A 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 MoreProfile of Asclepias tuberosa: a native plant beloved by butterflies and gardeners alike … Clusters of color. Crown-shaped flowers blaze with bold orange or yellow vibrancy in the summertime. Nectar and pollen. Butterflies, monarchs, and hummingbirds greedily guzzle its nectar, while only wasps pollinate its flowers. Weedy or worthy? Butterfly weed may be persistent as […]
Read MoreOrigami in the Garden continues to fascinate and inspire! Let’s unfold more about origami, the exhibit, the process, the inspiration, and impact. More About Origami Origami means “folding paper” in Japanese. “With origami, the possibilities are endless,” says Kevin Box, the exhibition’s sculptor. The Process Each of Kevin Box’s monumental sculptures begins with a blank piece […]
Read MoreCucumbers. Tomatoes. Strawberries and collards. Big plans are underway to infuse the community garden at Peter Paul Development Center (PPDC) in Church Hill. Lakeshia Allen, a former engagement coordinator at PPDC and a Ginter Urban Gardener graduate says, “I wanted residents who live here to buy into this garden by creating the list of what […]
Read MoreRecently I met with Executive Chef Anne Maury Haapala who shared her vision for the upcoming cooking demonstration Lightened Up Favorites with Chef Anne which will take place on July 25, 2018. This 90-minute demo is followed by a delectable lunch featuring some of the recipes discussed. MSC: What is your vision or approach to […]
Read MoreThe young man in duck trousers and a company shirt had just finished off-loading the last of four ball-and-burlap pin oaks. As he busied himself latching up the tailgate of his truck, he chided me, “Remember, don’t put a dollar tree in a nickel hole.” I have heard this admonition many times over the years. […]
Read MoreAs you walk around our garden enjoying the beautiful plants, you might not realize that they have complicated personal lives. All those beautiful colors and structures have a purpose. Often the purpose has to do with eating and reproducing, and nothing to do with your enjoyment. According to the PBS video Plant Behaving Badly, scientists […]
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