Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Gardens Through the Seasons

Feb 10th, 2021

Instagram GardenFest Contest

The GardenFest Instagram contest has become one of our favorite holiday traditions. It’s a wonderful way for us to reflect on a season of festivities, joy and see how our […]

Read More
Oct 28th, 2020

Native Grass & Sedges

Grasses and sedges are often overlooked in garden planning but they make a wonderful addition to any garden because aesthetically, they provide great texture, color, and height to gardens in […]

Read More
Oct 8th, 2020

Beautyberry

One of the most frequent questions we get this time of year is about the magnificent beautyberry shrub. It seems that many of our visitors are enamored with this striking […]

Read More
Oct 2nd, 2020

Osmanthus: Planting for Fragrance

Some gardeners may call it devilwood, but the fragrance of the osmanthus shrub is nothing less than heavenly. Its tiny, creamy white flowers form clusters that emit a powerfully fragrant […]

Read More
Feb 28th, 2020

What Are Natives?

What 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 […]

Read More
Jan 31st, 2020

Enjoy Simplicity with Winter Tree ID

Minimalism. 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 […]

Read More
May 9th, 2019

Early Spring Migration

We’re in the early stage of spring avian migration, a time when birders’ pulses quicken in anticipation of finding colorful songbirds, shorebirds and raptors. Some migrants will stay and breed in […]

Read More
Apr 26th, 2019

Native Bloom: MAYAPPLE

Awake! This woodland rambler is an early riser from winter’s slumber. Consider mayapple a welcome harbinger of spring. State of popularity: Virginia is for Lovers … of mayapples! The native perennial […]

Read More
Feb 15th, 2018

The Art of a Nature Journal

Q & A with Botanical Illustrator Lara Call Gastinger Lara Call Gastinger is a botanical artist and illustrator from Charlottesville, VA.  Gastinger is the lead illustrator for the Flora of […]

Read More
Feb 12th, 2018

Gardens Grow Community and More

10 steps for making your own urban garden in Richmond A vacant lot, neighborhood square and school courtyard have something in common. All have potential to be transformed into vibrant […]

Read More
Dec 12th, 2017

Celebrate National Poinsettia Day

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 […]

Read More
Nov 24th, 2017

So Berry Beautiful!

Berries 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 […]

Read More
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 […]

Read More
Apr 7th, 2016

Cracking the Code to Nature’s Calendar

Predicting the future can be tricky business. It’s the stuff of tea leaves and tarot cards, Magic 8 Balls and Ouija boards. And yet, for farmers, horticulturists and even home […]

Read More
Apr 6th, 2016

Azaleas Abloom in Spring

Walking around Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden on this early day of spring is like getting lost in a fantasy world where everything is fair and lovely. One would easily be […]

Read More
Mar 30th, 2016

Virginia Bluebells: Spring’s Gift

If ever there was a plant with a fandom in Virginia, it would be the Virginia bluebell. Mertensia virginica makes fast friends with anyone new she meets. A native wildflower, you are just […]

Read More
Feb 15th, 2016

10 Tips for Gardening in Winter

If autumn is nature’s grand finale, in winter the curtain falls. The annual performance finished, nature’s theater goes dark. Backstage, costumes are refreshed and actors rest. Players audition for new […]

Read More
Oct 17th, 2015

Tricks & Treats

Pumpkins on a stick, bumpy gourds and alien-looking plants – you never know what you’ll find in the Children’s Garden at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in October. Last Sunday I […]

Read More
Sep 28th, 2015

Wildflowers: Heralds of Spring

Fall is the time to plan and plant spring wildflowers  “You anticipate them all winter long, but when you finally find them, they don’t last very long,” said Nancy Vehrs, Prince […]

Read More
Jun 26th, 2015

Southern Icon’s Ancient Secret

A southern summer wouldn’t be complete without the sweet smell of the southern magnolia blossom. Magnolia grandiflora, an icon of the South, is such a marvelous tree. Its large shiny […]

Read More