The Phoenix Garden Party

Saturday's Garden Party was so much fun! The Home Depot is hosting these #SpringMadeSimple events all over the country this month and next, where you can come and meet with a local blogger and learn about gardening from an expert.  I was in charge of the pot-painting table at Phoenix's Garden Party, and it was a blast to get to chat with local readers and do a little crafting. We used Sharpie paint pens to decorate little terracotta pots before planting them with succulents.

Our gardening expert talked to us about how to keep succulents alive and happy and he shared how to make these really cool raised beds planted with SALSA ingredients!! Genius. He also whipped up that stack of pots in about five minutes flat by stringing the pots on a dowel through the drainage holes. I thought that was pretty clever.

This is Jim, our gardening expert and all-around nice guy. He said succulents like to be flooded and then dried out. So rather than watering them on a schedule (like you might do with other houseplants), it's best to stick your finger in the succulent's soil and if it's completely dry for a knuckle or two, the plant is probably ready to be flooded again. Interesting, right?

Jim was a wealth of gardening knowledge and was so fun to chat with while doodling on my pot. I went with a sort of marbelized pattern using my Sharpie paint pens. Those things are pretty amazing, btw. Have you tried them yet?

Michael and the girls came by toward the very end of the event and the girls jumped right in with coloring and planting.

Evie would have made a hundred pots if we had let her. She was totally in her element.

This was right as she was telling me about what she was going to draw on her third pot.

And this was right after I told her that two pots was plenty. #devastated

It was a really fun event. Thanks to The Home Depot for inviting me to host, and a BIG thanks to those of you that came out for the party - especially those of you that drove almost an hour from across the Valley. Nicest readers ever. :)

To sign up for the Home Depot's Garden club (which has all sorts of tips and tricks and ideas for gardeners of all skill levels), head on over here. PS I learned at the event that signing up for the Garden Club is the one of the only ways to get coupons to the Home Depot.  :)