Why are humans so captivated by butterflies? I’m willing to posit it has more to do with their extraordinary journey through complete butterfly metamorphosis than it has to do with their spectacular coloration. Considering that the ancient Greeks used the same word, “psyche,” to refer to both the butterfly and the soul, we clearly associate […]
Read MoreDon’t throw away herbs drying out in summer’s heat. And don’t pitch flower petals waning at season’s end. Recycle them as ingredients for DIY natural skin and hair products. “There are natural alternatives for many synthetic ingredients,” said Nadira Chase, founder and creator of Adiva Naturals. “Why use synthetics when you can do the same […]
Read More6 Tips to Prepare for Hurricane Florence Here at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, hurricane prep includes canceling and/or postponing outdoor tented events like Fall PlantFest and Fidos After 5. The safety of our visitors, staff, and volunteers is our top priority, so it only makes sense. We are also getting ready for Hurricane Florence by harvesting vegetables in […]
Read MoreTropical plants are magical. Extraordinarily lush foliage, pungent fragrances, and remarkable blooms mesmerize our senses, while their quirky features and minuscule to mega sizes tantalize our imagination. One tropical wonder that’s long been a fascinating subject for writers, artists and photographers is the Victoria waterlily, botanically classified as Nymphaeaceae Victoria amazonica. This intriguing tropical specimen, […]
Read MoreI’ve always been a quiet fan of moss, the herbaceous plant that reminds me of mysterious forests and rainy days. But not everyone shares my love. For instance, Virginia gardener Norie Burnet once “had the mindset that moss belongs in the woods, not your garden.” That isn’t the whole story, though. Burnet is now […]
Read MoreWe wish we could give each person who visits Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden their own personal guided summer blooms highlights tour. But since that’s not practical we try to do the next best thing — we give visitors you a resource so they can make sure they see our most interesting plants and blooms while […]
Read MoreA hungry mosquito lurks nearby, evidenced by a high-pitched whining sound. If a female, her target is protein from blood, after which she develops eggs numbering up to 250,000 per season. Her pesky bites cause incessant itching, but a greater concern is whether she carries a mosquito-borne disease, such as Zika or West Nile virus. […]
Read MoreGraceful. Aerodynamic. Lighter-than-air. These adjectives all come to mind when I look at the photos of the tree swallows captured by Charles Woodrich at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. Across the seven images, swallows swoop through the skies and around trees, with one posing on a bird feeder. In some, their wings beat intensely close […]
Read MoreThe wonder and beauty of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden never cease to amaze me each time I visit. But sometimes, I need to remind myself to slow down and take in the smaller details around me. Rushing along the Lotus Bridge or the Main Garden Walk means I’ll miss creatures in the water and new […]
Read MoreWhile most gardeners try to keep insects out of the garden, Horticulturist Chelsea Mahaffey invites them in – selectively, of course. “The trick is knowing which bugs are beneficial and which are harmful,” she says. Aphids, two-spotted spider mites, and mealybugs are common insects that harm plants. If they’re present and plant damage escalates, Mahaffey […]
Read MorePeople right here in Central Virginia struggle with hunger every day. The populations most likely to be affected by hunger, children and the elderly, may have trouble not only getting enough food but getting the right kind of food — fresh locally grown vegetables and fruits. The Kroger Community Kitchen Garden is working to change that. […]
Read MoreCapturing nature in the camera lens takes practice plus knowledge. 5 Photography Tips: Become well acquainted with your camera. Read the manual thoroughly with the camera in hand, and practice features as you learn about them. Nothing is more frustrating than having to stop and figure out how your camera works, especially at a decisive […]
Read MoreAt age 15, Kendra Norrell interned in the Children’s Garden. She recalls “dealing with dirt, plants, and bugs,” than advancing to cataloging plants. As the first high school participant in the Partnership for the Future collaboration (2005), Kendra didn’t expect her internship to repeat two more summers — and she certainly didn’t expect it to […]
Read MoreLewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s collection of 4,000 herbarium specimens is now registered in the Index Herbariorum, a major international registry of herbarium plant collections. This means that our collection is now among over 3,000 registered herbaria around the world, where over 350 million plant records are cataloged, available for research and a crucial record of […]
Read MoreThe explosion of craft beers is no surprise,” said Chris Ray, co-founder of the Center of the Universe (COTU) Brewing Company. Neither is the explosion of growing hops. As a main ingredient in traditional IPA-style beers, breweries, brewmasters and home brewers are planting hops in everything from backyard containers to full-scale brewery gardens. In […]
Read More