Gardening & Horticulture

Jan 29th, 2017

Garden Trends for 2017

Gardening basics seldom change — like “right plant, right place”— but preferences can be downright trendy. So before tilling dirt this spring, check out what’s hot and what’s not for […]

Jan 23rd, 2017

The first class of Beautiful RVA‘s Ginter Urban Gardeners gathers twice a week, for 12 weeks, to do the very important work of making a difference: learning new things, building relationships, getting […]

Jan 12th, 2017

Forest Bathing

Updated 1/17/17 Awash in the Health Benefits of Nature My mother was right. She may not have known why, but she was right. When she sent me outside to play […]

Dec 13th, 2016

Go Wild With Landscaping

“Look to the wild,” suggested Thomas Rainer, co-author of “Planting in a Post-Wild World.”” His advice is intended for anyone who influences a patch of land, whether a sprawling backyard […]

Dec 8th, 2016

Safeguarding Boxwoods

Editor’s note: This is a timely post on an important topic. We are reprinting it with permission from the authors, noted below. Mind Your Holiday Decorations: Safeguarding Your Boxwoods from […]

Nov 17th, 2016

Luffa: Plant Then Exfoliate

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 […]

Oct 20th, 2016

Nature’s Oddities

Discover 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 […]

Sep 18th, 2016

Plant Hunters Adventures

“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 […]

Sep 9th, 2016

Fast Boats & Ancarrow Wildflowers

Newton 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 […]

Sep 7th, 2016

RVA Urban Forest Branches Out

An 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. […]

Aug 26th, 2016

Instagram Highlights

Are we friends on Instagram? We should be! As one of the readers of our blog, you are likely one of our biggest fans. You deserve to be among the first to […]

Aug 13th, 2016

Backyard Orchards

Why plant fruit trees in backyard orchards? Store-bought fruit offers advantages: convenience, variety and year-round availability. However, sometimes commercially grown products conjure nagging questions. Where was it grown? When was it […]

Jul 1st, 2016

Summer is for Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a favorite summer vegetable for many, and for good reason. There is nothing like a sweet juicy tomato fresh off the vine in the middle of July! Tomatoes […]

Jun 25th, 2016

CarMax Cares for Our Garden

CarMax Cares about our Garden What would you do with 295 hours? You could sleep for 16 days straight, or brush your teeth 8,850 times. Or you could help with […]

Jun 25th, 2016

Heritage Plants Are Live History

As heirlooms are cherished, so are heirloom vegetables and heritage herbs of yesteryear. Virginia’s rich lineage of historic perennials, annuals, herbs, shrubs and trees are still available for planting today, including […]

Jun 20th, 2016

National Pollinator Week

Let us tell you about a few of our favorite pollinators! Since National Pollinators Week (June 20-26, 2016) starts today, we thought it would be a great time to raise awareness of […]

Jun 4th, 2016

Philodendrons in Bloom

Philodendrons Bloom in the Conservatory If you want to see a spectacular and interesting bloom, come visit the Conservatory now to visit the majestic philodendron. As you know, plants’ flowers are all about reproduction, […]

Jun 3rd, 2016

A Bed is Born

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Garden Design Give a gardener a new bed, full of fresh soil and unlimited possibility, and stand back. Twice a year at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, in […]

May 25th, 2016

Peace for Pitcher Plants

Pitcher plants are hungry for change. If you venture out to the West Island Garden, chances are that you will run into some spectacular-looking Sarracenia, commonly known as pitcher plants. To me, they […]

May 23rd, 2016

Black Bat Flower Inspiration

The Mysterious Black Bat Flower Inspires Visitors & Artists A few days ago, Conservatory Horticulturist Chelsea Mahaffey sent me an excited email that our Tacca chantrieri or black bat flower was blooming. […]

May 17th, 2016

The Scoop on Mulch

Mulching: Finding the Right Mulch and the Right Application Wheelbarrows, work gloves and sweat: these are the early signs of spring as homeowners dutifully mulch their plants and trees. Mulching has become […]

May 2nd, 2016

Poeticus Daffodil Inspiration

Poeticus Daffodils: A Tale of Two Women Just when I thought all the daffodils had already bloomed, I was surprised to see some jolly miniature daffodils rising delicately, along a […]

Apr 21st, 2016

DIY Veggie-tainers

Move over, begonias. Find a home elsewhere, ferns. Homegrown veggies and herbs are taking over patios, one container at a time. Not everyone has space for an in-ground garden – […]

Apr 19th, 2016

Amazing Pink Lady’s Slipper

Pink Lady’s Slippers are a native wildflower. But this fascinating plant attracts quite a bit of attention, more so than most wildflowers. In addition to its striking appearance, it is endangered […]

Apr 13th, 2016

How to Pick a Perfect Tree

Joel Koci knows a good tree when he sees it. He’s a tree guy. A highly respected local arborist and Virginia Forestry Extension Associate at Virginia State University. Koci visited […]