December 12 is National Poinsettia Day, honoring Euphorbia pulcherrima: the country’s most popular holiday plant, according to retail sales. Purchase one locally, and chances are it originated in Ethiopia or Costa Rica, some 6,000 to 7,000 miles away. Cary Gouldin, one of three Richmond brothers who own Strange’s, shared how poinsettia cuttings (also called slips) are […]
Read MoreDominion Energy GardenFest of Lights After a year of preparation and planning and months of stringing lights, it’s finally here: Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights, Naturally Ever After presents: Stories in Lights. You’ll find your favorite stories, from fairy tales and folklore to time-treasured classics, crafted in lights and illustrated in elaborate displays. Here’s an insider’s view […]
Read MoreBerries boast a full range of hues this time of year, proving Nature’s color obsession isn’t limited to spring blooms, summer sunsets and autumn leaves. During winter, she brightens landscapes through berries, which are color-packed fruits of some ground covers, shrubs and trees. Though typically tiny, they don’t disappoint. Some boast firecracker reds, blistering oranges […]
Read MoreLet Us Tell You a Story… I live far from the Rocky Mountains of my youth. Still, the horizons in my dreams are sometimes stark, soaring and snow-capped. Upon waking, these mountainous memories gentle down into the lush rolling vistas of central Virginia, and I join my colleagues in the work of RVA’s botanical garden. […]
Read MoreThank you for keeping our #Bflies Instagram contest interesting year, after year! One of my favorite things to do each spring and summer is to look through the tons of Instagram images you post online, not just of Butterflies LIVE!, but of you and your loved ones enjoying this beautiful place. Of all our Instagram contests, the #Bflies Instagram contest is always the […]
Read MoreIt’s never too early to start planning for the holiday shopping season and Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s Garden Shop is here to help. Grab a friend and come on over to our annual shopping event Cheers to Shopping — November 9, 2017 from 5 to 8 p.m. This fun and entertaining night will include giveaways, a […]
Read MoreHere is our third and final post in honor of American Archives Month. We’re celebrating by sharing treasures from our collection with you. One of my personal favorite items from our archives is Lewis Ginter’s passport. We do not have any personal papers or other belongings of Lewis Ginter’s, so having his 1888 passport is very special to […]
Read MoreOctober is American Archives Month and to celebrate, I’ve poked around in the Garden’s Archives to find interesting things for you. On April 16, 1987, the Garden celebrated its first Arbor Day by planting a Darlington oak (Quercus hemisphaerica ‘Darlington’). Jeannie Baliles was the honorary chairman of the celebration. Here’s a photo of her doing […]
Read MoreCarve it. Craft it. Cook it. Pumpkin is so versatile, it deserves the season’s spotlight. Not only are pumpkins inexpensive, readily available and striking as autumnal decor, some varieties are as nutritious as they are delicious. The flesh and seeds of edible pumpkins are packed with fiber, as well as vitamins A and C. With […]
Read MoreThey began working last spring. They brought with them energy, creativity and ingenuity. They never asked for pay. And many will keep working through January! “They” are Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s highly valued volunteers who help bring Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights to life, year after year. Meet a few today. Then, watch for additional spotlights in the […]
Read MoreOctober is American Archives Month and we are sharing our treasures all month long. Sometimes you have to search for historic items, and sometimes they just fall into your hands. One day a visitor came into the Robins Visitor Center and presented us with this map and then disappeared. He didn’t leave his name or want a […]
Read MoreHow We are Using Mustard Greens to Fight Southern Blight Soil is vital and essential because it sustains life. You cannot have a healthy garden without healthy soil. The rear portion of the Kroger Community Kitchen Garden (KCKG) was hit last year with southern blight, a common soil-borne, plant disease. Southern blight affects all parts of the plant and […]
Read MoreSomething special happens to people when they learn about pawpaws for the first time. Their eyes widen, their brows furrow, and they say things like, “What does it taste like?” or “It grows here? In Virginia?” For many people, this moment turns into an ongoing curiosity, and in some cases even an engrossing obsession. I […]
Read MoreDon’t let invasive species fool you. They look innocent, but don’t behave. Nor do they stop growing, spreading and reproducing. The culprits are certain species of aggressive non-native vines, trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants and grasses. Some look exotic, promising to add pizazz to your landscape. Others serve a purpose, such as ground cover, erosion control […]
Read MoreUrban Greening for the Future: Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden – Groundwork RVA Partnership Empowers Youth to Transform Richmond. Urban greening: “I want to make a difference in the community,” said DarQuan, a rising senior at Huguenot High School, about urban greening. DarQuan is one of the nine students participating in the Sustainable Landscape Management Program, a collaborative […]
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