Part two of growing organic roses! Tips 1-3 were shared in my last post. Check them out here.

Tip 4. Create a happy biome for your roses:

This concept is something that takes time, and I am constantly learning new tricks! But here’s the gist: your roses will be happier when nature is happy all around them.

For example, destructive bugs are less of a problem when their predators are around and there are plenty of happy birds attracted to keep them under control.
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One example of this would be, keep a birdbath nearby, which will attract birds, which will eat the bugs that eat your roses.

Or, do some research on partner plantings so that you can deter certain insects without spraying.

Or, don’t be so quick to wipe that spider web off of your roses. He may be eating the bad guys.

There are entire books written on this topic, so this tip is just meant to introduce you to the concept. I have also learned a lot on this from YouTube videos. Books or magazines on organic gardening are your friends – they will guide you in creating a balanced biome for your plants!

Tip 5. Your roses don’t have to be perfect!

This tip is simply meant to remind you that, nature is at its most beautiful when it is not sterile or manufactured. So, if your rose leaves do not look flawless, that actually adds to the charm.

Spraying chemicals for perfect roses is unnecessary! Let your roses be real and gorgeous, just like you. YES!

Speaking of sprays…
Don’t miss my top-secret Rose treatment COMPLETELY natural spray recipe from my last post. It is completely organic and will help so much with bugs and disease.

Use in the evening, and only as needed, of course! Using it “as needed” will help keep a happy organic biome.

Organic roses are possible! Head into it with determination. The beauty is worth it!!!

So tell me…. are you going to attempt organic roses?

So you want to grow roses but they are too fussy and need all those chemical sprays?

I am on a mission to debunk that, with the help and guidance of those who have gone before me!

Confession: I am still a newbie, but I already have learned (and studied) so much. But I have been seeing so much success in my rose garden – And I am going to pass my cliffs notes to you. Because roses are dreamy and romantic… and definitely not as hard as I thought!

Today is part one of my cliffs notes: How to grow easy, gorgeous, organic roses:

1. Select modern roses that are disease resistant. 
My faves are David Austin English Roses, but I also have an Eden Climber and plan on trying Cinderella. Most modern roses are bred to survive in a chemical-free garden.

2. Compost like crazy!
Well balanced soil environment prevents disease (Same for your body btw!). Compost heavily in early spring (with organic compost) and cover the surrounding area with 2 to 3 inches of good quality mulch. YES! Three!!

3. Have natural solutions:
Keep sprays on hand for pest and disease problems (that may crop up) that are easy and low maintenance. I have amazing sprays made from my fave essential oils that work!! And my roses love them. I usually only spray once a week, or after rainfall. Or as needed when I spot too many pests.

Below is my secret recipe to my beloved organic rose treatment spray. You can easily snag all of the goodies for making this rose treatment HERE (select the suggested products).

Darlene’s Organic Rose Treatment

(Spray in Early Evening)

In a spray bottle, add:

• 12 oz. water
• 2 Tablespoons Thieves Dish Soap
• 20 drops each: Clove EO, Peppermint EO, Thyme EO and Rosemary EO

More organic rose tips (part two) coming at ya later this week!!!

Do you have beige carpet…. That drives you CRAZY?? Maybe you rent and have no choice. Maybe it is not the right time to upgrade. Maybe your resources are better spent somewhere else. But that beige…. needs…. something….

I have several ideas for you on how to BUST through that design dilemma!

(Want more like this? Check out my other Lessons In Design posts.)

So, you have beige carpets. And you wish they weren’t so…. boring. Here is how to make those carpets work for you, like you meant it!

1. Layer with Additional Rugs

(via La Dolce Vita)

Allow beige to fade away by using it as a canvas for fun, colorful, or beautiful rugs. Select different size rugs to achieve different effects on your decor:

• Toss down small throw rugs, on either side of a bed, for example, to break up the beige and add color and function.
• Delineate a conversation area using a medium-size rug.
• Pull the eye to the center of a space with the use of a larger area rug. This solution causes beige carpet to disappear into the background
• Try layering a faux animal skin rug over your beige carpet, adding the additional sculptural interest of shape!

2. Keep the Rest of the Room Bright

(via apartment therapy)

“Ugh, my beige carpet is so DULL!”

When your decor feels dull, a good policy is to simply brighten things up. Use fresh, lively colors, plenty of white, and plenty of good lighting. Here, white walls, colorful pillows, dreamy textures and bold patterns keep this room from feeling dreary. And the window treatments are removed to maximize brightness.

PS Check out these designer recommendations for white paint color, one of the hardest colors to pick out.

(via Veranda)

Distract and draw the eye up!

Add a dramatic display as a focal point in your space. Here, the styled bookshelves, huge mirror, and luxe furnishings add texture, color and vibrancy to all that beige beige beige.

Beige carpeting may be one of your least favorite decor features. But, when you study the ways that designers have purposefully incorporated a beige foundation into their designs and study what goes with them, you will find simple ways to allow the beige to fade into the background.

Do YOU have a beige carpet? Which of these solutions can you see yourself using?

