Becoming Gardners

It's no secret that we love flowers over here. But I have to let you in on a little secret.. I have never really had my own garden let alone flower patch. Especially one that I have kept alive. 

When we first bought our home I had big plans for the biggest and best garden you have ever seen. But sadly we can not have a vegetable garden where we live (but that is a whole other story) But what we can have is all the flowers and pretty trees we want. Last year we put a handful of things in the front of the house all while completely guessing what we were doing. And while it turned out cute, I wanted to come prepared to create the best flower garden possible for our side area. Becasue we are putting in something that I can hardly wait for. We are making a huge fire pit, garden area that will span the side of our property. So I decided to do some research.

I have been reading up on all different types of flowers, trees, shrubs, and I am loving it. Not only is it making me want a complete flower garden, but it helped me find plants that I am in love with. And better yet, all these books are making me scheme in some fun color combinations for all our paper flower goods. Enter in my new latest obsession. All the Cut Flower Garden books. Seriously though, each time I call Katie I think I have a new book.

So off I went with my girlies and picked out a forest full of plants. You are welcome local nursery for buying you out. (I kidd! But seriously, we got so many plants) Then while my husband was out of town  my girls and I rolled up our sleeves and went to work. Here is what I learned in the process...

1. Planting is way more fun when you get super muddy!

2. Singing at the top of your lungs is a guarantee way to keep your plants happy and your munchkins entertained.

3. These books are gold and I am finally learning what flowers to pinch, keep cutting, water, and feed. 

4. It's like if you give a mouse a cookie, except now I want all the types of flowers.

I know that we still have a ways to go for it to become the full garden area that I dream it can be. But I am loving it and I am loving that we are finally becoming gardeners. Favorite moment since planting a couple of weeks ago, picking my first bundle of fresh flowers to put in my home.

So to share the love and help you have a new obsession like me, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite book all about flowers from creating, to planting, to inspiring kids.

1."We are Gardeners" by Joanna Gaines. This is such a cute book and the illustrations are beautiful. My favorite part though, it got my little girls excited for their own flower garden.

2. "Paper to Petal" by Rebecca Thuss The paper flowers in this book is inspiring and so fun. Again, any way I can get my kiddos excited about flowers I am all over it. Side note. We do not use this book to make our flowers that are in our store. But they are such beautiful crepe paper flowers to make for when I am in a crafting mood.

3. "Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden" by Erin Benzakein with Julie Chai. This was the first first flower book that I bought and it did not disappoint. I still refer to it all the time and dream of being at least a little bit like Erin. Seriously her flowers are beautiful, her book super helpful, and you can buy seeds from her website to grow amazing different varieties of flowers. (Can you tell I am obsessed with them?)

4. "In Bloom" by Clare Nolan. Goodness this book is good. A perfect reference on how to start a cut flower garden, tips and tricks on several types of plants. This has become another one of my go to books to make sure I am doing the right things for my plants. 

5. "The Flower Expert" by Fleur  McHarg. I seriously wish I was friends with this woman. She made me laugh and smile all through her book and made me start scheming of some fun new ideas for our flowers in our shop. Perfect book on getting fun ideas on flower arranging.

6. "A Tree in the House" by Annabelle Hickson. Another gorgeous book that made me want to go and cut all the branches and flowers around me and create beautiful flower arrangements. But better yet, it also have me some fun new ideas to incorporate into our little shop.  

There are so many other books that I have checked out from the library but these so far have been my favorites. So check them out and start becoming a gardener with me.   

P.S I can't stop, won't stop so if you have a flower book that you love, send the title my way so I can keep adding to the collection.