My love of moths continues as I channeled the spirit of the Hyalophora cecropia Linnaeus or Cecropia moth, the largest native North American moth for my latest work of art. Moths don’t always get a lot of love so I thought I’d showcase their beauty in this costume I created. I hand-painted the wings and […]
Read MoreEveryone should be able to enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables. The Kroger Community Kitchen Garden at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden helps make that possible by growing and harvesting produce and delivering it to Feed More’s Meals on Wheels and Kids Cafe programs serving Central Virginia’s most vulnerable populations. We started the Community Kitchen Garden with […]
Read MoreSenior Horticulturist Elizabeth Fogel studied the latest theories for sustainable and regenerative landscapes by visiting 10 eco-focused botanical gardens over the past two years. Her cross-country travel and hands-on research were made possible by the Frank L. Robinson Endowed Chair in Horticulture. In downtown Chicago, Fogel was awed by the Lurie Garden, 2.5 acres of […]
Read MoreLandscaping in Layers Nature loves a layer. She cements courses of sediment into solid stone. She laminates an annual succession of circles into living trees. She layers an onion in pungent iterations of itself, one inside the other. And, sandwiched between the strata of the earth and the envelope of its atmosphere, she has built […]
Read MoreIt’s easy to find inspiration when the Garden is your office! “A simple walk around the Garden really inspires me and reenergizes me,” Visual Media Specialist Claudine Reyes explains. She loves to hear other staff members and volunteers talk about the Garden. “I feel like I really feed off of their energy whenever they speak […]
Read MoreTeddy Roosevelt stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon in 1903 and, looking out across the country’s 1.2-million-acre National Park, made an impassioned plea to the American people. “Leave it as it is.” “You cannot improve on it,” the president went on. Award-winning conservationist Doug Tallamy wants you to follow Roosevelt’s advice in your own […]
Read MoreAre you writing love letters to anyone special this Valentine’s Day? Remember that love isn’t just about romance! Love includes being grateful for those who bring you joy, whether that’s a partner, friend or family member. Thankfulness shouldn’t be reserved for people, though. Have you considered writing a love letter to nature? Starting today (February […]
Read MoreCalling all birders, bird enthusiasts, and even the bird curious. The annual Great Backyard Bird Count is quickly approaching, and YOU have an opportunity to participate in something global and meaningful right in your very own backyard. Anytime February 12-15, 2021, take as little as 15-minutes to count some feathered friends in your backyard, or […]
Read MoreI can’t think of a time when our society has needed the respite and healing of gardens and nature more. This is just one of the many reasons I’m honored and humbled to join Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. I started as President and CEO on January 4, and have spent my first few weeks getting to know […]
Read MoreMeet the Plants Over the next few weeks, we will be introducing 12 of the most problematic invasive plants that you’ll encounter in Central Virginia. Unfortunately, we also have to battle these even at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden! While our list is by no means comprehensive for Virginia, Richmond, or even our Garden, we have […]
Read MoreIDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) is an evolving committee where different voices are heard. Departmental representatives gather in a safe, neutral zone to address important topics related to inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility. The IDEA committee embraces a culture where all people are welcomed, valued and appreciated. This is part of a series of […]
Read MoreIDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) is an evolving committee where different voices are heard. Departmental representatives gather in a safe, neutral zone to address important topics related to inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility. The IDEA committee embraces a culture where all people are welcomed, valued and appreciated. This is part of a series of […]
Read MoreA waterwise garden works with nature and natural forces (like rain) to hydrate plants while conserving water. Reducing the need to water your garden requires a little bit of research and some planning, but we think you’ll find the investment worthwhile. If you don’t already have a rain barrel installed, not only will you be […]
Read MoreSince Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden closed its gates to visitors in March of this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteer Elaine Loomis has spent some of her days on the outside looking in. Once a week, she packs a picnic and eats her lunch at the Garden’s front entrance. From there, and from […]
Read MoreOn June 19, 1865, two and a half years after Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, Union soldiers arrived in Texas and announced that 250,000 Texan slaves were free. Since that time, Juneteenth has been a time of commemorating the end of slavery and has traditionally been a day with food, praying and cultural festivities, often focused on […]
Read MoreAlong the eastern edge of Lake Sydnor, on the narrow strip of land between the shoreline and the Children’s Garden, a group of plants is hard at work. The beauty of the bed belies its greater purpose. The plants there are members of a “designed plant community” that mimics how different types of vegetation work […]
Read MoreDid you know that each year May 16 is set aside as Love-a-Tree Day? We, like you, probably love trees every day. But it’s important to set time aside each year to really recognize and show our gratitude for trees. After all, trees are invaluable; we simply could not live without them. Here are some […]
Read MoreAre trees just pretty or do they do something more? Does one tree matter? If one tree can make a difference in our environment, what can many trees do? Most everyone has access to some type of tree whether it is a magnificent oak sprawling in your backyard, an ancient tulip poplar in a public […]
Read MoreNeed some tips for starting your vegetable garden? We have them here! Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s Senior Horticulturist Laurel Matthew recently shared some of her insight on Facebook Live and and we posted it to YouTube as well. Laurel was kind to provide some helpful information she’s learned over the years (below). Laurel works hard […]
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 MoreVolunteers at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden are the heart and soul of everything we do. Simply put, there would be no Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights without them. Each year our volunteers spend countless hours preparing for the show, wrapping lights, building structures, and brainstorming ideas about how they can make this year’s show even […]
Read MoreGinter Urban Gardener cohorts do more than create green space in Richmond urban neighborhoods. They bring neighbors together to help restore people and communities. Environmental Justice When Ginter Urban Gardeners built a garden adjacent to Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church in historic Jackson Ward, they planted over the foundations of a neighborhood decimated by the construction […]
Read MorePlanting Seeds for Change Richard Piacentini, the visionary CEO of Pittsburgh’s Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, famously has written with regard to the challenges of environmental stress “Being Less Bad is Not Good Enough Anymore.” He has invited the entire public gardening community to join Phipps in approaching our common work with the tools of […]
Read More“Ideally, we shouldn’t feed wildlife at all,” said Carol Heiser, habitat education coordinator with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF). Nature takes care of her own during winter, and we should let her. Birds, squirrels and deer are fascinating to watch up close as they feed. However, setting out seeds, fruit and […]
Read MoreLewis Ginter Botanical Garden is honored to receive a Virginia Environmental Endowment (VEE) grant in the amount of $315,000 to support the Glen Stream Restoration Project. The grant is part of VEE’s James River Water Quality Improvement Program and promotes environmental education. If you’ve visited Lewis Ginter, you’ve probably driven by the project area without […]
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