Our backyard trees faced a bit of neglect as I focussed on my front garden beds and flowers closer to the house. Over the past two years, the grass started to cover the mulch, and the trees looked boring and lonely. I wanted to add a pop of flowers in the backyard, so I decided to build a little butterfly & bee flower garden around them. 

I love how they turned out, and I can’t wait for them to come back this year! They brought me so much joy last summer, and I always enjoyed taking my coffee outside with me to deadhead, water, and just stare at them. They attracted the most beautiful monarch butterflies, hummingbirds, and bumble bees. In September, the brightest yellow finches were all over the seeds of the coneflowers, and I loved watching them.  I feel like I’m doing something good whenever I plant pollinating attractors.

Creating a Butterfly and Bee Flower Garden

This would be a great project if you have some areas by your house that needs a little TLC! It doesn’t require a lot of work, money, or landscaping experience. You can customize this by choosing flowers you like, different landscaping stones, and the shapes of the garden beds. 

These flower bed gardens would be a cute project to do with your kids and a great way to teach them about plants and pollination. Within minutes of planting, it started attracting all the bumble bees and butterflies. And don’t worry, those big and loud bumble bees will not hurt you! They are too busy working.

I first headed to Lowes Garden Center to pick up garden soil (the potting mix was for my porch pots) and landscaping edging stones. The stone comes in curved for a round garden bed and also straight for rectangular beds.

The total for the stones came to around $70.00 for 40 of them. This is one of those purchases you’ll only have to make once.

The total for the four bags of garden soil came to $35.00, and you do not have to buy mulch, but you can if you’d like! I ended up adding mulch to the bed after they all died out in the late fall of this year.
 You can save some money by purchasing your flowers or seeds at Lowes, but they don’t have the variety of flowers that my local nursery has, and I love supporting their business. If you live near Charlotte or Fort Mill, stop by Wilsons Garden Center in Rock Hill, SC. I used to get coffee and head there almost every single week. I’ve purchased my flowers from them for years, and they never disappoint!

My backyard has full sun in the back where the garden beds are, so I went with full-sun perennials. One day when the trees are giant, I’ll have to transfer the flowers elsewhere since it’ll be a shady spot, but that’ll be years from now.

Purchasing perennials will save you a lot of money over the years because they come back every year, and sometimes you can split them and keep the garden going. 

If your garden area is full sun, get full sun flowers, and if it’s heavily shaded, make sure to get part-sun or full-shade. My gardening guide has a lot of flower options listed for sun/shade sections!

If you’re wondering why our grass has chunks in these photos, it’s because it was aerated by our grass company. We had a complete grass rehab last year, which I’m hoping helped a bit with treating the grubs, which turn into the Japanese beetles that eat everything up. 

I recommend purchasing everything the day before since that takes a lot of time and work. Do the trees the next day when your energy levels are back and you’re ready to start digging(I did this a month postpartum, so I was so tired during this process! 

The first thing I did was lay the stones around the area that I wanted to fill with flowers. This helped me create a guide for digging.  I used a shovel to dig up the mulch, grass, weeds, and rocks surrounding the tree. 

I did make the mistake of not adding in landscaping fabric. If I did this again, I would not be lazy and skip that step! All summer, I picked out rooted Bermuda grass from the garden bed. So don’t make my mistake and add some in!

After the digging was done, I added 1 1/2 bags of garden soil into the garden bed. Keep the other half for planting the flowers. 
 
Next, I removed the flowers from the pots and placed them where I wanted to have them planted. I’m the kind of gardener that likes to crowd my plants, so I wasn’t too worried about the spacing of the coneflowers.

Perineal Flowers (in South Carolina) to plant in Full Sun 

I planted lantana, coneflowers, mealycup sage, cuphea hyssopifolia (Mexican heather), and balloon flowers. 

I waited until June to do this project because they didn’t have cone flowers available at the nurseries until this time. You can always plant seeds if you’re patient enough! 

I’m hoping they all come back next year like my flowers in the front garden, but you never know! The idea is to have them come back bigger and better each year. 
After finishing up the first tree, I took a lunch break and went back to finish the second tree before the thunderstorm rolled in. I was excited about a storm coming because that meant natural rainwater after planting! You want to water them right away, so they do not dry out, especially with the sun and hot summer heat pounding down on them. Then you’ll want to continue to water them every other day since the roots are not established, and they aren’t strong enough yet. Gardens become more forgiving as the years go on. 

I cut the bottom stems off the tree a few days later! They grow back fast, so I have to cut them a lot.

In just one week, they start to fill in and produce the most beautiful blooms. The key is to buy flowers that have buds that haven’t bloomed yet so you can enjoy them longer. 

You can clip the dead flowers off, but don’t cut back the stems until they completely die in late fall.  
I love the cottage garden look of the stones brought to the flower bed. 
 The best time to water them is in the early morning. If you water them in the afternoon, their leaves can burn, and if you water them at night, they can grow mold over time. If they look like they need water during a hot summer day, try watering them only at the roots and avoid getting water on their leaves.  These coneflowers are fun to cut for the table! I need to get a bird camera on them for the yellow finches. 
   It’s going to be so fun this summer when I can take my son outside to garden with me! Last year, he was just so little, and it was hard to get much done, but he is super interested in gardening (well, watching me do things!) I planted all my tulips a few weeks ago, and he was having so much fun just sitting in his bouncer and watching. Kyle and I started drawing up my vegetable garden for this year, and I’m so excited to get things rolling! This was definitely an upgrade from the before pictures! It’s crazy how super simple projects can completely transform an area.  Once August hit, they started to see their final days, but some hung on! You just have to keep up with watering, and deadheading, and patiently waiting for them to die before cutting them back. I know the dead shrubs will look ugly, but it’s important to protect them by letting them die by themselves.   Beautiful butterflies all summer long! 
I hope you enjoyed this little gardening blog and it has brought you some warmth during the cold days we’ve been having across the states. 

Questions for you!

1. What are around your home needs a flower garden bed?
2. What are your favorite perennial flowers that come back every year?
3. What is your least favorite thing about maintaining a garden?

Check out my garden favorites in my amazon storefront

I’m currently sitting in a dark nursery with the sound machine on. I’m working on transitioning Bugs out of the Snoo, which is why I’ve been having him take naps in his crib. It’s been super successful so far. He’s been sleeping up to two hours during his naps. I used to be able to let him fall asleep downstairs, but recently, he wakes up to every little sound, so it was time to change it up. I like to sit in the rocker on my computer while he sleeps because it’s relaxing in the nursery. I’ve managed to focus and get more work done this way. It used to take me three days to fit in a recap blog, but it looks like I’ll be getting this one up within a few hours!

By the time we wake up, do a feeding, and get dressed, it’s almost 80 degrees with 100% humidity. I’ve had to get outside by 6 am to beat the heat. I don’t want to rush away in summer, but it will be so lovely when we can go out for a walk any time of the day.

Bugs has officially grown out of the bassinet. He’s in the 90th percentile in height, and it was time to put him in the stroller seat. He loves his new ride and stays awake the entire walk, looking at cars, the sky, and watching Leo. 
On Friday, I planted three new limelight bushes, moved my berries to the side of the house, and cleaned off the entire back patio to prepare it for a fresh coat of paint. It was so hot outside, but it felt good to be out in the garden. It’s officially zinnia season, and I love seeing them pop up all over the place. Check out my gardening blog.

Early Saturday morning, I had a few girlfriends over for a hike, followed by papaya boats. It was nice seeing my friends for the first time in two months. The last time I saw them was a week before giving birth.
 On Saturday afternoon, my parents came over to watch Bugs. This was our first time leaving the house together without him! It felt so weird but much-needed. We went on a day date to grab coffee at Two Scoops, a trip to Target, and lunch at The Improper Pig.  I ordered the grilled salmon, sweet potato fries, and spicy green beans! The food was AMAZING! I want to go back and eat this salmon every single night now. I love this spot in downtown Fort Mill.  After my Sunday morning walk, I had a bowl of yogurt, fruit, and homemade granola.

We had been pushing off painting the patio for months. We finally decided to do it on Sunday. After a few years, we were getting sick of the blue and decided to try out Realist Beige by Valspar. I LOVE how it turned out.

