Fostering Blooms

Shannon Foster-Boline and Caitlyn Blum
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Two friends, one passion for gardening. Welcome to Fostering Blooms — where the beauty of the garden is designed for life. Join Shannon Foster-Boline and Caitlyn Blum, two friends and neighbors, as they cultivate stunning gardens and bring the richness of nature into their homes. From growing lush English-style borders to designing pastoral homesteads, they'll guide you through every bloom, bounty, and blunder along the way. Alongside garden projects, they'll dive into garden design, cooking with homegrown vegetables, and creating floral arrangements with the flowers they grow. It's not just about cultivating beautiful spaces — it's about using the garden to nourish the home, table, and soul. Don't miss our recurring "Garden Ready" series — monthly episodes packed with essential tasks to keep your garden thriving through every season. Whether it's pruning in winter or harvesting in fall, you'll know exactly what to focus on each month. With a love for flowers, vegetables, and self-sufficiency, Shannon and Cait share heartwarming stories, practical tips, and creative inspiration for turning garden dreams into reality. Whether you're planting your first seed, growing a garden to sustain your family, or crafting floral designs that bring nature indoors, Fostering Blooms will leave you inspired to grow more than just plants — but a home, a community, and a life connected to nature. Tune in for gardening advice, seasonal inspiration, and a whole lot of heart from two women with dirty hands and big dreams.

  1. 27.12.2025

    Meaningful Homemade Gifts Using What You Grow - Episode 48

    In this episode of Fostering Blooms, we share how we create meaningful homemade gifts using what we grow, preserve, and make throughout the year. What started as a simple idea turned into a six-month journey of crafting thoughtful holiday gifts straight from the garden, kitchen, and home apothecary. We talk through everything included in our handmade gifts—herbal tea blends, salves and balms, goat milk soap, lip balm, oxymels, shrubs, wine grape jelly, sourdough crackers, granola, dried citrus, chili flakes, and more—along with what we grew ourselves, what we sourced, and what we learned along the way. This episode is about more than gift baskets. It's about the confidence that comes from learning new skills, the joy of using what you already have, and how growing even a few herbs can open the door to homemade remedies, pantry staples, and heartfelt gifts. If you're interested in simple living, herbalism, preserving food, or garden-to-table gifting, this episode will inspire you to start where you are—and maybe begin planning for what you'll grow and make next season.

    23 мин.

  2. 24.12.2025

    Garden Ready December: Easy End-of-Year Gardening Tasks for Zone 7 and Beyond - Episode 47

    December may be busy, but there's still plenty you can do in the garden — without overworking yourself. In this Garden Ready December episode of Fostering Blooms, we share practical, low-stress gardening tasks to help protect your plants, finish the season strong, and prepare for a healthier spring. We cover everything from planting bulbs late, cleaning up frost-killed plants, and lightly pruning roses, to preventing black spot, mulching garlic and strawberries, and using frost cloths correctly. You'll also learn why December is an ideal time for preventative rose care, how to handle hellebores, and what garden chores are actually okay to skip. Plus, we talk about unhooking hoses and irrigation, organizing seed trays, shopping for seeds and grow lights, and why feeding and cleaning bird feeders matters so much this time of year. Whether you're gardening in Zone 7, the Southeast, or anywhere with winter weather, this episode will help you feel confident, calm, and ready for January — all while leaving room to rest and enjoy the holidays.

    21 мин.

  3. 05.12.2025

    How to Make Goat Milk Soap at Home: Our First Batch + Beginner Tips - Episode 46

    Curious about how to make goat milk soap at home? In this episode of Fostering Blooms, we walk you through our very first attempt at DIY goat milk soap—from gathering supplies to mastering lye safety, blending oils, choosing scents, and cutting our final bars. We break down the exact process we used, what we learned (including what not to do!), how much everything cost, and how many bars we actually made for holiday gifts. We talk about: • Freezing goat milk for soap making • Using lye safely and preventing scorched milk • The oils and butters we used (coconut, olive, shea, almond, safflower) • Achieving trace with an immersion blender • Adding essential oils, lavender buds, and oats • Mold types, curing time, and storage • Full cost comparison vs. store-bought goat milk soap Whether you're a homesteader, gardener wanting to make handmade gifts, or a total beginner looking for a step-by-step guide, this episode gives you everything you need to try goat milk soap yourself. If you've ever wondered how to make natural soap, how to use lye safely, or whether homemade goat milk soap is worth it—this episode breaks it all down.