MY GENEROUS BLOG SPONSOR:

This blog post is generously sponsored by my YL. My Young Living essential oils are also a passion of mine, and the oils are so well loved that they sponsor my blog!!! Thank you, friends! Enroll by clicking here. You will not regret it! You NEED these amazing bottles of life-loving oils (that don’t even COMPARE to the cheap-y stink oils) in your life!!

I am SUPER excited about the new Premium Starter Kit. You are going to LOVE it… unless you hate things that smell heavenly and make you smile. #spaliving #livewithbeauty #wellness #MyHouseSmellsLikeASpa

Questions? Because I know you are curious!! Head here:

*****

Take daily, bite-size steps toward living in a home you LOVE: Be sure to subscribe to FHD via email, bloglovin, your fave reader, and follow Fieldstone Hill on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

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Don’t miss a single post from Fieldstone Hill Design! Have regular decorating goodness delivered {free!} directly to your inbox.

{This post contains affiliate links. Thank you so much for reading and supporting FHD! }

OK, fair warning.I have been cooking up this post for a LONG time.

You see, I am a mom of three lovely children.

I homeschool them and also have a work gig that I run mostly online. I run my kids around to a variety of activities and events. I am a wife. And a daughter. And a sister. And a friend. I run myself around trying to juggle our household and make sure my gray roots don’t get too out of hand. You get the picture.

I want the world for my kids.

You get that, right? You may feel the very same way.

I want my kids to get a great education. I want them to have a relationship with God and walk with Him. I want them to love and be kind to their siblings. I want them to be well-rounded and have lots of experiences. I would love for them to see parts of the world and have their horizons opened before them. I want them to know scripture. I want them to have enthusiasm and optimism and a thirst for life. I want them to learn a good work ethic and be a team player. I want them to think outside the box and know how to work inside of it too. I want them to try soccer, and ballet, and piano. I want them to have some time on their hands, from time to time. I want them to experience boredom and for them to creatively work their way out of it.

But I do NOT care if they have a dozen cookies at their next concert gathering.

And, I do not care if they have a 3 course snack at every. single. soccer. practice.

And, I do not care if they have a fully painted, life-like backdrop for their class presentation.

And, I do not care if they have yet another ‘successful’ fund raiser, taking up 38 hours out of our week.

And, I do not care if they make it to state champs at age 7 after 98 hours of practice this week alone, not including the 10 summer camps they had to do to qualify.

And I do not care if they build the Roman colosseum using only egg noodles and ear wax.

And, I do not care if my young ballerina has a required 40 piece makeup set, curated with exact specifications.

This drowning-of-mothers….

has GOT. TO. STOP.

Why is that ‘participation’ has become a life sentence down the Snack-Sign-Up-Rabit-Hole? When… How did this happen? I GET that ‘it takes a village,’ but WHY is the village trying to build the Taj Mahal with 9 year olds and their moms?

PLEASE, please do not ask me for a dozen cookies.

Because, my tween just back-talked me… and I need to have time to sit with him and teach him about life and respect and how I love him no matter what.

PLEASE, please do not ask me for a dozen cookies.

Because my middle child is sensitive, and he needs time to walk with me in the back yard, at a slow pace.

PLEASE, please do not ask me for a dozen cookies.

Because my three year wants braids…  and braids take time, and I really want to say yes while she is still asking me.

PLEASE, please do not ask me for a dozen cookies.

Because my family needs home cooked meals and slow moments and bedtime stories. And cookies.

Do not ask me for a dozen cookies. Because I am a mother. And a wife. And a daughter. And that “loving well” thing??? Well, that takes time…

* Author’s Note: We are personally fortunate to have found some lower pressure groups for our kids.  We have had to be very mindful in our search about how much of a “job” it will be for our family to participate. This article is not about moms exercising their right to say “no,” but rather it is about how ridiculous and out-of-proportion the pressures and demands and extra commitments of extra-curricular activities have become.  I am, fortunately, good at drawing the line for my family… and we still get asked to do much “stuff.” Oh, and also, this is not about cookies, just in case you have not figured that out.
 

MY GENEROUS BLOG SPONSOR:

This blog post is generously sponsored by my YL. My Young Living essential oils are also a serious passion of mine, and the oils are so well loved that they sponsor my blog!!! Thank you, friends!  Enroll by clicking here. You will not regret it! You NEED NEED NEED these amazing bottles of life-loving oils (that don’t even COMPARE to the cheap-y stink oils) in your life!! Do not look back, jump in and join us, and find out WHY we feel empowered by these happy bottles.

I am SUPER excited about the new Premium Starter Kit. You are going to LOVE it… unless, of course, you hate things that smell heavenly and make you smile. #spaliving #livewithbeauty #wellness #MyHouseSmellsLikeASpa

Questions? Because I know you are curious!! Head here:

*****

Take daily, bite-size steps toward living in a home you LOVE: Be sure to subscribe to FHD via email, bloglovin, your fave reader, and follow Fieldstone Hill on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

* * *

 Don’t miss a single post from Fieldstone Hill Design! Have regular decorating goodness delivered {free!} directly to your inbox.

{This post contains affiliate links. Thank you so much  for reading and supporting FHD! }