I grabbed an oat milk chocolate cream cold brew on the way home. It was pretty good but tasted a lot like chocolate milk. I always get the same thing and want to change it.
 I picked up this gorgeous ceramic pot for my basil plant. We have been eating so much basil with homemade pesto that I needed to buy my plant instead of purchasing it at the store. I have it by the sunny window, and it’s been doing well the past few weeks. I love how it turned out! I feel like it’s so airy and bright. We have shade in the yard all day, so it’s not too bright after the morning sun.

In this post, you can find the links to my patio furniture and see what the blue (and before the blue) looked like!

While Kyle did the patio painting, I made apple fritter cake and breakfast hash for dinner! I’ll have the apple fritter cake recipe up this week.
 We went on an early 4th of July walk!

We headed to my parent’s house for a 4th of July lunch. We wanted to make sure to be home with the dogs early evening to get them ready for the fireworks. We wanted to ensure they ate, headed outside to run around one last time, and were tucked away in the loft before the big show!  family  
I’ve had a Humm Kombucha every evening, and I’m obsessed with the blueberry mint can. I look forward to them each night! It rained a bit in the afternoon which cooled down the temps. I sat outside with Bugs while the storm rolled through. He LOVES being outside.
 I made a batch of scotcharoos for the cookout next door. We stopped over there to hang out with neighbors before Bug’s bedtime.  My new neighbor is the cutest!! After bathing Bugs, putting him to bed, and ensuring the dogs were safe, I headed out to my backyard to watch our neighbor’s incredible show they put on each year! It was such a nice 4th of July, and I can’t wait for next year when Bugs can stay up and watch them!

Questions for you!

1. What was the last home project you completed?
2. What herb do you use the most?
3. Did you watch the fireworks this year?

I grew up with a mom who was (and still is) obsessed with flowers. I could name almost every popular flower by the time I was in kindergarten. I took a video on my parent’s camcorder walking around the house, giving the camera a garden tour. I think I was in second grade at the time.  My mom always included me by letting me water, pick off the dead heads of the petunias, and fill dirt in the pots. I can’t wait to do that with my kids one day. I know this summer will be much different! People ask me how I plan to continue my passion for gardening while being a new mom, but I’ll make it work! I will share tips and tricks on getting it done as a mom. I’ve already been preparing myself by purchasing a few baby-friendly outdoor loungers I can set up while I’m outside in the morning. Everyone has a form of therapy that helps them, like walking, running, or reading a book; for me, it’s gardening.

Garden Tour 2020-2022

Today, I will give you a complete garden tour from the past two summers in our house. I will try to write up another in the fall with the 2022 garden since I have so many changes coming! I’m hoping to make this a new series. I have written down many of your garden questions from Instagram and will answer them throughout this post, but leave them in the comments if you have any additional questions!
 
 
We moved into our new house on April 24th, 2020! Kyle returned to work the day we got our key, and I headed straight to the local garden center to pick up a few plants. The landscaping the builders had done was horrendous. Most of our yard was filled with red mulch, and while the sod was still unattached, I thought it was the perfect time to remove the mulch, pull some sod from the back, and replace the mulch beds. I didn’t want to worry about mulch getting on the sidewalk constantly, and since our house slopes down, that area was destined to give my plants root rot. When I lifted the rose bushes from that mulch bed, they dripped in wet red dirt. If I didn’t move them, they would have died. When they plant the shrubs and lay the grass, they place it right on the sand, rocks, building material, and red dirt. They don’t add any topsoil or anything to help it thrive. We are still battling our grass issues! My goal was to add all new soil to the garden before planting.

I didn’t want my yard to be 80% mulch, so I took it all out, added some lawn soil, laid down new sod, and it made all the difference. It took me about five showers to officially be dirt free.

We ended up taking out the red tree in the front and moving it to the backyard. I love green leaves, so I wanted to replace them with something smaller, a flowering tree, and one that wouldn’t get so big and ruin the sun we have in the front of our house. We found the cutest dogwood tree and placed it right in the center of my flower bed. We added about four new white crepe myrtles around the house. Those are always so pretty in July!
   The day before we moved in…
 About a year later…

Small Exterior Changes that Made a Huge Difference 

Some non-garden-related things we did to make the front look a little better are removing the chunky railing on the front porch, painting our brick white, painting our porch floor green, adding light fixtures, painting the garage door black, and adding a few solar landscaping lights.

This is what the flower bed looks like in early May! Spring comes a lot sooner here in South Carolina! We did have a terrible frost arrive at the last minute that killed off some of my spring buds, but most things recovered.

I will share all kinds of filler plants, annuals, perennials, and everything I have around my house!

You’ll notice that I use the word perennial and annual throughout this post. Let me explain what that means!

What is a Perennial flower?

A Perennial is a flower that comes back every year. You will only have to plant perennials once! They come back bigger and better as the root system usually establishes.

What is an annual flower?

Annuals are flowers that will not return. They’ll survive one season, and you’ll have to plant them again in the springtime or some in the fall. There are a few cases where you can bring them inside and keep them alive, but most of the time, you’ll have to take the loss!

I will share some of my favorite annuals and perennials to keep in the garden. Why spend money on flowers that will die when you can just purchase flowers that’ll come back each year? Gosh, that would save a ton of money and time, but some of the annual flowers are stunning and make the summer flower beds or pots so worth it! It also allows you to change things up! I have had a lot of trial and error with a few annual flowers that I’ll never invite back. I have a few perennials I’m thinking about kicking to the curb, and a few may shock you!

Another important point is that some flowers can be annuals in one zone, and some may be perennials in another zone! Plenty of flowers down here come back each year, but they would die off in a colder zone. Knowing your zone and planting accordingly is important for the best results.

How can I  find my hardiness zones?

It’s as easy as typing in your city, state, and the words “hardiness zones” into google! Your zone should pop up in bold as soon as you hit “search.” I’m currently living in zone 8a. But plenty of plants and flowers can take on every single zone out there! Just read your seed cards, and plant information, or use your trusty friend, Google! Don’t think that because I have a flower in my zone, you can’t have the same one in yours! You just may have to care for it differently.

Anyone can start a garden. You may have to spend a few minutes reading extra fine lines, but you’ll eventually become an expert and throw those cards away without glancing at anything other than the price tag.

Planting Bulbs and Tubers

At first, I was intimidated by planting anything that looked like a potato or garlic head. I even had a few people ask me why I was putting garlic into my ground on Instagram. It gave me a laugh, but some bulbs look like garlic.

You can get away with planting bulbs and tubers in my zone in late winter and early spring. You’ll want to plant them in late fall after the first frost for the best results. But when I moved into our new house during the springtime, I couldn’t wait to get my tubers and bulbs into the ground.

Learning to Plant Bulbs and Tubers

I learned simply by reading the back of the package! I did watch a few YouTube videos since I’m a visual person, but it’s the most effortless process ever! The bag will tell you how many inches to dig, when to plant, and how to care for them. You’ll also want to pay attention to the amount of sun they need and where you’re growing them. Down here, all of the bulbs and tubers I have planted have returned each year. In some zones, you may have to dig them up after the season and store them for the following year.

What bulbs and tubers have you planted around your house?

I have planted peonies, gladiolus, dahlias, dwarf dahlias, tulips, hyacinths, Liatris, and daffodils. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing your flowers grow from a bulb. It’s one of my best accomplishments! I would religiously check on the growth morning and night. Right now, my gladioluses are sprouting up for their third year!

Where do you purchase your tubers and bulbs?

I have purchased them from many different places. I have found the best luck with the ones from Lowes. I have bought bags from Walmart, which is the cheapest, but not one came up! I have purchased bulbs grown by small-business farmers on eBay and Etsy, which have all been successful. I like to buy them from my local nursery, and I love purchasing them in the winter when they’re all on sale. I have heard that Costco and other wholesale stores have a great selection, so I may try that out soon! Some pricier places I’ve purchased bulbs and tubers have been online with Eden Brothers and Spring Hill Nursery. I sometimes have to splurge if they have a variety I can’t find locally. Amazon can be a hit or miss; just pay attention to the reviews! I get many of my seeds from Amazon, which have all been a success.