    27 мин.

  4. 05.11.2025

    How to Create a White Garden: Inspired by Classic English Design - Episode 45

    Dream garden unlocked! In this episode of Fostering Blooms, Shannon walks us through designing and installing a courtyard knot garden / parterre inspired by classic English white gardens at Sissinghurst and Hidcote—think boxwood edging, yew "sofa" hedging, limestone gravel paths, and lush white blooms that carry interest through the seasons. We talk layout math (hello precision!), off-center paths that look perfectly centered, and how to blend a modern home with historical garden style. You'll hear how the space evolved—killing the lawn, setting four equal parterre squares with keyhole cutouts, adding spiral topiary moments, and creating a Mediterranean-leaning gravel zone for flow and access. We dig into plant picks (from white catmint, foxglove, phlox 'David', Culver's root, cosmos 'Sonata White', lavender, alliums, poppies and more) and why western sun exposure plus koi-pond humidity shaped the choices. Shannon also swaps a bamboo planter for a whimsical medlar tree (yes, the Shakespeare fruit!) and shares tips for pacing, filming progress, and keeping maintenance flexible for future gardeners. Takeaways: How to design a small-scale knot garden/parterre you can view from above Using hedging structure with airy, abundant white plantings Gravel, screenings, and pathways for circulation (and moving furniture!) Year-round interest planning in a hot, reflective courtyard Two must-have whites for staying power: catmint and foxglove If you love formal structure + romantic abundance, this one's your blueprint. Follow along on IG for the before/after and planting day reveals—then let's go grow, baby.

    32 мин.

  5. 25.10.2025

    Garden Ready October: What to Harvest, Plant & Prep Before Frost Hits

    Fall may be here, but your garden isn't done yet! In this cozy, laugh-filled October chat, Shannon and Caitlyn share what's still thriving, what they're harvesting (spoiler: chili peppers and bean chaos), and what you can still plant before the first frost. From garlic and shallots to arugula and tatsoi, they break down exactly what you can do now to stay garden-ready through November. You'll hear stories about runaway sweet potato vines, tangled bean towers, and why sometimes a weed tree can be a trellis. The duo also covers how to divide perennials, prep for winter, save leaves for next year's mulch, and make peace with procrastination (because we're all behind this time of year). Let's go grow, baby! 🌿✨ Show Notes Sweet Potatoes: We have confirmed it! Sweet potatoes grow from a single tuber (or "slip") that sends out long, vining stems. Along those vines, nodes will root wherever they touch the soil — but typically, only the original planting site forms the main cluster of sweet potatoes. The rooted nodes might form small tubers, but the bulk of the harvest develops right beneath the original plant. Cutting the vines back during the season won't harm your crop and can actually help keep them contained. Rio Zape Beans: Shannon definitely made an oopsie! Rio Zape beans are a vining (pole-type) shelling bean — not a true bush type — so they'll happily climb trellises or other plants nearby. Give them support and space to sprawl, and they'll reward you with beautiful, richly flavored beans.

    26 мин.

  6. 04.10.2025

    ChatGPT in the Garden: How AI Is Changing the Way We Grow - Episode 43

    AI in the garden? Yep. In this episode, Shannon and Cait share how they use "Chat Cath" (their nickname for ChatGPT) as a practical garden consultant—while staying thoughtful about environmental impacts and double-checking advice with real-world experience. You'll hear how they: build succession and crop-rotation plans for every bed track sow dates and auto-generate next-season calendars right-size plant quantities and verify spacing create custom organic fertilizer mixes per crop/bed translate soil test photos into plain-English actions dial in irrigation timing (pots, beds, drip) ID pests/diseases from photos and choose organic responses design planting combos (including a white knot garden) keep a voice-driven, searchable garden journal If you're curious how AI can remove admin work so you can spend more time growing, this one's for you. Let's go grow, baby!

