Since Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden closed its gates to visitors in March of this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteer Elaine Loomis has spent some of her days on the outside looking in. Once a week, she packs a picnic and eats her lunch at the Garden’s front entrance. From there, and from […]
Read MoreOn June 19, 1865, two and a half years after Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, Union soldiers arrived in Texas and announced that 250,000 Texan slaves were free. Since that time, Juneteenth has been a time of commemorating the end of slavery and has traditionally been a day with food, praying and cultural festivities, often focused on […]
Read MoreAlong the eastern edge of Lake Sydnor, on the narrow strip of land between the shoreline and the Children’s Garden, a group of plants is hard at work. The beauty of the bed belies its greater purpose. The plants there are members of a “designed plant community” that mimics how different types of vegetation work […]
Read MoreLast week we talked about how worms can build healthy soil. It’s an amazing and complicated process that these small earthworms take to transform our soil. Wouldn’t it be cool if we could see worms at work underground in the soil? Well, maybe we can. I’m going to show you how to build a wormery […]
Read MoreWhile our world may have shrunk to our homes during the coronavirus pandemic, that doesn’t mean there aren’t new realms to explore. Life is teeming all around us, especially at this time of year, with a never-ending stream of outdoor activities for kids. For those with children, the natural world is rich with opportunities for […]
Read MoreDid you know that each year May 16 is set aside as Love-a-Tree Day? We, like you, probably love trees every day. But it’s important to set time aside each year to really recognize and show our gratitude for trees. After all, trees are invaluable; we simply could not live without them. Here are some […]
Read MoreDid you ever make a mud pie? Was there a day when you played outside until you were utterly covered in dirt? At some point in your life, did you splash in a mud puddle? As a child, my little sister, Beth, loved to play in the dirt. Beth categorized dirt. There was soft dirt, […]
Read MoreWe’re bringing you a Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Zoom background gallery to kick off National Public Gardens Week. Why not use a custom virtual Zoom background in your next meeting to show your love of gardens and to highlight the importance of gardens in our lives. Our favorite way to celebrate National Public Gardens Weeks is, […]
Read MoreIf you have ever been interested in observing a bird building a nest outside your window, citizen science could be for you. If you have ever wondered what the best time to plant your snap peas is, you could be a citizen scientist. If you have ever been curious about how long it takes a […]
Read MoreMay is one of the busiest months for working in the garden. But if you prioritize carefully and take advantage of the many devices and tools available, you can get the work done and stop to smell the roses! Weeding By May it is too late to use a pre-emergent herbicide to suppress weeds because […]
Read MoreMany of us wish to be closer to our mothers and caretakers this year, and others are seeing their moms a bit more than usual. This year, send some love to your favorite moms near and far this Mother’s Day. We hope to inspire you with our Mother’s Day gift selections to express your thanks […]
Read MoreAre trees just pretty or do they do something more? Does one tree matter? If one tree can make a difference in our environment, what can many trees do? Most everyone has access to some type of tree whether it is a magnificent oak sprawling in your backyard, an ancient tulip poplar in a public […]
Read MoreNeed some tips for starting your vegetable garden? We have them here! Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s Senior Horticulturist Laurel Matthew recently shared some of her insight on Facebook Live and and we posted it to YouTube as well. Laurel was kind to provide some helpful information she’s learned over the years (below). Laurel works hard […]
Read MoreSpring is the perfect time of year to observe birds and make discoveries about where they live, what they eat, and how they travel. A good book to start off your exploration of bird watching with kids is Our Yard is Full of Birds by Anne Rockwell. What a great story to read outside while […]
Read MoreAmanda Parker believes everyone can find joy in plants. She and her husband Mike have raised their kids with a focus on being outdoors and gardening has always been a big part of their lives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, family gardening can play an even more important role in bringing the family together to focus […]
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