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Red's Lil Schoolhouse

Learning a little every day

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Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Carob Peanut Butter Balls

How to Make a Starbucks Medicine Ball ┃ Copycat Recipe

Latest ‘Grams

redslilschoolhouse

🍂 It's fall wreath making time! 🍂 These 3 are for

🍂 It's fall wreath making time!
🍂 These 3 are for sale @cortumfarmandco fall open houses!
🍂 I'm in the groove and already starting on more!

#fallfloralwreath #driedfloralwreath #driedflowerwreath #midwestgardening #driedflowerproject

🎀 Adding bows to your decor is so simple, but real

🎀 Adding bows to your decor is so simple, but really adds that extra special touch!

🎀 I like to form my bows, then stick them on with glue dots. This helps the bows keep their form!

Links for ribbon and candles on my LTK.

#addaribbon #addabow #bowseverywhere #velvetribbon #moodyholidaydecor

🌲🌻 Mixed Greenery Holiday Wreaths + Dried Flowers

🌲🌻 Mixed Greenery Holiday Wreaths + Dried Flowers

My friend Mekenze @cortumfarmandco and I had seen these beautiful wreaths where dried flowers were added to the greenery. I thought it looked like fun, so I said sure, I'll give it a go!

Starting with a plain green wreath (real greens), I carefully placed a variety of dried flowers and hot glued them in. It was a fun, creative challenge and I'm happy with how they turned out.

I can always see little things I would change, and places I would add more, but I had to get to a point and just stop! The perfectionist in me has a hard time with this. 😉

I'll definitely do this again!

#holidaywreath #driedflowerwreath #holidaywreathwithdriedflowers #driedflowerproject #createbeauty #colorfulwreath

❇️ What's Blooming Day #14 ❇️ 🏙️ @chicagobotanic

❇️ What's Blooming Day #14 ❇️

🏙️ @chicagobotanic edition 🏙️

One of the places we visited in Chicago recently was the Chicago Botanic Garden!

385 acres
28 gardens
4 natural areas
1 very happy visitor 🤩

If you are in Chicago, I would highly recommend checking it out! The gardens are absolutely gorgeous. I could spend several days just admiring all of the beauty!

#chicagoflowers #beautifulplanters #gorgeousgardens #chicagobotanicgarden #midwestflowers

❇️ What's Blooming Day #13 ❇️ 🏙️ Chicago Edition

❇️ What's Blooming Day #13 ❇️

🏙️ Chicago Edition 🏙️

We spent a few days in Chicago, and of course I admired all of the beautiful planters around the city.

This is @navypierchicago where the rows of flowers go on forever! They did a great job picking hardy, low maintenance flowers.

I saw a lot of:
Begonias
Monstera/Elephant Ear
Alyssum
Verbena
Angelonia
Coleus

These are all easy care plants that really don't need much after planting, other than water!

I get so much inspiration seeing planters in other places. It already makes me excited for next year!

#navypier #navypierflowers #chicagoflowers #planterinspo

❇️ What's Blooming Day #12 ❇️ 🩷 Pink Annual Conta

❇️ What's Blooming Day #12 ❇️

🩷 Pink Annual Container 🩷

This is a South facing, full sun, annual container. I filled it with pretty pink flowers!

In this container:
🩷 Forest Pink Gomphrema
🩷 Supertunia Vista Fuchsia
🩷 Superbena Sparkling Rose
🩷 Fireworks Varigated Fountain Grass
🤍 Diamond Frost Euphorbia
💚 Algerian Ivy
💚 Vinca Vine

In the ground in front is a coleus and geraniums. They ended up looking like part of the container!

Doesn't the last picture look like a strawberry?!? 🍓

#provenwinnersannuals #supertunia #supertuniavistafuchsia #superbena #pinkcontainer #fullsunannualplanter #zone5gardening #gomphrena #pinkflowers🌸 #pinkflowerideas

❇️ What's Blooming Day #11 ❇️ 🕷️ Spider Flower or

❇️ What's Blooming Day #11 ❇️

🕷️ Spider Flower or Cleome

I bought a tiny little 6-pack of Cleome this spring, because I thought the picture on the tag looked pretty. I planted them in my vegetable garden and didn't know what to expect.

