potting benches make life in the garden so much easier.

 

Outdoor Garden Wood Storage Furniture Box Waterproof Tool Shed w/ Potting Bench

Outdoor Garden Wood Storage Waterproof Tool Shed w/ Potting Bench

There’s plenty of options of both the retail and DIY kind.

The chippy chic farm table I found at a curbside boutique (trash) worked for years until it disintegrated.

Before that, two saw horses and a sheet of pressure- treated plywood got the job done.

The point is a garden workstation is garden potting, trimming, storage hub.

garden theme cabinet knobs

Customizing a potting bench is as simple as a gallon of paint and garden perfect hardware and hooks.

Bee Metal Wall Hook

garden-accessories

Simplicity Floppy Hat Women’s UPF 50+ Straw Sun Beach Hat
Large Market Basket – Threshold™
Galvanized Steel Watering Can
Joules Mid Molly Welly

Container ideas for early spring planting from Garden Answer.

Isn’t this gorgeous!

 

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Door portrait 🌿 // How incredible is this facade ?! You should have seen my face when I randomly passed by this incredible facade 😳😱! Perfection!

A post shared by Lily Rose (@lilyrose) on

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Distressed Copper and Verdigris Metal Round Drum Planters with Handle

trowel gate handleBetter Homes & Gardens

Estate and garage sales are garden supplies treasure troves for finding pots, planters, tools, and decorative garden statues in good and stylish curb appeal condition.

Sharon-Santoni-Gardens1

Flower Magazine

rabbit-in-garden

Flickr

Garden cloches help to keep cute garden visitors from feasting upon plants and flowers.

willow-cloche-tulips

Stepping stones add instant flair and function to lawn and garden.

decorative-stepping-stones

The first hint of spring comes through longer days and first traces of pollen in rain puddles along the driveway.

wind chime bells

Wind chimes doing their spring thing, early morning into afternoon serenades from the feathered choir and full blooms of back yard azalea bushes remind me of early Aprils spent in Texas lazing around the sleep porch at my great-grandparent’s house.

sunroom-LDa-Architecture-Interiors LDa Architecture & Interiors

blue white ticking pillows

Ticking Stripe Blue Decorative 20-inch Throw Pillows (Set of 2)

Emails, E cards, and online greetings rule the present day communication preferences, but there’s something about the handwritten note that is still so special.

Vegetable Greetings Card Pack

Vegetable Greetings Card Pack

Orchid-USPS-stamps-2020

In keeping with the ever popular bee theme, I’m sharing these spring garden buzz appropriate and ever stylish dish and decor options.

Safavieh Hand-hooked Chelsea Aubree Country Oriental Wool RugSafavieh Hand-Hooked Chelsea Aubree Country Oriental Wool Rug

bee-motif-china

H&M

The taste of spring in a bottle becomes a recipe project ready to bee keep and gift.

rosemary-honey

Photo by Jose Picayo 

Rosemary Honey

Ingredients

8 cups mild honey

10 sprigs of rosemary

Directions

In a medium saucepan over low heat, cook honey and 6 sprigs rosemary just until honey begins to bubble around the edges.  Remove from heat and let steep for 20 minutes.

Using tongs, remove and discard rosemary sprigs and any stray leaves.  To decant, divide honey among 4 clean 16-ounce jars.  Let cool completely, about 40 minutes.  Insert 1 fresh sprig rosemary into each jar, and tighten lids to seal.

-Country Living Magazine

glass honey jar with lid2Studio Silversmiths Beehive Crystal Honey Jar
Free Printable Bee Tag

bee tagsFree Printable Bee Tags

Embellish the jar with a free printable bee tag of your choice secured with natural raffia or bee inspired ribbon for a fun and festive look.

bee ribbon Etsy

After sourcing and sharing these spring garden lovelies, I know I can certainly see what all the spring garden buzz is about.

With one week to go until the first day of spring, it’s time to plan your get it growing garden.

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