Adam and Jenn O'Neal Adam and Jenn O'Neal

Spring Planning for the Flower Garden

Spring into action with our essential tips for a blooming flower garden! From choosing the right plants to easy-to-grow flowers, soil preparation, and smart watering, we've got you covered. Learn the art of deadheading, protect your garden from pests, and make the most of the spring sunshine. Follow these tips for a beautiful and thriving flower garden that will be the envy of your neighborhood. For more inspiration, check out our guest features on MarthaStewart.com and join us on Instagram and Facebook @pepperharrow_. Happy gardening!

Spring is the perfect time to start thinking about your flower garden. Whether you're an experienced gardener or just starting out, there are a few tips and tricks that can help ensure a successful, beautiful display, full of blooms all growing season long. Here are some spring flower garden tips to help you get started with a beautiful flower garden:

Choose the Right Plants: When selecting plants for your garden, it's important to choose ones that are well-suited for your climate and soil type. You can consult with your local nursery or gardening center for recommendations on plants that thrive in your area. Check out our flower, shrub, tree, and ground cover suggestions for each growing zone in our guest contribution for MarthaStewart.com. You can access it here!

Choose Easy to Grow Flowers: We love growing easy to grow flowers, because they give us high impact color and blooms for very little effort. These are also great to look at when you first start a grade, because they’ll help you to build confidence as you grow! Here’s some great ideas via our guest feature in MarthaStewart.com for 12 Easy Annuals for Beginner Gardeners.

Zinnias are Easy to Grow Flowers & attract butterflies at PepperHarrow Flower Farm

Prepare the Soil: Before planting, make sure to prepare the soil by adding compost or other organic matter to improve its texture and nutrient content. This will help your plants grow strong and healthy.

Water Wisely: It's important to water your plants regularly, but be careful not to overwater them. Too much water can lead to root rot and other issues. Check the soil moisture regularly and water as needed.

Provide Enough Sunlight: Most flowering plants require plenty of sunlight to thrive. Make sure to choose a spot in your garden that gets plenty of sunlight throughout the day. We recommend at least 6 hours of sun each day for a plant that requires full sun, part sun or also shade. For shade plants, they just really don’t like a lot of intense sun, dappled is best!

Deadhead Regularly: To encourage your plants to produce more blooms, it's important to deadhead them regularly. This involves removing spent flowers from the plant to promote new growth.

Protect from Pests: Unfortunately, pests and insects can be a problem in any garden. To protect your plants, consider using natural remedies like neem oil or companion planting with herbs like basil and mint, which can repel pests.

We hope these tips help you create a beautiful and thriving spring flower garden! If you need more flower garden inspiration, follow along with us on Instagram via pepperharrow_ or on Facebook: PepperHarrow. And let us know if you have any questions, by commenting below!

XX Jenn and Adam

Read More
Adam and Jenn O'Neal Adam and Jenn O'Neal

Adventure at the Wedding Show

Prepping for the Des Moines Wedding Show was a whirlwind as I delved into researching trends, creating a setup, and gathering flowers and props. Despite the challenges of C19, the show was a success, allowing me to connect with lovely brides. Gina, from the show, asked for a mauve-themed exhibition table, and I gladly accepted the challenge. The last-minute dash to Home Goods and Hobby Lobby resulted in a stunning display featuring cut glass, silver place settings, and pops of blue, complemented by beautiful flowers. It was a delightful showcase at the Scottish Rite Consistory, and I'm thrilled with the outcome!

An Adventure at the Des Moines Wedding Show

I spent the week preparing for the Des Moines Wedding Show that was held last Sunday. This was my first wedding show since C19, but I’ve decided that we have to learn to still carry on with our daily lives, but take precautions to protect ourselves and others. It was a great success and I met with tons of wonderful prospective brides.

The amount of time researching trends, coming up with idea for setup, number of flowers , props, vases, etc, is just staggering. Prep for the wedding show actually started two weeks ago, by pulling together a portfolio of my work, as well as a portfolio

IMG_4619.jpg

Gina, one of the team members who coordinate the Des Moines Wedding Show, reached out to me a few days before the show and asked me if I’d do an exhibition table, telling me that the table should lean towards mauve tones. How could I say ‘no’?

I broke out allll the cut glass I could muster, as well as silver for place settings from my personal stash of fancy things. I made a last minute dash to Home Goods to grab some napkins, and plates, as well as Hobby Lobby for candles. I’m pretty excited about how everything turned out! The flowers are stunning and I love the way the candles look with the ribbons tied around the napkins. The pops of blue were everything!

Table Setting at the Des Moines Wedding Show

Table Setting at the Des Moines Wedding Show

Read More