Afternoon Digs

As Audrey Hepburn famously worded it, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” And what is 2021 if not a year of hoping and believing in tomorrow?

It's the time of year where afternoons stretch into evenings and my crew shifts into a new late-afternoon-at-home routine. Quiet time wraps, my husband and I power down work, and we make our way out to the back yard. The rest of the day is spent watching the sun sink behind the trees, playing on our playhouse, flying down the driveway, feet up on the ever-rotating collection of big wheels and ride-ons, collecting flowers, and picking weeds in our perennial garden.

It’s not yet the dog days of late summer when just looking out the window makes you break a sweat (welcome to the deep south) and there is still a pleasant nip in the air.

Sinking our hands into the cool dirt is a welcome reprieve in this digitally focused, fast paced world, and the reward of beautiful blooms as spring unfolds into summer is just a bonus to the mental break this age old ritual of tending beds provides.

Check out our round-up here of must-haves and very-much-would-like-to-haves for your afternoon dig in the dirt as well as our favorite Baybala picks for the getting dirty-wash-repeat of the summer days ahead.

1. Lilly Top in Coral 2.Row and Plant Markers 3. HUNTER Women's Garden Clog 4.Rifle Paper Co. Stemless (for your wine) 5. Back to the Roots Kids' Watermelon Science Grow Kit 6. Play All Day Set in Slate 7. Embroidered Stripe Set 8. BROOKLYN ATHLETICS Men's Straw Sun Classic Beach Hat Raffia Wide Brim 9. Green Hand Rake 10. 8-Piece Garden Tool and Tote Set 11. Eloise Dress 12. Tucker Short in Oceanberry Check 13. Large Green Flex Tub, 38 Liter 14. Roxy Girls' Pina to My Colada Straw Sun Hat 15. Metal Watering Can

Accounts to Follow ::

Thomas Berolzheimer @tberolz Backyard gardening tips from seed starting, to garden maintenance, to harvesting. Follow his Garden Tom Grow-A-Long for fun inspiration and guidance for your own backyard garden.

Humans Who Grow Food @humanswhogrowfood - Sharing stories of gardeners, farmers and communities across a wide variety of geographies and cultures.

Shoppe @shoppebham - The sweetest garden shop located in the historic neighborhood of Forest Park in Birmingham, AL. 100% worth wondering through in person or virtually on their instagram.

Erin Banzkein at Floret @Floretflower - Flower Farm and seed company with resources for growing cut flower gardens