Planting Zinnia Seeds

Zinnias are my favorite annual to grow. They are perfect for garden fillers and flower beds that you don’t know what to do with, and they are inexpensive for what they offer. There are so many different varieties you can choose from, and I highly recommend mixing them. They are one of the easiest flowers to grow, and I love all of the colors they bring! Most of my zinnias were thriving in August while my other flowers were preparing for fall temperatures.

In some zones, you’ll want to plant zinnias after the first frost in the fall. I plant them in early spring after no more frost is expected in my zone. Since it’s only March right now, I’ll be growing them in late April! You could also start them early in containers inside the house if you’re worried about a frost coming. Zinnias love full sun, so keep that in mind when choosing your location. And just because they like the full sun doesn’t mean they like dry conditions! Make sure to give your zinnias a good drink a few times a week (if it doesn’t rain.) But like many plants, overwatering can cause disease or root rot. I usually stick my fingers down the soil to check the moisture level.

One of the best parts about growing zinnias is that they are stunning for filling indoor vases! I love cutting them and putting them on the kitchen table for extra color.
 
  
Some of my zinnias were mini, and some were about as tall as I am. I filled many garden areas with zinnia seeds instead of digging holes and planting other flowers. I took the lazy route (I think it’s smart!) and poured the zinnia seeds over a bed of soil, added another inch of soil, and let them do their thing! Some people pinch zinnias to promote more prominent blooms and growth, but I wanted to keep it low maintenance and didn’t do any of that. I may try to pinch the zinnias in one bed and leave the other alone to compare this summer. Who doesn’t love a little flower science experiment? Some people also soak zinnia seeds before planting, but I don’t do that either. I just give a nice watering after planting them in the soil.

Which zinnia varieties did you plant?

I planted the California Giant Mix, which is stunning when placed in the back of a garden bed. I like to grow them closer to the house for support since they get so large and top-heavy. You can use a trellis net to support them if you bunch them together. Peppermint Stick zinnias are so beautiful with their speckled colors! I have found the seeds for those at a local nursery, and I believe the brand I used was Botanical Interest. One of the popular ones I use is the State Fair Mix. These usually come in bulk bags and offer multi-color blooms!

I love buying the Zinna Mix bags because they come with mulch, fertilizer, and seeds. All you have to do is spread the mix in your garden area, top it with some garden soil, and wait for them to start coming up!

I love that my zinnias attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.

Potting Plants for the Porch

Designing my porch plants is one of my favorite things in April. You could do the pots earlier if you don’t mind bringing them in during colder nights, but I don’t want to deal with that again this year. I learned my lesson after last year’s unexpected frost.

I like filling my pots with unique colored petunias purchased from my local nursery, lantana, and bacopa. I must pay attention to flowers that can handle the full sun since my house faces the sunlight all day. If you have iPhone, open up the compass app on your phone, and it’ll tell you which direction your house is facing. Since I’m facing SW when I sit on my front porch, I plant mostly sun-favoring flowers. In the back, I can plant flowers that are like the shade. Have fun and get creative with potting! I never overcrowd the pot when I plant them because they grow extremely fast as the weeks go on. Make sure to constantly water them, deadhead the petunias, and place them inside if any frost is in the forecast.
 After the months, my petunias started to get super heavy, so I trimmed their ends, which seemed to help! Sometimes, you have to become a top hairstylist with your flowers.

I’ve learned that you cannot be a perfectionist when gardening. You’ll face errors, unpreventable diseases, pest attacks, invasive weeds and plants, and unexpected weather. Gardening is a fun game of trial and error!


I found these $5 tins at Walmart and filled them with red, white, and blue petunias a few weeks before the 4th of July. They lasted until October! It’s fun to find unique ways to plant flowers! I’m sure these were meant for ice buckets to keep your drinks on, but I think they made the perfect-looking porch pots! It’s great to think outside the box. Blog post on how we painted our back patio!

How did you decide on what to plant in your garden?

I get a ton of inspiration through Pinterest, or I’ll see a flower that catches my eye while walking around the garden center. My mom has helped a lot with choosing flowers as well. I knew right away that I wanted my front flower bed to be heavy with roses, which is why I have over twenty rose bushes in the front of my house, and I filled them in with a few of my favorite perennials. Sometimes, I’ll learn about a new variety if my nursery has them. I can always make room for a new plant. Every year, I line my garden bed with petunias. They are inexpensive, get so big and luscious, and constantly bloom! The downfall is that you have to deadhead morning and night to keep up, and you’ll have to replace them each year. However, I enjoy all of that.

Garden Tools & Accessories I Use The Most

Garden Tool Set – Pruning Sheers, Transplanter, Mini Shovel
Thorn Proof Garden Gloves – I have purchased a few pairs of these! They are THE BEST garden gloves to protect your arms and are thorn-proof. Sometimes, I’ll throw them into the wash to clean them up, and they are brand new.
Soft Garden Gloves – I love having a pack of soft garden gloves to throw on real quick if I’m planting something or sweltering outside, and I don’t want gloves with the full sleeve.
Wheelbarrow– I couldn’t survive without our wheelbarrow! I load a ton of dirt, mulch, trees, and garden cleanup onto our wheelbarrow!
Plant Blankets for Frost Protection – I used these during the late frost last year.
Bamboo Plant Labels – Great for labeling roses, seeds, and bulbs. Use a sharpie to label them.
Ponytail Summer Gardening Hat – This hat is fantastic for being out in the sun! It has a ponytail slot, Wide Brim UV protection, and comes in many different colors! A baseball cap isn’t going to cut it for protection.
Designated Rose Pruning Shears – These are my favorite for cutting thick canes!
Garden Tools Set Collapsible Bag – The tools aren’t the best quality in this bag, but the bag alone has been my best friend! I load it up with seeds, tools, water bottles, gloves, and more! It is so cute and would make the PERFECT gift for someone.
Garden Knee Bench – I thought I’d be such an old person for purchasing this, but it is one of my number one used items! Your knees will take a hit with all the bending and kneeling. This bench gives your knees a cushion and has a slot to hold your tools. I often lose my tools while planting because they blend in with the ground.
Watering Can – get a large plastic one from the garden center!
Fit Flex Gardening Expandable Hose – I don’t know how I ever lived without this hose! It feels like cloth and is so easy to store and transport. We bought one big enough to go around the entire house! It also shrinks up so small and is lightweight! You’ll save yourself from all the kinks and folds a regular hose does.
Plant Support Pack – Filled with useful stakes, ties, twine, and clips.
Medium Size Shovel– Great for digging holes for larger shrubs and trees.
Garden Rake – I use this for spring cleanup or spreading seeds! It’s only 8-inches broad so that it can fit into smaller corners.

Some people love using gardening boots, but I’ve never been a fan. I think they make your feet hot, and bending down in them is uncomfortable because they restrict your ankles. I have old trusty sneakers I wear.

Full-Shade, Partial-Sun, and Full-Sun

There are so many flowers I wish I could have in my front yard. If my front had shade, I’d fill the garden with all kinds of hydrangeas, but it’s full sun all day. I stick to flowers that love the sun in the front and flowers that do better with the partial sun in the back.

My favorite full-sun flowers are petunias, roses, coneflowers, verbena, zinnias, dahlias, dianthus, phlox, and foxgloves.

I go with hydrangeas, inpatients, camellias, gardenias, begonias, and hosta for my shade and partial sun.

Since my back fence gets full sun all day, I have ten climbing roses bushes along the fence.

Why I love Coneflowers

Coneflowers are one of my favorite perennials in my garden! I have yellow, red, white, and orange ones, and I plan to add many more this year. They are the most forgiving flowers and come back each year bigger and better. One of my favorite things about coneflowers is that they attract yellow American goldfinches in late summer. The birds will bounce on the tops of them, taking the seeds. They are the prettiest bright yellow birds I’ve ever seen! Coneflowers also attract bees, butterflies, and other essential pollinators. Some people may fear planting anything that attracts bees, but they will not bother you! They look and sound intimidating, but those big bumblebees are essential for our earth. They fly all around when I’m in the garden, and they have never bothered me one bit!

Coneflowers love the sun, making them perfect as fillers for my front garden bed. I love that they grow straight up instead of spreading over the ground. They stay in their little space and don’t become invasive to the surrounding plants.

