Because growing a lush garden feels like self-care with dirt under your $80 manicured nails.
There’s something soul-soothing about tending a garden. It’s a quiet sort of magic—the early morning light hitting dew-covered leaves, the scent of soil, the rhythm of pruning shears. At Love of Luverne, we believe in caring for our homes the way you’d care for anything you love: with intention, a bit of grace, and maybe a really good fertilizer.
Today, I’m sharing five garden essentials from Amazon that have made a huge difference in my own backyard—especially with our hydrangeas, which, if you’ve seen them, are practically celebrities on Luverne at this point. These are the tried-and-true tools and products that help me nurture our garden like it’s part of the family (because honestly, it kind of is).
1. Seaweed/Kelp Extract
The secret sauce to hydrangeas that stop traffic.
I don’t say this lightly: I have never used something in my life that worked so beautifully. Last year, I started feeding this concentrated extract to our hydrangeas every two weeks until early July, and I swear the plants doubled in size and tripled in blooms. I had neighbors asking what my secret was, and here it is. This little bottle. It’s like a green juice for your garden—except with actual results.
2. Shrub Fertilizer
Because your lilacs and hydrangeas deserve a five-star meal.
Think of this as your garden’s multivitamin. I love using this for our hydrangeas and lilac bushes—it gives them the strength to put on a big show each season. It’s not flashy, but it works. Just mix it into your soil and let your shrubs do their thing. You’ll thank yourself come bloom season.
3. Cattle Gate
Not for cattle, surprisingly. Perfect for flower support.
New to our garden this year, but already a beloved MVP. We repurposed this cattle gate as a support net for our hydrangeas, and it’s been a game-changer. No more collapsing under the weight of those gorgeous, oversized blooms. It completely disappears as the plants grow and keeps things upright—two wins in my book.
4. Little Snippers
Tiny, sharp, and surprisingly life-changing.
I used to dread pruning. It felt fussy and a little intimidating. But once I got a sharp pair of snippers, I realized how satisfying it could be. Like giving your plants a fresh haircut and watching them flourish afterward. These are lightweight, comfortable, and make pruning a joy—or at least not a chore.
5. Edging Shovel
The simplest way to fake pro-level landscaping.
Want your garden beds to look like something out of a magazine without investing in stone edging? This tool is your new best friend. One clean slice around the border and your garden goes from “nice” to “someone’s definitely going to compliment this at the next cookout.” It’s the easiest kind of transformation—my favorite kind.
Gardening in Minnesota means embracing a short, sweet season of growth—and soaking up every minute of it. There’s a kind of quiet joy in watching something you nurtured with your own hands thrive. It’s an act of care, not just for your plants, but for yourself.
So if you’re looking to elevate your backyard blooms or simply want to feel a little more connected to the rhythms of the season, these five garden essentials are a great place to start. They’ve made a big impact in my garden—and I hope they’ll do the same in yours.
Happy planting!
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Love of Luverne 
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