Saltwater Sounds Weekly: Wrapping Up April

Welcome to Saltwater Sounds, a collection of ideas, tips, and inspiration. Here, I share everything happening in the world of Shiplap and Shells, what’s to come, and the inspiration I’ve found from other bloggers around the web.

This and That

And what an April it has been!

The month has flown by for me, how about you?

A lot happened in the garden this past week, but I still have so much to do. And it doesn’t help that it’s been raining so much here in Seattle.

Today, I’m sharing what is blooming in the garden, what has been planted, and some pics of the Palm Springs swimming pool and outdoor spaces we enjoyed last weekend.

So let’s go…

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Palm Springs Trip

I could get used to waking up and going hot tubbing every morning on a beautiful sunny day, with nothing to do but relax and enjoy my friends’ company.

I brought my computer to Palm Springs but was only on it for about an hour in four days.

Eight of us stayed in this house and spent most of our days sitting by the pool or swimming to cool off. The temperature was in the mid to high 90s and hit 100°F. by the last day.

It didn’t feel too hot as long as we were near the pool.

We love taking this annual trip to Palm Springs. It’s such a nice escape from all the winter rain, and we really have a great time together.

A Gardener’s Dream

I have never seen this before!

After my physical therapy appointment (that’s another story), I ran to Costco to pick up a few things and look at what I found!

I’ve never seen so many plants at one time. Needless to say, I bought quite a few things for the garden on this trip.

More Physical Therapy

I started PT again last week.

My “new” knee is still hurting after a year. It hurts to go up and down the stairs, bend, sit, and get back up…basic stuff. You should see me try to get up off the ground when I’m gardening. It’s hysterical!

So, I’m trying to strengthen my new knee and work on my broken-down knee, which will be replaced in October. I’ll let you know how it goes. Wish me luck!

Around the Garden and Greenhouse

There’s a lot to talk about!

The garden has so many blooms, and I’ve bought so many fun plants in the last few weeks. I’ve also transplanted my seedlings to the cut flower garden raised beds! Finally!

The Cottage Garden

Here’s a look at the garden from the greenhouse patio.

This is the view from the other side.

The Cut Flower Garden

The seedlings were planted in the raised beds last week.

It’s amazing how small the seedlings look right now. They looked so much bigger when they were in the greenhouse!

Now we wait.

We’re having a fence put around the front yard, hopefully next week. Jax is always a good boy and stays with me, but Ollie is more of a free spirit and wanders too much.

When the fence is installed, I will have additional garden beds to plant more things, and I’m getting two new raised beds to put in front of my greenhouse, so I did keep some seedlings aside for those projects.

What’s Blooming in the Garden

We have this gorgeous Blackhaw Viburnum tree that’s blooming right now.

Isn’t it pretty?

And this bugleweed is gorgeous this time of year but doesn’t have a long bloom time. I love the color.

Here’s one of our azaleas in full bloom.

One of the three lilac trees in our garden is now blooming.

I’ve been talking about the allium getting ready to bloom for weeks. And it’s finally here! These are growing all around the greenhouse patio.

New Plants in the Garden

I bought these plants at Costco. The plant above is Digiplexis ‘Berry Canary.

I planted the Lupine and Diantus in the garden on Friday. They brought so much color to my outdoor spaces.

I also bought some lavender topiaries and planted them in containers for height.

My Gardening Tool and Product Favorites

From the Blog

Easy to Grow Flowers to Plant in Your Garden for Beginners

Are you thinking about growing a flower garden but need help deciding which easy flowers to start with? In this blog post, I’ll share the best plant choices for beginner gardeners so you won’t have to worry about having a brown thumb in the garden again!.. CONTINUE READING.

Ultimate Guide to Grow and Care for Hydrangeas for Beginners

Hydrangeas are stunning flowering plants that add a touch of old-fashioned elegance to any garden. If you’re a beginner gardener who wants to grow hydrangeas in your own garden, this ultimate guide will provide you with all the necessary information you need to grow and care for hydrangeas successfully… CONTINUE READING.

From My Amazon Store

Shop Gardening Tool Kits

Shop Gardening Tools and Supplies

Shop Garden Aprons

My New Resource Library With Freebies!

I finally have a place where all my freebies are available to Shiplap and Shells subscribers! Here, you can get helpful gardening tools as a gift from me for following along.

If you get my emails every Sunday, you’ll find the password to my library listed there every week.

If you haven’t subscribed to the blog, you can access the resource library by clicking the button below to set up an account.

My New Garden Planner is Available!

I LOVE everything about planning my garden! Whether strategically planning for the upcoming season, making notes regarding my garden supply inventory, or brainstorming about what worked well (and didn’t), I love using my garden planner throughout it all!

FREEBIE: I’m offering the monthly planning page and seasonal checklist printables, a total of 6 pages, as a gift. These pages are part of my Ultimate Garden Planner, which is on sale now.

ON SALE: My 35-page Ultimate Garden Planner is on sale now for $4.99. Click the button below to learn more about what is included in this planner. I’m pretty sure you’ll love it as much as I do!

My Favorite Inspiration Around the Web This Week

Have you ever heard of needle felting? My friend Elizabeth has started a new Instagram page, giving you all the tips and making it look so easy!

Check out this step-by-step guide on how to make gorgeous floral arrangements.

Give your garden timeless charm with antique accents.

This savory crockpot bourbon meatball recipe looks so good!

Here’s a gorgeous home from the portfolio of Ashley Montgomery Design

How about some crispy carnitas tacos for Cinco de Mayo?

Have you ever wanted to propagate your hydrangeas? Here’s how.

Are you planning to watch the Kentucky Derby? Here’s a mint julep recipe just for that occasion.

Here are some sweet Mother’s Day table decorations.

Would you ever paint a bedroom (or other room) black?

Do you have any old and tired birdhouses around? Here’s a fun DIY vintage birdhouse makeover.

I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and let me know what you’d like to see on the blog! Thank you for being here.

Until next time,

Wishing a wonderful week ahead,

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