How to grow Coneflowers

You can grow coneflowers by seeds or purchase the plant when they’re in season. Either way, they’ll look amazing and come back each year! They don’t require much water, so they are impossible to kill if you’re not always on your watering game. They are super pretty when mixed with lavender.

Flowering Trees and Shrubs

My favorite flowering trees and shrubs to plant are azaleas, gardenias, camellias, dogwood trees, crepe myrtles, jasmine, and southern magnolias.

Last week, we purchased fifteen new Emerald Green Arborvitae Trees for our fence line! I can’t wait to get those into the ground.

I planted my camellia trees in front of my side windows. My goal is to look out my windows in the living room and see luscious blooming camellia flowers and greenery all year round. They grow slowly, but I love how they look! So far, they’ve grown about a foot since planting them.

I planted a Japanese Camilla, a Crimson King, Fire Falls Camellia, and a Dark Pink Kanjiro Camellia! I purchased all of these from my local nursery.

Growing Camellia Trees

I treat them with potassium salt once a year, but they do well independently. I had issues with one during a crazy wind storm, but it has recovered after keeping it tied up to stakes all summer.

I have them in a place where they get evening sun, the tips get sun during the afternoon, and the soil is well-drained.
 

Tulips and Hyacinths 

I will do a separate update post on this, but make sure to add hyacinth and tulip bulbs to your fall plans! You will NOT regret it. I have the most beautiful hyacinths and tulips around my tree right now. They are stunning and the perfect way to welcome spring.

After they die, I’ll dig them up and store them for the following fall. You can leave the bulbs in the ground, but they do better when you dig them up, store them in a cool and dry place, and replant them in the fall.

I purchased all of these tulips and hyacinth bulbs at Lowes. I planted hyacinths on the outside and tulips in the center. I’m excited to share updated photos very soon!

Limelight Hydrangeas

One of my FAVORITE backyard plants is my limelight hydrangeas. I have them on both sides of my back porch, and they are so stunning and fluffy. I have limelight hydrangeas on my garden list for this year. I’d like to plant more around my backyard because they are drought resistant, they love the sun and handle the hours of shade, and the blooms last about a month. They are the easiest to maintain because you just cut off the dead flowers, and the buds will grow on the old wood the following season. They can get massive, but they are super controllable, and you can cut them back to the preferred size!

Morning Glory Seeds

I will be planting more morning glory seeds around my backyard this year. They are annuals but super fun! I planted a few in my backyard along the fence line, and they climbed up and around. I started building a wood trellis with some leftover scrap pieces that I’m hoping to have them climb up on! Stay tuned for that!

Do you use any fertilizer?

I fertilize my plants once in late spring, but that’s it. I have some for my roses, a generic kind for my front flower bed, and one for my shrubs. Fertilizer can help give your flowers a boost of color, blooms, and stronger roots.

Is fertilizing necessary? Don’t let anyone tell you that it is, but it doesn’t hurt if you choose to! If you plan to fertilize, research when it’s the best time to do so.

I keep myself on a watering schedule. It all depends on the amount of rain, but our dirt is made up of sand, dry red clay, and the garden soil I have added. Sometimes, it holds puddles of water in the poor drainage spots, and sometimes it’s so dry the plant doesn’t get enough water!

Watering and Overwatering

I water my flowers EARLY morning to prevent mid-day burning and late-night molding. I love watering my flowers about every other day during hot temperatures and droughts but will go every few days if we get rain or the weather is nice. You can always tell when a plant is dry, and if you need to bring out a watering tin for just a few plants, that is fine too! If you stick your fingers down into the plant’s roots, you’ll be able to tell immediately if it needs water!

I try to water my potted plants every day since they have proper drainage and get beat down by the sun.

Hydrangeas

I love mophead hydrangeas so much! They don’t always agree with me, and I’ve lost a few over the years, but they are so gorgeous and worth the trial and error. My hydrangeas are in my backyard by my back windows mixed in with my zinnias. I have a blue, pink, and white hydrangea bush. I also have a bright pink one in a pot on the back porch. I placed that one inside to break dormancy, and she already has buds!

My hydrangeas love my backyard because it gets morning sunlight and the afternoon shade.

They took a hit last year during the terrible frost we got, but I think they’ll recover fine, and they’re already budding outside.

To keep the color of your hydrangea bushes, you’ll need to pay attention to their PH levels in the ground. There are tests you can use and diagnose the soil. I purchase hydrangea food that specializes in its colors.

“acidic soil, with a pH lower than 6.0, yields blue or lavender-blue hydrangea blooms. Alkaline soil, with a pH above 7.0, promotes pinks and reds. With a pH between 6 and 7, the blooms turn purple or bluish-pink. To lower your pH, add garden sulfur or aluminum sulfate to your soil.” HGTV

I purchased these hydrangeas at Lowes, and they are Proven Winners.

My roses are my love!

Growing Roses

I have over 41 rose bushes in my yard. I have climbing roses, drift roses, knockout roses, and more!

Roses start blooming in mid-spring, and they continue to bloom through fall. Last year, not only did the frost set them back, but the south had a terrible Japanese Beatle issue, and they LOVED feeding on my rose bushes. I had to go out with a soap bowl and flick them into it every morning. I’m hoping that isn’t an issue this year.

I love that there are over thousands of rose varieties to choose from. Drift roses are the best for garden bed coverage and are easy to maintain. I have knockouts in the back since they get so tall, and I keep my climbing roses on my back fence. You’ll find purple, dark pink, soft pink, yellow, orange, peach, red, white, and lavender roses in my yard! 

 

 
 
I prune my roses in late winter since the temperatures warm up fast, and pruning helps eliminate diseases and promotes more blooms and stronger canes. Pruning was intimidating the first year I did it, but you’ll soon realize you can’t ruin a rose bush by over-pruning. They are so forgiving and grow right back bigger and better! Kyle mowed over two of my rose bushes by accident, and they started growing back up a few weeks later. Think of all the roses growing in the wild or near abandoned houses. They still look amazing!

Remove the remaining leaves, remove the thin canes, cut down the deadwood, and clean up the area around the root. I toss out the fallen leaves, add some new soil, and maybe some mulch. Some people seal the ends that have been pruned, but I’ve never done that.

Pruning Roses

I learned how to prune roses from several YouTube videos. I spend most of my time pruning the climbing roses and zip-tying them to my fence to train them to grow upward.

As long as you’re cleaning up the dead blooms on drift roses, you can get away with leaving them unpruned. But since I have so many of them, I clean up their growth. They start to grow into each other, and I like them to look cleaner. When rose canes cross each other, they can rub off the skin and leave them open to disease.

Which flowers are the best perennial seeds to plant?

Shasta Daisies
Phlox
Dianthus
Salvia
Black-Eyed Susans
Coneflowers

Separating Plants

Another way to save money aside from planting by seed is to separate your plants each season. There are SO MANY plants that multiply, and you can break them up, plant them in different spots, and fill up your garden as the years go by. I have separated my foxgloves, dianthus, Shasta daisies, Lillies, and phlox. Sometimes, my mom will bring me over some plants she’s separated from since her garden gets overcrowded from the years of growth. She’s bringing me a butterfly bush this summer, and I’m so excited about it! I’ve even separated a few for her to take back to her garden, which makes me feel like I’m doing something right!

Planting Peonies 

I have a love/hate relationship with my peonies. I will most likely be moving them this year because I don’t feel like they are thriving where they are currently located. The first year, they were blooming giant flowers, but the following year, they never opened! A lot has to do with not getting enough sun, too much moisture in the ground, and they somehow formed a type of disease. Once they come back up this year, I’m transporting them to a spot with full sun all day long!

Trial and error are pivotal in gardening. Sometimes things work out, and sometimes they don’t! Don’t tell my flowers I said this, but “every flower is replaceable.” It’s ok to make mistakes, and it’s ok to hurry up and hide a dead plant! Even some of my favorite gardeners talk about how some plants just don’t work for them and don’t know how to keep them alive. One of my favorite garden icons, Laura LeBoutillier, is open about failing and having trouble with flowers. It makes an amateur gardener like me feel so much better!


My peonies returned beautifully last summer, but the buds never opened, which is so sad! This may be the last time I try my luck with peonies if they don’t open again this year after transporting.

