HOW TO PROTECT YOUR SHRUBS AND TREES FROM WINTER DEER DAMAGE I know this is a sensitive and frustrating topic for many of you. Last year, more than ever that I can remember, many new plantings of shrubs and trees took place. With the pandemic, many of you spent time and money on the landscape. … Read more
Now that we are in December, many people have decorating their living spaces on their agenda for the upcoming holiday season. Finding the right materials to decorate for the holidays can be as easy as taking a stroll through your gardens. Personally, I find it so rewarding to use some of my own landscape plants … Read more
ARE YOU FEELING LUCKY AS WE BEGIN THE NEW YEAR? Technically, lucky bamboo is not a bamboo at all, but cane cuttings of Dracaena sanderiana. Dracaena sanderiana is sometimes referred to as the Ribbon Plant: a loose rosette of narrow white-striped leaves on white-striped trunks. It has been an Asian symbol of good fortune and … Read more
BUSHES IN THE HOUSE: SCHEFFLERA AND DWARF SCHEFFLERA Sometimes called the Umbrella Tree, the Brassaia actinophylla is a large tropical shrub with rosettes of 5 long, glossy green leaves forming umbrella-like symmetrical heads. Native to Queensland, Java, and New Guinea, the Schefflera is an easy houseplant in a bright location. It can grow 10 to … Read more
Pachira aquatic, better known as the “Money Tree,” is an easy-care, low-maintenance houseplant. This plant gets its name because the Feng Shui practice believes that a Money Tree, when properly placed in a home or business, brings prosperity and good fortune. They are usually found with their trunk braided. The top of the Money Tree … Read more
It’s mid-August, and that means it’s a great time to start preparing your lawn and garden soil—especially here in Central Virginia, where clay-heavy soil is the norm. The Challenge of Central Virginia’s Red Clay Everyone in our region knows about our infamous red soil. You can have the best plants and tools, but if you … Read more
LATELY, HOMEOWNERS AND APARTMENT DWELLERS ARE LOVING THIS PLANT Growing up, I remember both of my great-grandmothers having this plant in their homes. To this day, I still don’t know why I remember such a trivial fact with my great-grandmothers unless I was just intrigued by the plant at a very early age. Today, the … Read more
LET’S GO CONE CRAZY!!! Most people who come into the garden center will ask for coneflower and not use the botanical name, Echinacea. So, I will continue this pattern with this blog. Every perennial has its own personality and requires different care. This is certainly the case with coneflowers. At this time, we must have … Read more
What are native plants, and why should I consider planting them? There is some confusion when determining if, or how, a plant is considered “native.” In my opinion, the best definition for a “native” comes from the Virginia Native Plant Society: “Native plants are those that were growing here when the settlers first arrived and … Read more
Everyone knows what mulch is, but how many of you are familiar with the product Preen? How Does Preen Work? Preen is a pre-emergent weed preventer. That means it doesn’t kill weeds that are already growing. Instead, it creates a weed-prevention barrier in the top layer of soil and mulch, helping to stop weed seeds … Read more
