GrowIt! Mobile App Succulent Giveaway

We are so excited to be teaming up with GrowIt! Mobile to bring you guys a super easy and awesome giveaway!

One Grand Prize winner will receive a $50 Lowe's gift card, a copy of our book DIY Succulents and a box of assorted premium succulents, hand picked by us! Two additional winners will receive $25 Lowe's gift cards and our book! Keep reading for giveaway details ↓

GrowIt! is a gardening app that lets you "garden socially" for free! We were a little skeptical about joining another social network, but GrowIt! is so much more than just a place to share plant photos!

Use GrowIt! to gather information about specific plants such as basic care, watering and soil needs, hardiness zones and more! You can organize plants into projects and create shopping lists before heading out to the garden center! One of my favorite parts about this app is the "Help Identify This Plant" feature!

Ultimately, GrowIt! mobile is a place to share and gain plant knowledge, something we are really passionate about!

Here is how to enter the giveaway:

❶ Download the GrowIt! app
❷ Post a plant picture on the app
❸ Include the hashtag #needlesandleaves in the comment section of your plant photo!

(Giveaway ends January 24th, 2017. Open to US and Canada only.)

Seaside Succulents: A Garden Tour

First of all, I'm so excited to be back here posting on the blog!  So far, this year has been one of the busiest of my life and unfortunately blogging had to take a backseat. Now that summer break is here though, Krista and I are looking forward to getting our hands dirty and bringing you all sorts of succulent goodness. We were talking the other day about some of the blog posts we have planned and she mentioned that we have never featured our own gardens. As you may know, I keep most of my plants in containers because I like to move them around as the seasons change, keeping them in the most optimum conditions.  Krista, on the other hand, lives on the coast where her plants seem to do great planted in garden beds and stationary containers year round.  I thought it was a great idea to feature her garden, so I grabbed my camera and took a stroll around her home, snapping shots of some of my favorite arrangements. 

As you make your way towards Krista's entry door, you are greeted on either side by stunning planters bursting with colorful succulents in every shape and size. 

The muted colors of this Graptopetalum 'paraguayense' definitely take center stage!

I love the way this fuzzy Panda Plant (Kalanchoe 'tomentosa") adds texture to the garden.

The pointed leaves of this hot pink tipped Aeonium 'kiwi' compliment the thick round leaves of its neighboring Jelly Bean (Sedum 'rubrotinctum') plant. 

Graptoveria 'opalina' are a long time favorite of mine, with their striking thick leaves that can turn bright pink when exposed to extreme temperatures. 

As I made my way through the house en route to the backyard, I had to snap a couple photos in the dining room.  Krista's Geometric Terrarium from World Market and Concrete Geometric pot add a little modern flare in her otherwise beachy abode. 

In the backyard, Krista has tons of succulents in a variety of containers from terra-cotta pots to cinderblocks. Below are just a few of my favorites.  

The cinderblock garden looks amazing from above!

 I hope you enjoyed this little peak into Krista's seaside garden! If you have any questions leave them in the comments below, and don't forget to follow us on Instagram @needlesandleaves!

Iced Tea and Succulents: A Garden Tour

I took the kids to visit my mom this afternoon after VBS.  We chatted about plants and parenting over iced tea while the kids ate everything in sight and harassed the cats.  A typical visit.

My mom has always had a green thumb, so I love to glean as much information from her as I can.  She is the queen of succulent propagation and her plants seem to thrive even in the most unlikely situations. Her plants are gorgeous and she has such a lovely variety.  I took some photos today that I'd love to share with you! 

These little succulent arrangements in biodegradable pots are left over favors from my sisters wedding. 

I just love the different shades of green and the variety of textures in this area!

"Jelly Bean" succulents (sedum rubrotinctum) have never been my favorite, but somehow my mom's look magical. 

Anyone else get googly eyed at the sight of a perfect baby succulent? 

I love this area of my mom's garden.  It gets lots of sunlight so the plants grow nice and compact as they should. 

Freshly watered babies. I love the pink hues.

These plants are so vibrant! I tend to be attracted toward more muted tones, but I found the colors of these arrangements to be so refreshing.

This is my absolute favorite plant. From its color to texture to shape; everything about it is perfection.

I found this neglected arrangement in my sisters room. You can tell by the leggy plants that it hasn't been getting enough light. 

Looks like someone needs to read my blog post on propagating leggy succulents.  These leggy little plants look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book! You can see from the over head view that the biggest plant in the middle just completely gave up on life and dropped all it's leaves. Poor guy!

This is what a healthy arrangement with the same type of plants should look like. These plants have received the right about of sunlight and water.  It's amazing the difference the proper amount of sunlight and water can make!

These cute little jars line the window sill in the dining room. 

Don't you just love tiny succulents in wine corks? My mom uses an old cookie sheet on the wall to display her little magnetic wine cork succulents! 

Lastly, we have baby food jar succulents in the window above the kitchen sink.  These tiny jars are just perfect for arranging mini plants. 

I hope you enjoyed taking a little peak into my mom's succulent garden. We'd love to hear any comments or answer any questions you may have!  Comment below or find me on Instagram under @tawwni