Inspired by our big, fresh-from-the-farm bouquets of peonies, we recently pulled a few stems from the bunch to create a thoughtful, DIY gift for Mother's Day. Simple and sweet, our spring posies are a one-of-a-kind way to celebrate Mom, Grandmom, and all the ladies in our lives. Finished with twine ties and sprigs of feathery dianthus, fresh-cut posies make easy gifts or colorful additions to packages and the brunch tabletop.

To create our posies, we chose a variety of blossoms-- some fully open, and some nearly ready to bloom. After snipping the stems to around 7 inches, we filled out each arrangement with fresh dianthus. A quick, knotted wrap of twine around the stems completes the bouquet. Any favorite bloom, from meadow wildflowers to the bright ranunculus we chose above, also makes for a perfect posy.

Foreground: peonies, dianthus; Background: ranunculus, dianthus

Along with flowers in bloom and the return of sunshine, one of the most-anticipated elements of spring at terrain is the arrival of wedding season. This year, as we prepared the garden for a summer of celebrations, we looked back at some of our favorite recent weddings and caught up with one bride, Philly photographer Courtney Apple, to hear the story of her special day.

terrain: First, can you tell us a little about you and your husband?

Courtney: Bill and I are complete opposites—he’s fearless and incredibly spontaneous, while I’m much more practical, and grounded—but the contrast works for us and we have been together for over eight years.

I’m a photographer, but Bill and I also own an all-natural beauty brand called Hand in Hand Soap. For each product we sell, we donate a bar of soap to help save children from water-related illness in the developing world. So far, we’ve donated over 65,000 bars of soap in Haiti! Owning a business together isn’t easy, but it has made our bond stronger. Being able to do what we love with one another is something we’re grateful for every day.  

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Recently, we flung open our doors to celebrate the start of the gardening season with our annual Dig into Spring celebration. We snapped a few photos of the store along the way, and wanted to share them here with you!

Each April, residents of Washington D.C. and visitors from around the world celebrate the arrival of spring at the National Cherry Blossom Festival, as the trees surrounding the Tidal Basin and monuments come to life with delicate, pink flowers. Established in 1912 when the mayor of Tokyo gave 3,000 Yoshino cherry trees to the U.S. capital, the event now draws over 1.5 million people to the city every year. This spring, our stylist Isa S. was among the visitors on the festival’s final weekend. She brought along her camera for an early-morning stroll around the mall and waterfront, focusing on details like scattered petals and knotty, century-old branches.

One of our favorite signs of spring's arrival, we love the burst of color that bulbs like hyacinth, daffodils, and tulips bring to the garden. So much, in fact, that we wanted to invite their fresh greens and vibrant pastels indoors, too. Eschewing a traditional planter, we thought up this simple how-to for a windowsill bulb garden using another of our favorite things—shapely Weck juice jars.

What You’ll Need:

Blooming bulbs (approx. 2.25” diameter)
Weck juice jars
Water

1. Remove a bulb from its pot and carefully brush all soil from the roots, rinsing in water to remove as much soil as possible.

2. Place the bulb into the Weck jar—it should rest at the point where the neck of the jar is narrowest. Note how far down the roots reach into the jar.

3. Remove the bulb and fill the jar with water until the roots will be covered, then replace the bulb.

4. Place in a sunny spot and refresh the water as necessary. Our suggestion—line a kitchen window with a row of blooms for an instant indoor garden.