They grew HUGE and are BEAUTIFUL! Even better, I've done absolutely nothing to help them. Gorgeous blooms that last forever, no deadheading, the pollinators love them, and they are so showy!!

Sometimes my random flower purchases do not go well, but this one was a win! I'm definitely going to be planting cleome from here on out.

#cleome #spiderflower #flowersinvegetablegardens #pollinatorfriendly #beelove #iowagardening #midwestgardening #zone5gardening #whatsblooming

❇️ What's Blooming Day #10 ❇️ 💚 Green + White 🤍

❇️ What's Blooming Day #10 ❇️

💚 Green + White 🤍

For this planter, I went with all greens and whites! I wanted to see if the textures, shapes, sizes, and blooms would stand out without using any other colors.

I put a Kimberly Queen Fern in the back, Tropical White Sunpatients, a varigated hosta, white Bacopa, Wire Vine, and Diamond Frost Euphorbia all fill in the front.

It's been an easy planter (other than the Japanese Beetles finding it 😬). With all the rain, I've hardly even had to water it!

While most annual planters feature bright colors, this planter has shown me that neutral is beautiful too!

#greenandwhite #whiteflowers #neutralplanter #kimberlyqueenfern #tropicalwhitesunpatients #sunpatiens #bacopa #whitebacopa #wirevine #diamondfrosteuphorbia #iowagardening #annualplanter #midwestgardening

❇️ What's Blooming Day #9 ❇️ 🫘 Beans! These Kent

❇️ What's Blooming Day #9 ❇️

🫘 Beans!

These Kentucky Pole Beans are really going wild. I typically only grow bush beans, but I decided to plant a few pole beans next to my trellis this year.

I think the blossoms are really pretty, and it's fun to pick all of the beans hanging down from the plant!

I'm amazed 100% of the time how little seeds can do so much in a small amount of time.

The third picture is the seeds I planted. This was May 26th, about 75 days ago.

#polebeans #trellisbeans #beanblossoms #iowagarden #littlegardenhelper #zone5gardening #midwestgardening

❇️ What's Blooming Day #8 ❇️ 🌸 Plumeria 🌸 Yes, t

❇️ What's Blooming Day #8 ❇️

🌸 Plumeria 🌸

Yes, the blossoms smell amazing. Not quite like the plumeria body spray I used in junior high, though. 😜 Much better!

These tropical plants do have to be brought inside for the winter, since I live in #zone5. When the temperature is consistently below 50 degrees, it's time to bring them in.

They are super easy and forgiving. I basically neglect them all winter, they drop all their leaves, look kind of sad, and still perk right up when I bring them back outside in the spring!

You can easily propagate plumeria. Each stem can be cut off and replanted as a new plant. They grow a lot every year! I've had to chop mine sometimes just to get through the door. 🙈

Plumeria like to be watered, and will reward you with beautiful, sweet smelling blossoms!

#plumeria #plumeriaplant #iowagardening #midwestgardening #sweetsmellingflowers #tropicalplants #zone5gardening

❇️ What's Blooming Day #7 ❇️ 🌽 Iowa State Fair Ed

❇️ What's Blooming Day #7 ❇️

🌽 Iowa State Fair Edition 🌽

We spent the day at the Great Iowa State Fair, one of the best places in the world! If you are headed to the fair, make sure to notice all of the gorgeous plants and flowers. They all looked so beautiful and really add so much to the fair.

One of my favorite places to visit at the fair is the Discovery Garden, right outside of the Ag building. It is maintained by the Polk County Master Gardeners, and they do a fantastic job. I love how everything is labeled, too! This is a great way to see what certain trees, shrubs, and flowers look like in real life.