    23 мин.

  7. 24.09.2025

    Save Seeds, Save Money: How to Harvest, Dry & Store for Next Year's Garden - Episode 42

    Save seeds, save money! 🌱 Shannon and Cait share how to harvest, dry, and store seeds from flowers and veggies—plus which ones actually come true next year and which don't. It's seed-saving season! We walk through exactly how to collect, dry, label, and store seeds from flowers and veggies you're growing right now—and how this simple habit can save you real money year after year. Learn what must dry on the plant vs. what you can scoop from ripe fruit, how to tell chaff from viable seed, and simple storage tricks that preserve germination. We chat zinnias, dahlias, celosia, echinacea, foxglove, nigella, arugula, cilantro/coriander, tomatoes, peppers, shelling beans, peas, favas, and more—plus quick tips on F1 hybrids vs. heirlooms so you know what will (and won't) come true next year. Show Notes: Cucumber note: Diamant & Diva are F1 (don't expect true-to-type from saved seed). Zinnia note: Queeny Red Lime (saving is fun, but to keep it "true," you'd need to bag blooms to prevent cross-pollination). Varieties mentioned by name: Celosia 'Sangria', Nigella 'Albion', Black Krim (heirloom), Chef's Choice (F1), piquillo & Calabrian peppers, Nairobi snap peas.

    27 мин.

  8. 17.09.2025

    What to Plant This Fall: 30+ Annuals, Perennials & Shrubs - Episode 41

    Think mums are your only option for fall color? Think again. In this episode, Shannon and Caitlyn share over 30 annuals, perennials, shrubs, and seeds you can plant right now for vibrant fall color—and a head start on spring blooms. Show Notes (Plant List): Annuals: pansies, violas, ornamental kale & cabbage, snapdragons, calendula, dusty miller, dianthus, chrysanthemums Perennials: asters, peonies, irises, hardy geraniums, lavender, hellebores, ferns, hostas, sedum, daylilies, echinacea Seeds to Sow Now: Iceland poppies, California poppies, eryngium ('Miss Wilmott's Ghost'), nigella, bells of Ireland, ammi, rudbeckia, bachelor's buttons, lupine, coneflowers, milkweed, monarda, wallflowers Shrubs & Trees: roses, hydrangeas, mock orange, serviceberry, spirea, boxwood, yew, laurel, thuja, camellias, ginkgo (male) Bonus Favorites: Japanese anemones, Swiss chard, kale

    18 мин.
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Two friends, one passion for gardening. Welcome to Fostering Blooms — where the beauty of the garden is designed for life. Join Shannon Foster-Boline and Caitlyn Blum, two friends and neighbors, as they cultivate stunning gardens and bring the richness of nature into their homes. From growing lush English-style borders to designing pastoral homesteads, they'll guide you through every bloom, bounty, and blunder along the way. Alongside garden projects, they'll dive into garden design, cooking with homegrown vegetables, and creating floral arrangements with the flowers they grow. It's not just about cultivating beautiful spaces — it's about using the garden to nourish the home, table, and soul. Don't miss our recurring "Garden Ready" series — monthly episodes packed with essential tasks to keep your garden thriving through every season. Whether it's pruning in winter or harvesting in fall, you'll know exactly what to focus on each month. With a love for flowers, vegetables, and self-sufficiency, Shannon and Cait share heartwarming stories, practical tips, and creative inspiration for turning garden dreams into reality. Whether you're planting your first seed, growing a garden to sustain your family, or crafting floral designs that bring nature indoors, Fostering Blooms will leave you inspired to grow more than just plants — but a home, a community, and a life connected to nature. Tune in for gardening advice, seasonal inspiration, and a whole lot of heart from two women with dirty hands and big dreams.

Информация

  • Автор
    Shannon Foster-Boline and Caitlyn Blum
  • Годы выхода
    2 тыс.
  • Выпуски
    48
  • Ограничения
    Без ненормативной лексики
  • Авторские права
    Fostering Blooms ©2024
  • Сайт подкаста
    Fostering Blooms

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