Planting Dahlias

I LOVE my dahlias. I have a few dahlia varieties and plan to keep adding them to my garden. They are stunning, and there are so many kinds to choose from. I get my dahlia tubers at Lowes; they’ve always been successful. They are so stunning when you cut them for flower arrangements.

Dahlias love the sun, and I put them into the ground in late fall.

One of the great things about dahlias in my zone is that they are perennials.

Hanging Baskets

Hanging Baskets are so fun, but they are high maintenance when filled with petunias. The color is so worth it, though! You’ll need to deadhead them and water them daily since they are faced with hot temps and more wind while hanging up.

It’s always fun to throw in a few sunflower seeds in your garden!

We have a big hill behind our fence with wild grass leading down to the creek. I love throwing packets of wildflower seeds down on rainy days in the spring. Last year, I had so many cosmos pop up! I love that they attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds! Planting flowers is so crucial for pollinators and the population. I feel like I’m doing my part each time I plant something.

Planting Wildflower Seeds

I get most of my wildflower seeds from Amazon and my local nursery.

Do you use any books or apps to help you with gardening?

Aside from getting my Pinterest inspiration each morning, I LOVE using the app “Picture This.” You can take a photo of a plant (even your computer screen), and it will identify the species, it can identify disease, and it has a lot of helpful information from other users. I’m CONSTANTLY on that app. When flowers start coming back up in the spring, you forget what they are. You can take a photo of the leaves, telling you exactly which plant is sprouting.

Some of my favorite gardening books are:

The Flower Garden
Kitchen Garden Revival
Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden

What month is your garden the fullest?

My garden is its fullest in late June and early July! That’s when my roses are on their second round, most annual plants have grown 5x the size, my hydrangeas start to bloom, the crepe myrtles bloom, my backyard has full green coverage, and even my potted plants are at their peak!

Where do you store all of your garden supplies?

I dream of having a little greenhouse in my backyard, but I’ll have to wait a few more years for that! We always say that we will build the pool and the greenhouse before moving into our next house! This isn’t the house for either of those things. For now, I have a few shelves in my garage where I keep all of my garden supplies!

Mulch

I give my plants a new layer of mulch each year. With our soil so bad, I like adding new topsoil with a layer of mulch to give them extra nutrients. Removing the old mulch helps prevent disease, and it just looks better! I will probably do the new layer of mulch in April. And Since I’m now in my 8th month of pregnancy, my mom has volunteered to do it for me. 

Choosing Pet-Friendly Flowers

This is a big one if you have any pets that like to snack on flowers! Luckily, my dogs stick to the grass and let the flowers be. I keep most of the super poisonous flowers in my front garden bed since they are never up that way. I have my hydrangeas fenced off in my backyard, and I don’t get too concerned with any of the plants. Leo and Tux have zero interest in them.

Whenever you’re unsure about a plant and its safety with your cat or dog, google it!



 

What about fruits and vegetables?

I planted a few fruits and vegetables in a potato crate and potted many fruit trees and bushes. I will make a separate post about those since it’ll be another long one. Still, I have raspberry bushes, blueberries, blackberries, lemon, and strawberries currently growing in pots inside my dining room! When the weather is nice (like today), ill set them outside on the porch to get more sunshine.

I have big plans for a vegetable garden this year!
I asked my mom to send me some photos of her garden last summer. I wanted to show you where I get most of my inspiration and help! Every house we moved into, she transformed the yard. And let me tell you, we moved into SO MANY different homes with my dad in the military. She always said, “the bigger, the better!”

My mom’s garden

I need to go through her albums to find photos from all the gardens she’s created over the past 30 years.




Every time I go to her house, I’m amazed at what she’s done!

I love love love seeing other people’s gardens! Feel free to send me a photo or tag me on Instagram in your garden pictures!

Questions for you!

1. What hardiness zone do you live in?
2. What is your favorite flower you have in your garden?
3. Are there any questions about my garden you’d like answered?

These jar lanterns are amazing. Not only do they add cozy light, but they really do repel all the bugs away. I found them at Lowes. I can’t wait to share updated photos when everything is in bloom

Questions for you!

1. Do you spend time out on your front porch?
2. Do you have a paint color that is nostalgic for you?

How is it April already?  Time is literally flying by. I’m officially 65 days away from the wedding, and I’m about 65% ready! Sometimes when I’m overwhelmed, I tend to keep putting things off. I don’t know how anyone can plan a big wedding. I only have my family coming, less than twelve, and it’s still a bit stressful planning the entire day. I know it’s going to be special no matter what turns out and what doesn’t. I have so many blogs in my drafts that I can’t wait to share about the whole thing later this summer.

I know I’ve been super short and not as connected on the blog lately, but I think it’s the stress of life and feeling like I need a little break from the internet. Sometimes hopping on social media and seeing people all glam and doing things makes me feel like I need to do the same, and I hate that pressure. I hate trying to live up to a highlight reel, and the best way to feel better about your own life is to take a little break from it. So I stayed in my cozy pants all weekend, got filthy in the garden, enjoyed pizza, wings, wore zero makeup, and watched movies all Sunday on Netflix. It was the most amazing and relaxing weekend ever. 
After finishing up last Monday’s recap post, I made these delicious stuffed bell peppers for a recipe video (and later ate them for dinner!) They were so good! They are stuffed with ground turkey, cooked onions and cabbage, black beans, green chilis, taco seasoning, and topped with cheese.  My neighbor and I had two days left to hit our 70-mile goal. Since the weather was amazing, we headed out for a 7-mile walk in the neighborhood! I feel like every time we go for a walk; we meet a new neighborhood cat. It was just Grumples and me on Monday evening. Kyle had to take Leo to the vet because he found a huge growth (turned out to be a benign tumor) on his paw. It was bleeding, so we thought he needed to see a vet. It ended up being benign and something that would go away on its own, but it was definitely a scary thing to find. I was up for an early morning walk so we could hit our 70-miles! We actually ended up hitting 76 miles, so yay for going over! Tuesday afternoon, I made some delicious 4-ingredient oat muffins with some bananas that were browning. They were so good and quick to make. Back on Valentine’s day, I put some tulip bulbs in the ground! It’s better to do it in the fall after the first frost, but I was late to the game. Well, they finally came up this weekend! My peach ones have made their way up this morning, so I’ll share a photo if they open up later today. My zinnias are coming up all around the tree. The seed/fertilizer I purchased for them is amazing. I ordered a few more bags this weekend to place around some of the trees in the backyard. Zinnias are gorgeous annual flowers of all different colors. Last week, I mentioned having to stake one of my camelias because it was weak. The Epsom salt I ordered for them came! It helps strengthen the health of your camellia if you give it a tablespoon of Epsom salt with water once a year. For lunch, I had an doughs bagel with ground turkey and kale salad. I purchased some organizing bags for my closet. They hold so many clothes! I packed away all my winter coats/sweaters for the season in them and still had extra bags left. You can tuck them under the bed because they are so flat. Beautiful spring! I captured this while out on a walk! I’m going to use this for goals next spring!  We had record-breaking coldness for April! I was so sad and nervous about all of my spring plants, so I bought a ton of frost cloths on Amazon! Some of my plants (specifically my azaleas and crepe myrtle) took a hit. I’m hoping for a recovery, but I was so sad. I covered them the best I could, but it was so cold and windy! We had to cover and uncover our plants for Thursday and Friday. Friday was a huge day…

I got the text on Wednesday night. It said, “I’m going to propose to Emily.” I was over the moon! Having the opportunity to help set up an engagement and capture the moment is one of my favorite things. It’s even better when it’s one of your close friends. I asked Emily if she’d let me take her out to lunch for her birthday, and thank goodness she accepted. After having the best food and drinks at Nellie’s, I asked her if we could walk across the street to Stowe Park to look at the spring tulips. My friends know that me taking photos is nothing out of the ordinary. When we walked down those steps, she found her NOW FIANCE waiting by the fountain with their sweet pups and the most beautiful diamond ring. It was all smiles and tears from there!

