Category Archives: Gardening

Green Pottery for St. Patrick’s Day

Gardening, Outdoor Decor, Store

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and to celebrate we thought we’d share our favorite 11 green items on Willard & May. These ceramic pots, bird baths, strawberry planters, and multi-tiered planters would all look great on your front porch to decorate for the holiday…and then keep them around for the summer to plant flowers and fruits! And what’s more: all pottery is currently 15% off!


(1. Green Graceful Planter 2. Sea Shell Planter 3. Green Basic Pot 4. Green Cluster Pot 5. Green Gazing Ball 6. Green Kos Planter 7. Green Round Pot 8. Green Plain Planter 9. Green Strawberry Planter 10. Green Adonis Planter 11. Green Bird Bath)

Strawberry Planters & Other Uses

Gardening, Store

Not many things are more delicious than picking strawberries in the summer that you’ve grown from your very own strawberry planter! And while strawberry planters are great for growing strawberries, hence the name, there are many other creative ways to use them in your backyard…or even your kitchen. Why not take this summer to try out something new with your strawberry planter?

The original idea of using a strawberry planter was to be able to grow strawberries and avoid the problem of the fruit touching the ground, which can then cause rotting of the fruit or may give animals or pests a delicacy. Strawberry planters also allow people to grow this fruit in smaller spaces, helps with their shallow roots, and allows proper drainage. To learn how to properly use a strawberry planter for strawberries, read this article.

However, if you aren’t into growing strawberries or want to try something new, there are many other ways to use the planter to create unique container gardens, grow herbs and annuals, or even design a water fountain! Take a peek at some of the many ways you can utilize this unique planter.





(1.Pinterest 2. Pinterest 3. MyHomeIdeas 4. Pinterest 5. Pinterest)

One strawberry planter = thousands of uses! Willard & May’s online store is officially live and we have four different ceramic strawberry planters to use to get you started with your unique garden! One of the best features of the W&M strawberry planters is their over-sized planting pockets. Any of you who have used strawberry planters in the past know that one of the downfalls to this garden accessory is the excessive drying out of the plants planted in the pockets due to the small size. Not a problem with these guys! Check out all the options:

strawberry pots color

Also, if you are looking for strawberries or herb seeds, visit our friends at Holland Bulb Farms and they’ll get you growing! Happy Planting!

Sneak Peek of Willard & May

Furniture, Gardening, Gifts, Lighting, Outdoor Decor, Store

Our online shop hasn’t quite opened yet, but we thought we’d let you in on a sneak peek  of some of the great items we’ll be carrying below. Starting out, we’ll have a great selection of outdoor furniture, planters and pottery, chimeneas, garden accessories, backyard decor, gifts and lots more!

water can lantern
yellow patio set chic simple

wicker patio set table storage plaid cushions outdoor
serving cart, metal, brown outdoor
chimenea outdoor heating fire place patio
mushroom pottery, shell planter pot
strawberry pot, blue brown ceramic planter pottery
chalkboard paint herb pot grower chives chalk basil
LINKS: Herb Watering Can, Rustic Lantern, Yellow Bistro Set, Amalfi Woven Plaid Patio Set, Wrought Iron Serving Cart, Chimenea (coming soon!), Decorative Ceramic Mushrooms, Sea Shell Planter, Tea Blue Adonis Planter, Strawberry Planter, Herb Pots with Chalkboard Labels

Stay tuned, as you’ll be one of the first to know when we’ve launched!

Weekend DIY: Indoor Garden

Gardening, Weekend DIY

Each and every weekend is a chance to relax, kick-back and enjoy yourself – Just Kidding! When you have your own place to call home, you know very well all the projects that come along with it. Each week we’ll feature one Weekend Do-It-Yourself project in the hopes to inspire you to get outside and turn your backyard into your outdoor dream.

While it may be a bit too early to begin the projects you’ve been dreaming up for your backyard all winter, you could try bringing life indoors! We’re guessing you’ve seen one of the latest crazes of planting a succulent garden, as it has been featured in countless magazines and blogs.

We love succulent gardens because they are easy to grow, pretty hard to kill (bonus!) and have a whimsical feel – almost like you could find a little fairy floating around them. One of our designers thought she’d give a succulent garden a try, and we’re pretty impressed – now we’re all thinking of ways to incorporate them into our homes and offices!

succulent miniature garden
succulent miniature garden in bowl

Here is what she says about building her succulent garden:

I wanted to create a mini succulent garden out of a glass bowl that I had found at a local craft store. Next, I began the hunt and research at our local garden center that had lots of greenhouse plants. There I found three different varieties of succulents. The three had different heights, textures, and shapes. I also picked up some rocks and cactus-succulent soil (as I learned it is very important they have well-drained soil).

I started with a layer of rocks at the bottom of the glass bowl to help with drainage. Then I added some soil, then grouped the two taller succulents in the back. The other succulent I picked was smaller in size, so I scattered them about in the front. Once I had them perfectly situated, I added more soil and placed a few rocks on top to complete the miniature garden.

I’m super happy and pretty excited with how it turned out! Lastly, here are a couple tips I picked up on the way: 1. Don’t overwater them!  2. They love the sun, but keep them away from direct sunlight and 3. Display for all to see! ~ Happy indoor gardening!

indoor gardening, succulent, forcing bulbs
(1. Better Homes & Garden 2. BulbBlog.com 3. Woodland Belle on Etsy)

Another way to bringing gardening indoors during the winter is forcing flower bulbs, like Hyacinths, Daffodils, and Tulips. You’d have to have bought them this fall unfortunately, but instead of planting them in the ground, you try to replicate their natural growth cycle by storing them in a cool place (around 35-40 degrees) for a few months. After they’ve been stored, you can plant them in a pot or vase and watch them come to life indoors. As a nice bonus, many bulbs like hyacinths have a sweet smelling scent! For tips on forcing bulbs, check out our friend Bridget at the Bulb Blog.

Also, follow our Indoor Gardening Board we created on Pinterest for other great ideas for bringing life indoors this winter! When Willard & May launches, we’ll have lots of great products for indoor gardening to get you started. What indoor gardening projects have you been dreaming up? Let us know in the comment section below.