Inside the Ag building, there are always lots of flower exhibits on display. They are beautiful and I just love seeing what everyone is growing.

I've never entered flowers at the state fair, but I want to set a goal to do it!

#statefairfloral #iowastatefair #discoverygarden

❇️ What's Blooming Day #6 ❇️ 🪻 Morning Glories!

❇️ What's Blooming Day #6 ❇️

🪻 Morning Glories!

I decided to plant a package of "mixed climbing flowers" in between my cucumbers this year. I thought it would be fun to have blooming flowers on my trellis.

While the cucumbers are still overpowering for the most part, the flowers are staying strong and making their presence known!

I love to go out in the garden in the morning, and these cheerful morning glories have made me smile every day since they started blooming. Then sure enough, they close up at night!

#whatsblooming #iowagarden #morningglories #cucumbersandflowers #midwestgardening #augustblooms #flowersfromseed

❇️ What's Blooming Day #5 ❇️ 🌺 Hardy Hibiscus!

❇️ What's Blooming Day #5 ❇️

🌺 Hardy Hibiscus!

Boy oh boy do these flowers test our patience! They are one of the last to emerge in the spring. Every year I'm convinced they are dead. Then sure enough, they start to grow!

After a couple months, we finally get to enjoy the big beautiful blossoms of our hardy hibiscus. The blooms do not last long, but there are typically so many blossoms that I hardly notice.

Many hardy hibiscus get very large, but there are some varieties that stay a more manageable size. Check out the last picture to see one I planted at a client's house! This is its FIRST year and I'm thrilled with how well it's doing!

For a beautiful, tropical vibe, even in the Midwest, don't be afraid to try a hardy hibiscus!

#hardyhibiscus #hardyhibiscus🌺 #iowagardening #mixedperennials #midwestgardening #pinkflowers🌸

❇️ What's Blooming Day #4 ❇️ 🦋 Butterfly Weed! Y

❇️ What's Blooming Day #4 ❇️

🦋 Butterfly Weed!

Yes, "weed" is in the name, but this one is actually great! (Sorry thistles) It's even a native Iowa perennial!

I have several orange butterfly weed plants, but I think this yellow one (Hello Yellow) is really fun and a little more unique.

And if you're wondering if they actually attract butterflies and pollinators, YES, they do!

If you see one of these for sale, pick it up! They are pretty, super easy, and you're helping the pollinators. 💛

#butterflyweed #helloyellow #nativeiowaplants #helpthepollinators #monarchbutterfly #welovemonarchs #iowagardening #perennialbed #midwestgardening #butterflyrelease #flymonarchsfly

❇️ What's Blooming Day #3 ❇️ 💮 Thistles! Talk ab

❇️ What's Blooming Day #3 ❇️

💮 Thistles!

Talk about an easy to grow, low maintenance plant, thistles are one of the best! They will grow about anywhere... vegetable gardens, perennial beds, strawberry patches, even right up the middle of established perennials!

Thistles may start small, but in no time they will be several feet tall. They will develop buds and then give you beautiful purple flowers. This also helps them spread their seeds. Yay.

Best of all, thistles are free! They just show up and grow. They even spread around your yard and self seed without any work from you!

As an added bonus, they do a great job puncturing your skin when you are nearby.

💮 Let me know if you want me to divide any of my thistles. I'm happy to share!

#thistlesaretheworst #ihatethistles #weedsstink #thistlesofinstagram #bloomingweeds #iowagardening #zone5gardening #midwestgardening

❇️ What's Blooming Day #2 ❇️ 🪷 Daylilies! Reliab

❇️ What's Blooming Day #2 ❇️

🪷 Daylilies!

Reliable, cold hardy, pretty colors, different petal styles, low-maintenance, few pests, easy to divide...lots of positives for daylilies!

Alone they are not my favorite, but I love them in a mixed perennial bed. If you have some different varieties, you can have blooms for several months!