I’m so happy it was a success! LOOK AT THAT! AMAZING   On Friday night, Kyle and I picked up our FAVORITE pizza! We get the Sicilian pizza without olives on cauliflower crust at Margaux’s in Pineville. You need to try this place if you’re in the Charlotte area. We ate pizza, watched a movie, and I edited Emily’s proposal pictures so she could have them asap!!! I was up bright and early on Saturday morning to shoot photos for an engagement at one of my favorite parks. I like to go early to scout out my spots. I had an oat milk cappuccino from Knowledge perk and a few bites of the delicious cinnamon rolls for breakfast. The day turned out to be perfect!

Kyle and I spent Saturday doing some stuff for the wedding and chatting with our officiant. Later in the evening, we headed to a neighbor’s for dinner and game night! I made some guacamole to bring over.  Easter Sunday cinnamon rolls!   For lunch, I had a pita stuffed with broccoli salad and grilled chicken. Weird, but amazing, combo!  I made pumpkin brownies later in the day! Pumpkin is always in season.  I planted some seeds in these adorable pots from Hobby Lobby! I love projects like this. While I did some planting, Kyle worked on getting our doors painted! I posted a photo on our home Instagram if you want to see how it turned out! My peonies are getting bigger! eeeeeek

I hope you all had an amzing week.

Questions for you!

1. Do you ever need social media breaks?
2. Did you have cold weather this weekend?
3. If you had/are having a wedding, how many people did you have there?

One of the first things I do in the morning is make my coffee and walk around the yard checking on my plants. It’s crazy what one day can do f0r the growth! My gladiolus sprouts were just an inch about a week ago, and now they are almost a foot tall. I’m so fascinated by it all, and it feels rewarding when your bulbs come up! I used to think it was all a bit overwhelming until I dived headfirst into it. That is another reason why I like to post about my garden projects. I get so many questions from people asking me how I got started and asking for advice on where to begin. Anyone can do it! I just want these posts to inspire someone to go out and try it. You don’t have to have a green thumb. I love seeing photos of the flowers you all plant, and I also get a ton of great advice from people!
I am still on track for hitting my 70-mile walking goal this month. I have about six more miles, and I’m there. It’s been so nice out here that walking outside has been pretty easy to do.

I’m still on that frozen fruit bowl kick. I shared it in my last recap post, but it’s the Wyman’s frozen fruit bites, coconut water, and pomegranate seeds. It’s the strangest yet most satisfying combo I’ve ever had. When I got back from my walk, I made a chai oat milk cappuccino. It was so nice out, so I sat on a blanket while working so the dogs could run around and play. My dogs only run around when I’m out there with them. Does anyone elses dogs do that?
Kyle and I have been ending our evenings on the porch watching the sun go down. It’s so nice out there now that we have remodeled the whole space. I will share a blog post on that soon! We are waiting on a few more things!

We’ve also been making this healthy hot cocoa combo. It has cocoa powder, almond milk, stevia, and Reddi whip.
I made my favorite oatmeal cream pie cookies on Monday night. We had our CM coming over to do a walkthrough since our one-year warranty is coming up, and they’re his favorite. I also brought some over to the neighbors since we can’t be trusted with too many of them in our house. The backyard skies are always so much prettier in the spring and summer. I love waking up with my coffee and going outside to catch them! Since the sun rises in the backyard, it’s the perfect place to be. I’m thrilled now that the trees are getting their leaves!  After my Tuesday morning walk, I made a protein shake and cleaned the house for about five hours! There was absolutely no stopping me! When I’m in a cleaning mood, I just go to it. I also swapped some winter clothes out of the closet. I purchased some organizing bins/bags for winter sweaters that I’m going to test out today. I’ll report back on how I like them.

I had a lot of you ask about selling my clothes that I minimized on. I am going to be putting them up soon! Hopefully, by next week, you’ll be able to check those out!

My smoothie had spinach, avocado, almond milk, chocolate protein powder, and one banana. So many blossoms on the crabapple tree!!! I had frozen Cappello’s pizza (my favorite) for dinner and crispy smashed brussels sprouts with Tessamae’s habanero ranch dressing. After my walk on Friday, I made a frozen fruit smoothie and mixed in vanilla yogurt on top! The smoothie had raspberries, peaches, coconut water, ice, and lemon juice! I never get ready during the week, so I had to get Kyle to snap my photo! I went out with some neighborhood ladies to a pizza and wine night. I found this cute top at Target, and I’m so obsessed! I love floral and eyelet, so I threw it in my cart fast!  I’m glad I did because it’s now sold out. Their puff sleeves sell out super fast! They need to do a faster restock.  We headed to Margaux’s for dinner. It’s a new restaurant in Pineville, and it’s amazing! The environment is so cute, and the food was amazing! I ordered a glass of chardonnay, the seasonal salad, and the cauliflower Sicilian pizza. I told Kyle that we have to go back asap and order the same thing! The cauliflower crust was the best I’ve ever had! After dinner, we headed to our neighborhood’s clubhouse to sit around the fire. It was such a gorgeous night out! I was up bright and early on Saturday morning. We had a coffee truck at the clubhouse, so I made Kyle walk the trail with me to pick up an oat milk cappuccino. We also picked up this blackberry cream cheese danish since we were starving! It was way too good!! I did a second-morning walk with my neighbor! We hit six miles. 

Kyle made steak and jalapeno poppers for lunch, and I made a giant salad to go with it.   That afternoon, I made some tasty and healthy chocolate-covered strawberries!  I did my morning garden walkthrough on Sunday, and so many things changed overnight! The dianthus I planted last year started blooming, my zinnia sprouts shot up, and my hydrangeas got so big! It’s been in and out of rain all week, so I think they love that fresh rainwater followed by sunshineLeo’s favorite spot on the back patio.  My climbing roses are starting to bud! I can’ wait to see them. This is a sally holmes climbing rose. My mom’s yard ended up being way too shaded for it, so we planted it in my full sun backyard! I have over 15+ rose bushes in the backyard. I love them so much! I’m thinking about doing a rose garden in one of the spaces this summer with a birdbath and bench. Our backyard has a big slope dropoff at the end, and it would be perfect down there. I bought these bamboo plant labels and they have held up through all the rainstorms! I labeled all my roses, so I don’t forget the names. My peonies are back!! Eeek. I was so worried about them this year because they didn’t do too well with the transport. I’m hoping they do better. Peonies can be pretty tricky! There are so many factors in creating the perfect space for them to flower. I would say they are the trickiest in my garden so far.Here are my peonies from last year! We have been getting the craziest storms. When we first moved into our house, we planted mature camellia trees next to our four windows. We wanted something with green leaves all year, privacy, and flowers. I’ve always loved camellias. I now have eight camellia trees in my yard. One of our mature trees has been doing well with rich green leaves and perfect flowers, but the stems are pretty weak, and with the heavy flowers + rainfall, it has just been drooping. I used bamboo stakes on Sunday to give the camellia support. I zip tied them to the bamboo, and they held up great in the crazy wind storms we had. I also gave them a tablespoon of Epsom salt since they require a lot of magnesium. They should be given Epsom salt about once or twice a year.  I had another crazy situation in the garden on Sunday….primroses.

Last year, I was excited to add primroses to my garden! They are so pretty and bloom all season long. I didn’t realize how invasive they were! They started sprouting up in January and talking over almost 1/4 of my garden. I decided to rip them out and plant them down my back hill (where I’m currently growing wildflowers.) It took me a good hour to get them all up, and I’m sure I’ll be digging them out all summer. I replaced them with dianthus, one of my favorite perennials. Kyle and I decided to rip out the giant red cherry plum tree in the house’s front. I hated that tree there since we bought the house! It just was so out of place. Not only was it out of place, but those trees get huge, and they’re so dark. We dug it out and put it in the backyard down by the fence. I think it looks so much better back there, and since we already had a red tree in the back, it made it a bit more balanced out.

