Gardening Tips & Horticultural Education
Welcome to where it all grows…literally. Here’s where we share our garden wins (and learning curves), DIY projects, plant ID tips and stories from the dirt. You’ll find everything from gadgets we love to our favorite herbs and seedlings. Whether you’re just starting or deep in horticultural training, this is where our plant passion lives…and we hope it inspires yours.
Personal Development
This is the space where we get real: about healing, growth and facing the parts of ourselves we usually hide. We write about mental health, boundaries, shadow work and what it really means to be a light in this world. If you’re doing the inner work, or even thinking about starting, this is where we pour our heart out for fellow deep feelers.
Marriage and Happy Home
Being married to your best friend is a gift…and a journey. Here’s where we talk about keeping the joy alive, loving each other through real life, maintaining a happy home and holding on to who you are while sharing your world with someone else. If you’re building a marriage that feels like a friendship and a sanctuary, these posts are for you.
Wellness
Wellness, to us, is personal. It’s herbs, stillness, movement and moments that bring you back to center. In this section, we write about everything from handmade deodorant to walking for peace of mind. If you’re into mindful living, natural products and healing from the inside out, pull up a chair.
Book Reviews
Books have always been our quiet companions and loudest teachers. Here’s where we review what we’ve read, share books we sell and talk about what’s inspired us lately. If you’re into learning, reflecting, or just looking for a good read that speaks to the soul, this space is yours.
Travel
We love a good weekend getaway or day trip that doesn’t break the bank or feel like a production. In this space, we share down-to-earth travel tips, cozy couple adventures and how we make simple trips feel meaningful. Think back roads, great playlists and realistic itineraries that still leave room to breathe. If you’re a planner with a free spirit, you’ll feel at home here.
Food
Let’s keep it simple, nourishing and real. Here’s where we share recipes that actually fit into everyday life, plus some of our adventures with canning, preserving and planning meals without the overwhelm. It’s not about perfection, it’s about feeding your body and spirit in a way that works for you.
Catch Up on the Latest
Scroll down to explore all our posts — newest stories are at the top.
Book Review | The Little Book of Big Lies by Tina Lifford - For a long time, I wondered if something was wrong with me. I enjoy solitude. I choose stillness over noise. But somewhere along the way, I started asking if that meant I was broken or just protecting myself. 
Tradescantia Inch Plant – Why We Don’t Use the Old Name - At 40 Day Living, we believe plant names should celebrate beauty, which is why we call Tradescantia Inch Plant. You may know Tradescantia zebrina by a name historically used in the nursery trade: “Wandering Jew.” We want to be clear: we have never used that name and will never use it. Here’s why we say Inch Plant instead and why… 
A Day at Rawlings Conservatory: A Horticultural Wonder in Druid Hill Park - July 22, 2025 Last Saturday, my husband and I spent the afternoon exploring The Rawlings Conservatory in Baltimore and it turned into one of those peaceful, memory-making days we didn’t even know we needed. Nestled inside Druid Hill Park, which I embarrassingly didn’t realize was so massive, the conservatory greeted us with a stunning front garden full of blooms, textures,… 
Life AD (After Dad): Living Through Grief, Rebuilding Joy - Ten Years Without My father It's hard to admit that it’s been ten years since my father passed away. I still can’t quite believe I’ve lived this long without him. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I’d even survive the first ten days. The pain was so deep, so disorienting, that time itself felt suspended. Yet somehow, slowly, I’ve learned to carry… 
On the Cusp: Pushing Through When Breaking Down Feels Closer Than Breakthrough - "Feelings are real, but they’re also fluid. They can pass and I can rise." —Cheryl A. Williams Some days don’t start with clarity or confidence, they start with a weight. A lump in the throat, a tightness in the chest, a feeling that you’re one breath away from crying but somehow still standing. Today is one of those days for… 
Book Review | You’re Not the Problem by Helen Villiers & Katie McKenna - Healing Isn’t About Who Hurt You — It’s About Reclaiming You For years, I carried invisible bruises. The kind that don’t show up on your skin but live deep in your mind. I learned to keep people at arm’s length, not because I didn’t care, but because I had learned the hard way that closeness could be dangerous. I didn’t… 
The Lesson of the Winter Tree - In winter, trees go quiet. No leaves, no blooms, no rush to grow. From the outside, they look bare…maybe even lifeless. But beneath the bark, life is still there, quietly working, storing energy for the next season. People can be like that too. Some of us enjoy being alone from time to time. Not because we’re antisocial or strange, but… 
Five Minutes to Quiet Your Mind - Most of us say we want peace, but when we finally get it, we don’t know what to do with it. Silence feels strange at first. We live in a world that trains us to fill every gap: with a podcast, music, social media scrolls, or background TV. But here’s the truth: your brain and body are desperate for moments… 
