Shade Garden Secrets with Stacy Ling of Bricks 'n Blooms: Companion Plants, Pollinators & Season-Long Color

<p>Do your shade gardens look amazing in June but tired and empty by midsummer? Wondering how to keep color, texture, blooms, butterflies, and hummingbirds coming all season long—even when deer and rabbits threaten your hard work?</p><p><strong>This week on Hosta la Vista: The Friendship Plant Podcast, Betsy Peterson and Mandy Olson welcome gardening expert, author, Master Gardener, YouTuber, and Bricks &#39;n Blooms founder Stacy Ling.</strong></p><p>Featured in <strong>Better Homes &amp; Gardens, Architectural Digest, Fine Gardening, Garden Design, Horticulture Magazine, USA Today, Birds &amp; Blooms, People Magazine, Live with Kelly &amp; Mark</strong>, and <strong>HGTV,</strong> Stacy helps gardeners create beautiful, low-maintenance landscapes that thrive throughout the growing season.</p><p>In this episode, Stacy shares strategies for creating lush, layered gardens that never look boring. Whether you garden in deep shade, part shade, or full sun, you&#39;ll learn how to combine perennials, annuals, foliage plants, and flowering plants for continuous interest from spring through fall.</p><p>We tackle two of gardeners&#39; biggest frustrations: deer and rabbits. Stacy shares practical approaches to protect your garden while creating a landscape that&#39;s beautiful, welcoming, and full of life.</p><p>Stacy also reveals the companion planting techniques and design principles she uses to keep her own New Jersey gardens looking magazine-worthy all season long.</p><p>In this episode you&#39;ll discover:<br>• The secret to keeping a shade garden attractive from spring through fall<br>• Companion plants that pair beautifully with hostas and other shade perennials<br>• How to mix annuals and perennials for nonstop color and interest<br>• Easy ways to attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators<br>• What actually works when deer and rabbits damage your garden<br>• The biggest mistakes gardeners make when designing shade beds<br>• How to create layers, texture, and structure that look great all season<br>• Stacy&#39;s favorite plants for extending the gardening season</p><p>We also discuss Stacy&#39;s journey from attorney to one of gardening&#39;s most recognizable online voices, the growth of Bricks &#39;n Blooms, her bestselling gardening books, and her upcoming release, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/filling-your-home-with-life-stacy-ling/1149525254?ean=9798887697567" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><em>Filling Your Home with Life: A No-Fail Guide to Styling Your Space with the Perfect Plants</em></a>, arriving October 6, 2026.</p><p>Whether you&#39;re growing Hostas, building a pollinator garden, battling deer, or looking for practical garden design ideas, this episode is packed with inspiration and actionable advice.</p><p>Follow Stacy Ling and Bricks &#39;n Blooms:</p><p>Website: <a href="https://stacyling.com/">https://stacyling.com</a><br>YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@BricksNBlooms">https://www.youtube.com/@BricksNBlooms</a><br>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bricksnblooms">https://www.instagram.com/bricksnblooms</a><br>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bricksnblooms">https://www.facebook.com/bricksnblooms</a><br>Pinterest: <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/bricksnblooms">https://www.pinterest.com/bricksnblooms</a><br>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@bricksnblooms">https://www.tiktok.com/@bricksnblooms</a></p><p>Follow Hosta la Vista: The Friendship Plant Podcast:</p><p>Website: <a href="https://hostalavista.org/">https://hostalavista.org</a><br>YouTube: <a href="https://youtube.com/@hostalavistapodcast">https://youtube.com/@hostalavistapodcast</a><br>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hostalavistapodcast/">https://www.facebook.com/hostalavistapodcast/</a><br>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mandoziz">https://www.tiktok.com/@mandoziz</a><br>Spotify: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/231XECpOogYIlghZQ1EPzg">https://ope