We started our project when it was pouring down rain and super windy, but we were determined to get it all done this weekend. We didn’t let it stop us! We headed to Lowes and picked out a new dogwood tree. This is what the new tree will look like. I love a tree with green leaves, and it’s SO PRETTY in the spring with its white flowers. We bought two of them since they were such a good price. We put the other one in the backyard by our porch. The dogwood trees grow about two feet a year, so we thought that was perfect for our front. After planting some border petunias, I re-mulched the entire front garden bed. This took about twelve bags, but it looks nice and fresh for summer! I can’t wait for all the flowers to make their way up. I’m still waiting on some perennials to sprout up, but so many have returned.  I can’t believe these drift roses are already blooming like wild crazy! My azaleas I planted along the fence line last year are also blooming! They grew about a foot since planting them in August. I’m so happy about it! Azaleas are so beautiful. I was covered in dirt from head to toe by late afternoon, and I was EXHAUSTED! I showered up and headed downstairs to make dinner with Kyle. He made his Sunday steaks, and I made cheesy rice and kale salads to go on the side. It tasted so good! We ended our evening watching March Madness and having 75-calorie apple pies! I’ve been making these for TikTok!

Thank you for stopping by to read, and I hope your week is amazing!

Questions for you!

1. What is something you look forward to every single day?
2. What projects are you currently working on?
3. What clothing pattern are you a sucker for?

I had a dentist appointment at 8 am (but had to drive the dogs to my parent’s house at 7 am because we had the home inspection for our warranty), a door consultation as soon as I got home from my dentist appointment. Then I headed out to pick up the dogs and drive all the way to Charlotte for my second tattoo removal.

In the afternoon, I made my recent go-to salad. It had kale, garlic vinaigrette, cranberries, honey goat cheese, pecans, and avocado. I’m on week two of this salad and still addicted. Sometimes I’ll add some sauteed shrimp to the top. I’m still going to write up a post after my final tattoo removal appointment. I like to update you in real time as well. Who knows how long it’s going to take (I think i was a little misinformed when purchasing my sessions.)

I headed in for round two of the removal on Monday, and it hurt a lot worse this time. I didn’t know they made the laser more powerful, but this time my post-removal has been extremely itchy, and my tattoo has risen. I’ve been applying a ton of vaseline but hoping it’ll start to fade soon. I have a feeling it’s going to be an expensive process. I’ll discuss more on everything later down the road. I’ve had a lot of you share your experiences with me on Instagram.

When I got home, I headed out for a late-night walk with my neighbor. We did four miles to contribute to our 70-mile monthly goal. We are currently at 43 miles for the month. Somehow we are going to have to fit in 30 more miles in the next twelve days. I think we can do it! I spent about six hours on Tuesday planting more bulbs and putting twelve more rose bushes in the yard. I ripped out some ugly yellow bushes the builders put in and replaced them with these. I usually transplant the replaced plants to the backyard. My neighbor and I headed out to get our nails done on Wednesday. I didn’t do gel this time since it’s impossible to keep my nails looking good when they’re constantly digging in the dirt. Even though these are gorgeous, they lasted a day. We stopped at the Suarez bakery to get some treats to bring home. They have the best gluten-free macaroons! Of course, when you’re in the area, you have to get lunch at Burton’s Bar & Grill. I’m SO  SO SO obsessed with their general Tso’s cauliflower and superfood steak salad. I could eat here daily!  For the drive home, we picked up coffee from Not Just Coffee. I hadn’t been there in a while, but they always make the best cappuccinos! I ordered an oat milk cappuccino with a splash of chai concentrate!   Later that evening, we knocked out another four miles. The weather was absolutely perfect last week! It was in the ’80s! Nothing better than a sunny morning on the porch!  I attempted the famous feta TikTok pasta on Thursday afternoon. WOW, was it amazing!!!! I’ll do a full post on it this weekend.  For dinner, we did jalapeno pepper jack turkey burgers with a side of the feta pasta. Remember when I planted my tulip bulbs last month? They’re all coming up!!!! I can’t wait to see them. I purchase many of my bulbs from eBay, and I’ve had a lot of luck with them so far. Also, I just realized there is a nail next to my tulip. I’ve been finding these everywhere from when they built the house. Luckily, I havn’t stepped on one yet. On Friday morning, we did another four miles! After we stopped at our neighborhood’s clubhouse to pick up Donut, I Love U food truck. I love that we get food trucks in the neighborhood! I just had to pick some up for the dogs, too. I brought back the mini gluten-free powdered, glazed, and cinnamon.   After a few mini donuts, I had to get in my greens. I made a protein shake with avocado, spinach, peaches, water, protein powder, and mango. My mom and I spent the day together shopping around for wedding things. That evening, I made my homemade cinnamon sugar chips! Kyle and I headed to Lowe’s bright and early on Saturday morning. We picked up paint for the back patio to give it a fresh coat for the warmer season! Last year, we painted the patio Autumn Fog, but we made a small change this year and did Courtyard Shadow. It definitely turned out a little more blue than the paint card, but I still love it. Saturday breakfast consisted of apples, peanut butter, an o’doughs bagel, and cream cheese! I did a little DIY wreath on the door to spruce it up for Easter. The photo frames I ordered came in, so we hung those! We spent an hour putting three different console tables under them until we thought of the bench we bought that was sitting up in the loft. I think out of all the consoles, and the bench looks the best! I added some new fresh pillows from Home Goods and Target! I will do a separate post just on this area and share where everything is from and updates on which photos I use!  Trying to keep up with TikTok. We decided to rearrange the front porch and the back porch. We swapped out the chairs, and everything looks so much better! I still need to do a blog post for the porch, but I’m waiting until it’s all complete! We had dinner and sat on the porch Saturday night after finishing up the projects. I made my favorite go-to salad. I also had some leftover meatloaf. I bought these amazing tiki jars at Target, and they work amazing! I placed them on the candle holders that I purchased at a thrift market. Sunday morning   Tulips are coming up!  My camellia trees are in full bloom right now. They are my absolute favorite part of the garden right now. I can see them from my living room window, and it makes me so happy I could cry.  I have four of them, and I’m getting ready to plant two new white ones to the mix. I headed out for a little three-mile walk on Sunday evening before kyle made steak for dinner! The dinner was so good; I didn’t even remember to take a photo of it. And we ended the evening with homemade walnut brownies!

Questions for you!

1. Do you have any goals this month?
2. What shows are you currently watching?
3. Did you watch the Bachelor finale?

Our porch has gotten a complete makeover. From the concrete color, brick color, removal of the railings, furniture, rugs, and more! I absolutely love this $14.99 wreath from Homegoods. I plan to leave it up on my door most of the year! I wanted to give it a little Easter makeover without ruining it completely and making it an Easter-only wreath. The good thing about hot glue is that it peels right off when you need it to. Once Easter is over, I’ll peel these right off. Or if you want to use it again next year, just store it!  The best thing about Hobby Lobby is that the holiday decor is ALWAYS 50% off. I picked up some cute cloth eggs and twine carrots for the wreath. I wanted to keep it simple because the carrots added enough color. They have all kinds of Easter decor for wreaths. If you like colorful speckled eggs, they have a bunch!  Before you start gluing the pieces, lay them out on the wreath to make sure they are where you want them. It’s easier to style them before gluing them on.  I added about a dime-sized glue drop on each to make it easier for later removal. Let the wreath dry for about 30-minutes, and then you can hang it up!  

I love how it turned out, and it only took about ten minutes to make.

Questions for you!

1. What do you like to decorate during the spring?
2. Are any of your perennials coming up yet?
3. Do you change out your front door wreath several times a year?

I hope you all had a great weekend. I couldn’t have asked for a better one. A high of 77-degrees? Um, yes, please! We tackled so many projects around the house, did some gardening, fit in our miles, and cooked a lot of delicious food. Now that it’s March, I can officially start going full-force into gardening. I know that seems early, but we have nothing but the ’60s in the forecast, and spring always comes early in South Carolina. I’m one of those overly annoying happy people right now, with lighter evenings and flowers blooming. I’m sure I’ll be over it once the humidity kicks in.

I spent most of my mornings outside with my coffee since it was so nice out. The dogs always like when I’m outside while they play. They need an audience in order to run around and play. Anyone else’s dogs like that?

I finished up blogging, headed to pick up some plants, and then came home to clean. I always like cleaning Monday afternoon and Friday afternoon. It was so nice out that I officially broke out the smoothies. I picked up some ingredients so I could make any smoothie all week long. I bought frozen avocados, spinach, pineapple, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and mango. I usually pick a few fruits, add in protein powder, water, and almond milk. They are so good and the perfect refreshing pick-me-up! A day doesn’t go by in the summer where I don’t have a smoothie. I headed out for an evening walk with my neighbor. We’ve been getting in atleast 3-5 miles a day. My goal is to walk 3-5 miles six days a week, and last week, I hit that goal. I felt so much better.

