WOOD ASHES: GOOD IDEA OR A BAD IDEA? Quick answer to the question above is—GOOD IDEA, but to use IN MODERATION. Like with most everything, knowledge is key in doing it right and with success. After that cold spell over the holidays, many used their fireplaces and wood stoves to keep warm. As a result, they … Read more
HOW WOULD YOU RATE OUR WINTER SO FAR? What actually constitutes how we rate our winters in Virginia? I think it depends on who we ask. Personally, my vote is that we are having a good winter. I base my vote solely on the temperatures—especially here in January. Where I grew up along Lake Erie, … Read more
YEAR ROUND CONTAINER GARDENING HAS BECOME A STRONG GARDENING TREND Yes, container gardening is very popular. Yes, container gardening can be done year round here in Central Virginia. Yes, each or our four seasons gives our container gardens their own challenges. These past couple of weeks I have had numerous customers ask about what they … Read more
LOOKING AT YOUR WINTERTIME LANDSCAPES So many avid gardeners are now adjusting to a gardening season where there is not a lot of activity. But, on nice, sunny days, it is good to get outside, get some fresh air, walk around your gardens, and look at these gardens from a different perspective. This is the … Read more
LAST-MINUTE GIFT IDEAS Here we are approaching Hanukkah and Christmas. If you are a procrastinator like me then you are just getting started with holiday shopping. See us at The Great Big Greenhouse and we can assist you with making some great, unique gift choices. Here are just a few ideas for gifts: PLANTS We … Read more
USING YOUR EVERGREEN CLIPPINGS FOR DECORATIONS Here we are heading into December. This year we have stayed frost-free up until the week before Thanksgiving. With this colder weather, our plants are now more dormant for the season. With this dormancy comes an excellent time to do some “selective” pruning to use these clippings for holiday … Read more
THE HOLIDAY SEASON DOESN’T NEED TO BE A BURDEN ON OUR PLANET Here we are at a time when so many of us are on the verge of decorating our home for the holidays. I think this blog idea stems from the fact that all of us are affected by our economy and inflation. We … Read more
HOLD ON NOW – NOT SO FAST – THIS BLOG IS ABOUT THE LENTEN ROSE Gertrude Stein used “a rose is a rose is a rose is a rose” in 1913 in one of her poems. It means “something is beautiful for what it is” and “beauty has many different ways to display itself in … Read more
WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING TO PREPARE OUR GARDENS FOR WINTER Here we are in November. Our plants have been working very hard these past months to impress us with their beauty and to make us happy that they are in our landscape. But, now these plants are ready for a break and a nap. … Read more
QUICK ANSWER – NOT!! Here we are in the middle of October. The air has cooled down. Leaves are changing color and falling. It’s a beautiful sight! I love fall. When it comes to pruning, we need to control our eagerness with our pruners and loppers. There is something about fall that gets people to … Read more