And if your kids pick the flowers, no worries! They were only going to last one day anyway! 😉

If you're looking for something easy and reliable, you can't go wrong with daylilies!

#daylilies
#iowagardening #midwestgardening #zone5gardening #perennialbed #daylily #easyperennials #lowmaintenancegarden

❇️ What's Blooming Day #1 ❇️ This full sun annual

❇️ What's Blooming Day #1 ❇️

This full sun annual planter has been EASY and BEAUTIFUL all season long. I put it together a little bit randomly, and I've been SO pleased! I would highly recommend any of these flowers.

EASY to me means no/few pests, no deadheading necessary, and not too picky about watering schedules. Yes, please!

🏵️ What's planted:
Purple Fountain Grass in the center
Scaevola (fan flower)
Plectranthus
Helichrysum (licorice plant)
Silver Falls Dichondra
Dusty Miller

This is planted in full sun. It's been hit with storms, strong winds, hot sun, and it just keeps going strong through it all!

#fullsunannuals #planterideas #easyplanter #beautifulplanters #easycareflowers #iowagardening #zone5gardening #purplefountaingrass #scaevola #plectranthus #licoriceplant #dustymiller #varigatedscaevola #urnplanters #planterinspo #midwestgardening

🩷🩷🩷 Supertunia Vista Bubblegum 🩷🩷🩷 This flower is

🩷🩷🩷 Supertunia Vista Bubblegum 🩷🩷🩷

This flower is out of control. If you see it at the garden center, it probably looks like any other nice little petunia in it's grow pot, but it's not!! It's magic!

I plant it in some form every year. I've learned that it doesn't make friends with other flowers very well, and just takes over, so choose your pairings wisely. 😉

You can mix it with other @provenwinners #supertunia varieties and it should be okay, but #supertuniabubblegum is the most vigorous of them all!

What CAN work with them?
➡️ Graceful grasses King Tut
➡️ Purple fountain Grass
➡️ Rockin playin the blues Salvia
➡️ Others in the supertunia vista line

You can always trim them back, especially if they are getting leggy. They will grow right back!

For fertilizer, I use a slow release granular fertilizer when planting, and then water soluble about once a week. They are heavy feeders! (Like lots of fertilizer)

The last 2 pictures are from #adventureland last summer! It's fun to spot Bubblegum out and about!

#provenwinnersannuals
#petuniapot #supertunia #supertuniavistabubblegum #pinkflowers🌸 #pinkannuals #pinksummerflowers

Life is short...cut your flowers and bring inside

Life is short...cut your flowers and bring inside or share!

Sissy and I cut some of our beautiful peonies yesterday. Now we're enjoying them on our table AND outside in the flower beds.

You can cut them at "marshmallow" stage or beyond, and they will open in the vase. (Squishy buds, not too firm)

Always cut at an angle, and place in water as soon as possible.

Cutting first thing in the morning, or later in the evening is best.

To extend bloom life, recut the stems every 2-3 days, and give them fresh water.

ENJOY THEM!

💗🩷💗

#cutpeonies #pinkpeonies #cutflowers #howtocutpeonies #freshflowers #midwestflowers #enjoyyourflowers

❄️ Winter Planters ❄️ Thank goodness for cut gree

❄️ Winter Planters ❄️

Thank goodness for cut greens and pretty adornments during the season where we can't have pretty flowers outside.

I like to use a mix of greens, both because I think it's more interesting, and they dry/brown at different times.

➡️ Creating a winter planter has the same concepts as summer planters.
➡️ We want to have our THRILLER (tall/showy), FILLER (middle/pretty), and SPILLER (drapes).
➡️ You can choose the color scheme to coordinate with your holiday decor, or stick with natural looking greens/browns.

❄️ Save for inspiration for next year!

#winterplanters #holidayplanters #winterplanterideas #christmasplanters #cutgreenery #forageforgreens #prettywinterplants #diywinterplanter

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