Hi, I’m Susan Moncrieff – and The Blissful Planter is really just … me!
Gardening makes me happy. Truly happy. And planters? They’re my favorite way to garden.
I love planters and container gardening because it’s fun. Because I can try different color combinations. Because I can change my mind next season. Because if something doesn’t work, I can move it. Rearrange it. Try again – because sometimes it doesn’t always work out.
There will always be red geraniums in my yard. They were my mom’s favorite – and thankfully, they grow beautifully for me. Every year, they’re tucked into pots and beds, bright and steady and dependable.
I wander around my yard every morning. Coffee in hand. Just looking. Things really can change overnight – a bud opens, a bloom fades, a vegetable ripens, something suddenly takes off. Do you do that morning walk too?
And my hydrangeas? There are so many. I sometimes wonder if they’re as old as my house – which is over 100 years old. I’ve heard it described as “the hydrangea house,” and honestly, I love that.
About My Gardening Background
I’m a certified Master Gardener.
I completed my training through my local extension program and maintain my certification each year with continuing education and volunteer work. I help maintain vegetable gardens (where the produce is donated), care for public perennial beds, and participate in native pollinator monitoring.
But I don’t lead with that when I’m out in the yard.
What I lead with is curiosity. And a willingness to experiment. And share knowledge gained from experience and education.
It is a great way to meet my neighbors!
Why I Created The Blissful Planter
Over the years, neighbors – even people I didn’t know – would stop while walking by and ask questions. What is that plant? Why does that grow so well? How do you keep your containers looking full, how do I cut down my hydrangeas?
I’ve met so many people simply because I was outside digging in the dirt or cutting my lawn.
I realized I love helping people figure things out. I’m approachable. I don’t believe in gatekeeping information. Gardening isn’t supposed to feel intimidating.
The Blissful Planter is my way of sharing what I’ve learned – both the trained knowledge and the real-life experience. You’ll find practical container garden ideas, plant combinations, raised bed projects, and honest lessons from what worked (and what didn’t).
I’m the friend you can ask.
And I’ll always tell you the truth – even if it’s “that plant hates our winters and won’t survive.”
If you love planters, color, experimenting, and building a yard that makes you smile when you wander through it in the morning… you’re in the right place.
Let’s grow something beautiful.