DISH GARDENS ARE A UNIQUE AND POPULAR GIFT ITEM Dish gardens are, in effect, miniature landscapes. It is hard to find an office that does not have at least one florist dish garden sitting on top of a desk or file cabinet. Basically, a dish garden in a container that contains three or more assorted … Read more
This coming Wednesday, December 12th, is National Poinsettia Day. So here are four interesting facts about everyone’s favorite holiday flower. Poinsettia, botanically Euphorbia Pulcherrima, is named for Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S minister to Mexico. He was an avid amateur botanist who, in the 1820s, sent home to South Carolina cuttings of a … Read more
LAST MONTH OF THE YEAR. THERE ARE STILL SOME TASKS THAT CAN BE DONE IN THE GARDEN. Up to this point, Mother Nature has been very kind to use with some nice days. Other than a little snow a couple of weeks ago, temperatures have been mild. However, we could use some rain. This year … Read more
One of my favorite flowers this time of year is the Paperwhite Narcissus, the fast and easy indoor bloomer. Narcissus papyraceus—paperwhites—are native to the Mediterranean from Greece to Morocco. They are daffodil relatives. They are not winter hardy here in Virginia, however, they will bloom easily indoors in a sunny window. Paperwhite bulbs are readily … Read more
WE ARE OFFICIALLY ENTERING THE HOLIDAY SEASON December is fast approaching. We only have 28 days until Christmas. So, the time to start decorating our home for the holidays is now! We just received all of our cut Christmas trees this past week. Nearly 2,500 in total. And, we have some beautiful 10’ to 12’ … Read more
One of the plants you’ll see almost everywhere this time of year is Christmas/Thanksgiving/Holiday cactus. So here is what you need to know about these beautiful seasonal bloomers. Some Interesting Facts Holiday cacti are a small genus of plants called Schlumbergera. They are native to a small area in the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil … Read more
EVERGREEN PERENNIALS GIVE YOU YEAR-ROUND INTEREST Just when you thought you understood what an annual is, what a perennial is, and what a shrub is – here I come along to add another dimension to your plant thinking. But, in my defense, there is an increased gardening interest with using hardy perennials that are evergreen. … Read more
It’s no secret I’m the neighborhood “cat lady.” I didn’t start out to be the neighborhood cat lady, you understand, but it happens. You start out feeding one stray—and they bring friends. Next thing you know, they’re yours. I’ve had cats all my life—and have been a gardener almost the same length of time. Why … Read more
FLORIST CYCLAMEN or “ALPINE VIOLET” Without a doubt, the Cyclamen is one of my favorite, seasonal, blooming houseplants. Every year when the cyclamen plants arrive on our blooming tables it becomes nostalgic for me as I think about some friends who are no longer with us who would always have me pick out cyclamen plants … Read more
To repot or not repot? Unless you broke the pot bringing your plant in, don’t repot right now. Even indoor plants are responding to the less intense light levels and shorter days this time of year. While they aren’t dormant, they are not growing very fast. Save repotting for late winter/early spring (February/March). Remember, when … Read more