Making Peace with Silence - Most people don’t hate silence, they’re just not used to it. The first few minutes can feel awkward, like you’re waiting for someone to arrive but they’re running late. You sit there and your mind starts scanning the air for something to grab onto. A sound. A distraction. A reason to move. We’re wired for noise now. From the moment… 
Morning Nourishment for Me and the Garden - Some mornings, when I’ve got the time and the energy, I blend up something special; not just for me, but for my garden too. A quick smoothie packed with healing ingredients to nourish my body… and then I take the scraps, blend them again and pour that goodness right back into the soil. It’s not an everyday routine (yet), but… 
Harvesting Lavender Seeds: A Quiet Task That Grounds Me - The lavender in my garden was done blooming and had dried out completely, which meant one thing, it was time to collect seeds. This isn’t something I do every week, but when the timing is right and the stems are good and dry, I grab my scissors, a clean, dry plastic bowl from the kitchen and set aside some time… 
Garden Basics 101: Get to Know Your Garden - Creating and maintaining a beautiful garden with healthy, thriving plants requires imagination and lots of careful planning. Whether you're moving to a new house and thinking about gardening for the first time, or just want a little more knowledge and organization in the garden you've already started, you should thoroughly evaluate its landscape on a regular basis. Plants grow (and… 
Inexpensive Way to Start New Plants - Do you throw away your plastic containers after using them? Well after reading this post, you're going to think twice before you throw out another one! Here I have four muffin containers that I've been saving from Costco. A couple holes poked here and there, and they'd make perfect little greenhouses...Let's do it! First, I give each one a good… 
Planting Sweet Potatoes in Raised Beds - Growing in raised beds can be helpful if you're trying to keep your harvests from critters and foragers (aka invaders) that roam through your garden when you're not around. This morning I spent some time drilling holes in the bottom of two plastic whiskey barrels and two galvanized metal bins to get them ready for growing sweet potatoes. These containers… 
Cooperative Extension Office Locator - Most people aren't aware that there are trained faculty and staff that offer problem-solving horticultural assistance, free of charge, in or near most of the nation's approximately 3,000 counties. When I first became interested in sustainable gardening, I took to the internet and dived into as many gardening how-to videos and articles as I could find. Eager and excited to… 
Inexpensive Saturday Afternoon Date in Downtown Washington, DC - It wasn't until we recently spent an afternoon Downtown with family that we realized that it was free to park at the Metro parking lots on weekends. Even more of a surprise, it only cost $2 one way, per person to ride the Metro subway train...no matter where you're going! My Hubby and I couldn't believe it. We said we… 
The Thyme Plant – 12 Benefits and Ways to Use It In Your Daily Life - Thyme is one of those herbs that once you try it, you absolutely can’t live without it. Growing up Jamaican, I remember my mother using thyme in a lot of her delicious dishes. Sunday afternoons after church, we wouldn’t be home for more than 10 minutes before you’d hear the repeating “ch-ch ch-ch” sound from the pressure cooker and the… 
Dinner Haul From the Garden: 01 - It's very fulfilling to walk right out into our Backyard Oasis and randomly pick things to eat. This evening my Husband and I were prepping a portion of the walkway for an upgrade and we decided to gather a few herbs and vegetables for dinner before it got too dark. It was a scorcher of a day and we were… 
From Trashy to Centerpiece - I saw this sweet little table sitting by the curb about to be trashed and I was not having that! All it needed was some attention and tender loving care. It really saddens me to see things being thrown away that still have good use. So I decided to take it home and give it another chance at life. After… 
From Garden to Cup: My Morning Ritual with Fresh Mint Tea - This morning, I stepped outside and let my fingers brush against the soft leaves of my mint patch. The sun was bright and warm on my skin. One of my favorite things to do is tap the stems so the scent of peppermint can fill the air. I always feel fresh, sharp and alive after taking in a few whiffs… 
How to Propagate Spider Plants - I was so happy when I got a chance to take home a Spider Plant pup from one of these larger Spider Plants that you see here on the right. I'm not the best at indoor gardening, but I've been taking a stab at it over the past couple years and it's starting to "grow" on me and becoming less… 
How I Rescued Two Baby Hostas - It was quite a score to bring home a batch of decorative hostas to add to my gardens. I had to do the work and dig them up, with help from my Hubby of course, but I didn’t mind because I love transplanting flowers. Transplanting is one of the easiest ways to add floral variety to your garden, without breaking… 
Homegrown Hash Browns - This morning I had the pleasure of making homemade hash browns and harvesting red potatoes that I grew from scraps. It was the first time that I attempted to grow potatoes using this method and it was very simple. In fact, I'd highly suggest that you try gardening using this method if you're new to gardening and want to plant…