We often say that in our Central Valley of California, we don’t get to experience fall to its fullest. Summer lingers, and before we know it, winter is here. One way to truly enjoy our fall and make those few weeks extra special is by having a gorgeous fall flower arrangement in your home. Today,…
10 Ways to Reuse your Coffee Grounds!
Image: Scoop of Coffee Recently I started brewing my own coffee at home, skipping the Starbucks. It was a sad day, but that’s a different blog post! Everyday I would brew my coffee, then dump the used grounds in the trash, thinking to myself that there had to be something I could use those for! Well, it…
Unique Terrariums 101 {Instructions and Ideas!}
We had a wonderful time teaching our terrarium class at The Gardens on Saturday. Although Steph and I have put together numerous tutorials and how-to’s on our blog, we rarely get to interact with people as they create. It was thrilling to watch people take what they learned and dive right in to making something beautiful. We…
Light & White, or Bold & Bright? What’s your flower pick?
I love how the different seasons and holidays often have a flower look to accompany them. Thanksgiving is rich with oranges and golds and deep purples, with the mum an easy go-to and pumpkins and pomegranates quick additions for a table. Christmas is festive and fragrant, marked by the contrasting colors of red and green…
Plant Wisely: 10 Favorite Drought Tolerant Plants
These days in the valley, we’re enjoying our climate sweet spot, the few months between the cold of winter and the heat of summer where everyone and everything seems content. Flowers are bursting into bloom, and new growth on trees has them looking greener than ever. We know what’s coming though, don’t we? Oh we…
Cut Flower Arranging Tips (Inspired by The Gardens)
One of the joys of growing a garden is getting to bring a bit of it indoors. Whether it’s stunning springtime blooms or festive evergreen branches, I always have at least a couple of vases filled in my home. And thanks to a recent cut flower arranging class at The Gardens (which was free, I’d…
How to Create a Terrarium
Why is it that the moment a miniature version of something appears, we go crazy for it? There’s something about tiny things that make us smile, and a terrarium is no exception. It’s all that we love about a garden–the beautiful colors, textures, and scents–shrunken down to something we can hold in our hands. The…
Hello, Hellebore! 5 Reasons why Hellebore (Lenten Rose) is a Favorite
I first saw hellebore growing in my mother-in-law’s garden a number of years ago. It was in winter, which made the gorgeous flowers stand out even more. The pale-green petals dotted with vibrant purple specks stopped me in my tracks! My mother-in-law kindly piled me up with seedlings, and soon I had a corner of…
Breathe Easy! 5 Simple Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality
Our air quality is no joke. Although the recent rain was a breath of fresh air (literally), I’m sure many of you, like me, are still deeply concerned. You have probably already made some changes, such as limiting your time outdoors and consolidating your time on the road. However, we may be forgetting that the…
Strange and Beautiful: Air Plants (Design and Care Tips)
I first saw air plants while visiting The Gardens, a local nursery that has a knack for bringing in unique home and garden finds. My initial question, I learned later, was quite typical: Are these real? It wasn’t just their sea creature-like appearance that seemed so strange; it was the fact that they were conspicuously…
