Getting the Lowdown on Luffa Luffa sponges don’t come from the ocean. And they’re not from manmade materials. Rough-textured exfoliators originate from luffa: dried fiber from the vegetable of the same name. Luffa or loofah (botanically Luffa aegyptiaca) is a vine-grown member of the pumpkin, squash and gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. Centuries ago, the luffa plant was brought […]
Read MoreMessage from the Executive Director Right after lunch on the first Tuesday in August, the largest meeting space in the Robins Visitors Center was standing room only. Garden volunteers and staff had gathered to review the design and implementation of this year’s holiday light show, and those who arrived late were forced to pull chairs […]
Read MoreEach year, it becomes more and more difficult to choose our Bflies Instagram winner. Is it possible that you guys get better and better each year? Indeed, I think it is. Of all our Instagram contests, our #Bflies Instagram contest always has the most entries and interest. I don’t know if it’s the great prize […]
Read MoreHere’s to holiday shopping! We’re making spirits bright in the Garden Shop with a festive salute to the season. Introducing Cheers to Shopping, a special evening of creative ideas for entertaining, decorating and gift giving to help jump start your holiday shopping. Join us on November 10th from 5 – 8 p.m. for Cheers to Shopping at […]
Read MoreBeautiful RVA — Setting the Stage for Growth One way the Richmond Region is approaching sustainable change is by working collaboratively for greater, collective impact. From food policy, to transportation, to healthy lifestyles, to workspaces, to poverty and to early childhood education, we can see collaboration isn’t a new thing for our region. We even have a regional collaborative created to bring nine […]
Read MoreNative Carnivorous Plants I’ve made a few jokes about how carnivorous plants have so many fans — especially tween boys. They even have paparazzi! So, I wasn’t surprised when a saw a post on our Facebook page from a mom who said her son was crazy about them. “Back in March, we promised Ethan to take him to Lewis […]
Read MoreDiscover the Weird and Wacky in Nature Oddities of nature surround us. The great outdoors is where curiosity is not disappointed, it finds discovery. Quirky findings aren’t rare, they abound. Strangeness is not manmade, it comes naturally. A bizarre-shaped veggie intrigues passersby to pause and ponder its form. A seed head resembling a face brings a […]
Read MoreWhen you join Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, it changes the way you experience this special place. You explore the Garden from a new perspective. You find a deeper connection in nature. You feel a sense of ownership. Now, you can make that experience yours with the exciting new membership options at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. Here are my […]
Read MoreAs fall begins, I am reminded of the systems in nature that transform place. The new art exhibit in Ginter Gallery II features Richmond artist Erling Sjovold’s paintings from Old River, New Shore. Old River, New Shore meditates on the transformative power of the James River and shifting environments. Sjovold’s depictions of the beloved James River […]
Read MoreInstagram Contest Winners Nature Connects®: Art with LEGO® Bricks was a very special exhibit and called for a very special Instagram contest. We wanted to encourage fans to get outside, to learn, to feel playful, to be inspired and to have fun. So, for this year’s Instagram Contest we asked our visitors to celebrate all things LEGO by sharing their favorite photos inspired […]
Read MoreIt’s that time of year! The monarch (Danaus plexippus) migration is underway as these incredible butterflies begin their journey from as far away as Canada to overwinter in Mexico, coastal California, and the southern tip of Florida. We’ve been seeing plenty of monarchs a the Garden this week since Virginia is on the way for many […]
Read More“An estimated 15 to 30 percent of the world’s flowering plants have yet to be discovered.” —Missouri Botanical Garden Plant hunters dabble in science, adventure, horticulture and research — whether working in the eighteenth century or today. Typically, his calling is to travel the world, or sometimes just across the country, in search of undiscovered plant specimens […]
Read MorePlant fans in Richmond have been looking forward to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s plant sale since 1987, the year of our first plant sale. This year they are just as excited as ever, 29 years later we are still one of the most popular plant sales in Central Virginia. Our plant sale is still volunteer-run with […]
Read MoreNewton Ancarrow had a passion for his hometown river, the James. He’d always loved boating, and took up boat-building as an adult. With two 300-horsepower Cadillac engines and fins to match, his luxury crafts were designed for the world’s richest speed boating enthusiasts. Customers included King Paul of Greece, the sheik of Qatar, the […]
Read MoreAn Urban Forest Growing in Your City Urban forests are thriving in Richmond. For 25 consecutive years, RVA has been designated a “Tree City USA” by the Arbor Day Foundation. RVA’s urban forest is spreading its canopy. It comprises every tree in the city limits, whether planted in medians, or residential districts and parks. Each […]
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