Children are natural gardeners and remind us that playing in the dirt should be fun. Curiosity. Imagination. A love of playing in the dirt. All are qualities that make children natural gardeners. Whether you’re looking for a fun project to do while you are home social distancing or just a simple opportunity to get outside […]
Read MoreThe 90 days of winter can seem like an eternity to gardeners. Fortunately, this season of dormancy and cold is drawing to a close. Nature is preparing for the advent of spring — we are already seeing swelling buds, shooting sprouts and greening grass. So how should the gardener prepare? Step by Step Clean up, […]
Read MoreRevival, social justice and defiant compassion marked the pleas of Benjamin Vogt, owner of Monarch Gardens, a prairie-inspired garden design firm in Lincoln, NE. During Lewis Ginter’s Winter Symposium in Richmond, Vogt passionately advocated for the voiceless: plants and their extended communities around the globe. “The greatest injustice of our time may be the eradication […]
Read MoreWith the COVID-19 pandemic making social distancing now the norm, many of you probably have some time on your hands. Bet you’re a garden lover too! Let’s make the most of it by starting seeds for a flower and vegetable garden. Not only will this put you in a better frame of mind because gardening […]
Read MoreCOVID-19 is affecting everyone’s daily life while putting a lot of stress on the well-being of humans. The Garden is temporarily closed but humans need nature, now more than ever, and going outside to enjoy the greenery could be key to maintaining your balance in these difficult times. If you are worried about keeping social distancing […]
Read MoreWhat are natives? What nature intended: Natives are the plants that grow naturally in a region — as in, they generally occurred here before European settlement. They also are the grassroots for co-survival of other native species, including insects, birds and wildlife. More for less: Native plants sometimes are more resistant to drought, insects and […]
Read MoreStanding in line at the store recently, I was behind a young mom with four children in tow. I couldn’t help but notice she was buying seeds, soil, a container and various gardening tools. “You must be doing some spring garden planning,” I remarked. She smiled. “It’s all for my kids,” she explained. I thought […]
Read MoreSpring is on its way, and the wedding season is on our minds, so we’ve compiled a list of five wedding trends that will elevate the entire event. From immense hanging arrangements to sustainable decor, these emerging wedding trends will help inspire you to create the ultimate ceremony or reception for your big day. At […]
Read MoreYou can find a rare beauty, Magnolia amoena, right here in Richmond, blooming now at the north end of Sydnor Lake at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. With plants, like people, I try not to have favorites, but when you are in love, you are in love. And the striking form of this magnolia — the […]
Read MoreLong days enjoyed in the great outdoors is history for most Americans. Today, the average adult spends 93 percent of his life inside. He also devotes ten hours a day to screen time on computers, phones and digital games. Is it a coincidence that one in five adults suffers from a major mental illness, and […]
Read MoreMinimalism. One of its appeals is in stripping away the superfluous and admiring the beauty of simplicity. The same can be said of the garden in winter, especially trees. Enjoy simplicity with winter tree ID. It’s easier to see the “bones” or the underlying structure of a garden in winter. Without leaves, some trees even […]
Read MoreThe new year’s forecast for gardening and horticulture reveals little that’s new. Trend spotters expect more of the same … but intensified. With a 20/20 view of the past, 2020 is expected to focus once again on environmental stewardship and sustainability. “If we can combine the wisdom of the past with the science and technology […]
Read MoreDid you know that more than 1 in 4 birds have disappeared in the last 50 years? According to research from Science, wild birds in the United States and Canada have decreased by nearly 30 percent since 1970. The report describes “wide-spread population declines of birds over the past half-century, resulting in the cumulative loss […]
Read MoreHave you ever walked into a grocery store, spotted a tropical fruit and said, “I’m going to try to grow one of those!”? You’d have to be a bit of a visionary to think that you could, but you never know what is possible until you try. For Craig O’Der, Sr., it was a pineapple […]
Read MoreIt’s a cold, dreary day at the tail-end of January, When a spindly tree appears in the Library. A bunch of dead branches? What could it be? It’s yours, dear reader: it’s a Poet-Tree. Those sticks look lonesome. What is there to do? The solution, my friend, is quite up to you. We’ll provide leaves, […]
Read More