It was my neighbor’s birthday, so while they were out to dinner, I whipped up a coconut cake (their favorite) to surprise them when they got back. I may have to share this recipe on the blog soon because it was so good and the perfect Easter recipe! Kyle made us a steak dinner on Monday night, and it was so good! He said he’s going to venture out and try to cook something else, but right now, he’s mastering the steak! I definitely don’t mind a night where I don’t have to cook. 

We ended the evening watching Servant (I love that show on AppleTV) and headed to bed! On Tuesday, Kyle and I went on an evening walk after work. We did three-miles and then headed back to make dinner! We were so hungry  I made delicious low-carb baked pesto chicken parm! It was amazing. You have to try this recipe!! I blogged it on Friday. It’s the perfect dish for meal prepping, too! It was delicious for lunch the next day. I fit in an early morning walk with my neighbor on Wednesday morning and then came home to have a smoothie! You can find this recipe on my TikTok. I met up with Caitlin, Kelsey, and Emily for dinner at Burton’s Bar and Grill on Wednesday evening for dinner. It was so nice catching up with them! I ordered the superfood steak salad with goat cheese, and it’s amazing. I get that every time, along with the general Tso’s cauliflower. It was a five-mile morning for my neighbor and me on Thursday. She’s a fast walker, so it helps me step up my game; otherwise, my go-to pace is 17 to 18-minute miles. I made smoothies for us so we could sit out on the porch to cool down. It was high-sixties by noon. If you live in a cold place and hate it, I highly recommend South Carolina  . I headed out to run some errands on Thursday afternoon. I decided to treat myself to a tall double almond milk chai cappuccino. This is my go-to drink right now! It so good and on the lighter side. I picked up the paint for our porch makeover and a few new patio decor items. I can’t wait until it’s done! I walked to our neighborhood gym for a workout on Friday morning. I used to love doing these circuits, and I need to get back to it. I’m also on a gallon of water a day kick. It’s tough for me since I’m not too fond of water. This water bottle I bought from Amazon does make it a lot easier to follow through. I’ve been taking it everywhere with me. I even get creative by pouring the water into my smoothies. I feel like that counts! We had some friends over Friday night for dinner and games. I picked up some cookies from Crumble and wings from Killington’s. Spring  Here’s a little sneak peek at the porch. That was just the first coat! Later that afternoon, I did my walk with my neighbor! We have been on a roll. Also, I wanted to mention. I have been getting a lot of questions about the products I’ve been using on my skin. Besides drinking a ton of water to help my skin, I’m still using my PROVEN Skincare. I absolutely love it, especially because I’m outside walking all the time and the daily moisturizer has SPF. I took the skin genome quiz on their website to get products customized to my skin’s needs. I wrote a blog post all about it! I’m just about to get my next shipment! On Saturday afternoon, I dove into making recipes for my TikTok. Yes, I’m officially on TikTok and completely addicted. I made ham and cheese pie baskets, blueberry muffin crumble cake with a cinnamon roll crust, my cranberry cookies, and more! I plan to post daily. I started my Sunday with a four-mile walk followed by a smoothie!  I planned to work on the porch and garden all day. My goal is to make my house look like a plant museum  . I still think we need a pool, but that is Kyle, and I’s daily debate. You’ll have to let me know if you have a pool and love it or hate it! My parents love theirs but tell me every time I mention a pool they wish they didn’t have. We made a ground turkey and pesto parmesan cavatelli for dinner last night! yumI added a bunch of roasted cauliflower to mine. Now, I’m having my delicious smoothie and coffee while blogging from the front porch!  Grumple’s is sitting out here with me, too!

I hope you all have a fabulous week, and hopefully, you get some warmth where you are!

Questions for you!

1. Pool…yay or nay?
2. How was your weekend?
3. What did you have for dinner last night?

Can you believe Thanksgiving is in a few days? I’m making my FIRST turkey this year! I’ve watched about a billion youtube how-to videos and it’s not as intimidating as I thought. I’m so excited  I will try to share my Thanksgiving menu on the blog tomorrow.

I’m trying to make this blog as short as possible because I actually stabbed my thumb with a rose thorn yesterday while clipping them and it’s the most painful feeling ever! Typing doesn’t help either  This is going to be such a fun week! Thanksgiving, decorating the house for Christmas, creating the Vlogmas intro (YAY!) Last year was pretty extra. After writing last Monday’s recap blog, I headed out with my neighbor for a four-mile walk! The walks in my neighborhood are pretty intense with all the hills, and my neighbor walks at a 16-minute mile pace  I always feel so much better when I finish. Lately, I’ve been having my protein oats again! I always get in the mood for them when it’s cold outside. I use 1/3 cup of oats, 3/4 cup of water, 1 scoop vanilla protein (raw fusion plant-based & mixed in after the oats are cooked), a scoop of peanut butter on top with a splash of cinnamon. I also love adding warm blueberries! On Tuesday, I had to drop Leo off at the vet early morning for his teeth cleaning  This always makes me so sad because he has to go under anesthesia and he’s there from 7 am to 6 pm. I hate it, but he has to get them done since his teeth get bad and it can lead to gingivitis.

I also had to drop my car off to get serviced the same day, so I just ran errands, grabbed a coffee, and had lunch at Chopt. I had their Korean salad with grilled chicken, spicy sesame cucumbers, apples, rainbow carrots, scallions, artisan croutons, romaine, kale & purple cabbage. The house was getting painted while I was out, and I’m glad I was away from the house because I would have kept going outside just to peek!! They did the priming and painting on Tuesday for the brick and I am sooooooo happy without it turned out. The garage definitely needed the black paint makeover! They finished up on Wednesday with everything, and I’m so happy with how it all turned out. My new favorite drink combo at Starbucks for the warmer days: tall iced almond milk latte with an extra shot of espresso, 1 pump of mocha, and 1/2 pump of peppermint topped with the whipped cream!

And While I was out and about on Wednesday, I stopped and had turkey & veggie unwich at Jimmy Johns. I forgot how good these were! I tried out blue curtains for the week but ended up taking them down. I wanted to love them, but I just couldn’t. They don’t look bad, but I think I’m going to have to go back to white. I’m heading to Ikea to get their linen ones, so stay tuned for those! On Thursday, I made some peanut butter white chocolate granola and it tasted SO GOOD! I can’t wait to share this recipe on vlogmas this year  It was kind of exciting waking up to frost in the morning, too.  I made some banana peanut butter protein balls to keep in the fridge for the week! They had 3 bananas, 1/4 cup of peanut butter, 2 scoops protein powder, 1/2 tbsp cinnamon, 1/4 cup coconut, 2 1/2 cups of oats, and 1 tbsp of water. They tasted like peanut butter banana bread!

On Friday, I was glued to my computer screen all day working on a project. That evening, we made shrimp kebabs and watched Home Alone. On Saturday night, we took my parents out for their 34th wedding anniversary at the new Chophouse restaurant in our town. The food was so good, and I loved the atmosphere! I can’t wait to go back. It was so beautiful and foggy out on Sunday morning! It’s also exciting to see my camellias blooming for the first time since planting them! My neighbor and I fit in a 4-mile walk at one of our fastest paces!  We are definitely well-trained for the turkey trot in our neighborhood on Thanksgiving I spent the rest of the day working on projects, cleaning, organizing, and doing laundry. We finally got around to hanging up an older mirror in the living room, but I wanted to paint it all black first. The little silver dots were a bit much, but it looks so much better with it being black. I’ll share a photo soon! I also painted the underneath of the cabinet the Boothbay gray. I don’t know if I like it just yet because it does kind of look like a shadow instead of a color. We’ll see! For dinner, I made air-fried shrimp with butternut squash and dipped them in the Tessemae’s habanero ranch!
It’s time to decorate!!!!

I hope you all have a great week. I cannot wait to share the vlogmas intro with you next week. I hope it’s just as good as last year’s  Make sure you’re subscribed to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss out! Have a great Monday!

Questions for you!

1. Have you ever prepared/cooked a turkey before?
2. Are you in the holiday spirit yet?
3. Is there anything special you’d like to see on Vlogmas this year?