Gardening with Doug

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING IS BAD FOR YOUR SHRUBS AND TREES Happy April to everyone! A couple of weeks ago, we had our MULCH MADNESS sale. Thousands of bags of mulch were sold. It is such a popular event. And it is timely, too, because now is a prime time to apply fresh … Read more

SPRING IS OFFICIALLY HERE This month, gardeners are experiencing many changes. First, daylight saving time started, which gave everyone extra daylight in the evening to be outside and do some gardening. Second, Spring officially began on Tuesday, March 19th. But what Mother Nature gives us is the most important. So far in March, we have … Read more

LAVENDER IS A BUSHY PERENNIAL THAT WILL LAST YEARS IN THE GARDEN OR CONTAINERS Spring is in the air, and so is the scent of lavender. For many of you, lavender is an all-time favorite perennial. For others, growing it can be challenging and frustrating. Here’s a little historical background on this popular plant. Lavender … Read more

CLOVER HAS GOTTEN A BAD WRAP OVER THE YEARS Adding clover seed to your lawn is a strong growing trend in lawn care. I guess it is “what goes around / comes around.” People now adding clover seeds to their lawns made me smile. This is how lawns used to be – a blend of … Read more

Here we are at the end of February. Warmer days and longer daylight hours are happening. Our soil temperature is warming. Our plants are beginning to wake up from their long winter nap. Many of our plants are starting to put out new leaves, and some are beginning to bloom—such as our forsythia shrubs with … Read more

 TRY THESE PLANTS AND TURN YOUR BROWN THUMB GREEN February is houseplant month for The Great Big Greenhouse. We pride ourselves on the selection of houseplants that we carry. We have a houseplant for you. Some houseplants are easier to care for than others. Success with houseplants starts with choosing the right plant for you. … Read more

GROWING CITRUS IN THE RICHMOND AREA BRINGS A LITTLE SLICE OF PARADISE Growing citrus plants has been a strong houseplant trend over the past few years. This is very true because people find having citrus plants very rewarding. Citrus is a pretty plant that has fragrant white flowers, pretty leaves, and fruit. The bottom line … Read more

THIS IS A KIND NOTE TO REMIND YOU TO PLEASE LEAVE MY PLANTS ALONE THIS WINTER I wish deer could read. If so, I would post signs asking them to stay out of my yard and gardens this winter. I have already had a few frustrated customers come into the garden center saying how deer … Read more

KEEPING ACTIVE Last week I did a blog on ways to stay fit during these winter months. I want to give you all some thoughts on what we can do this winter to help us stay active and, at the same time, reduce our chore list come spring. One thing to do is to take … Read more

PLAYING WITH PLANTS TO SHAKE OFF THE WINTER BLUES This time of year can be a challenging time for avid gardeners. We must find ways to “play” with plants, even if it means playing with our tropical indoor plants. Making a terrarium is a perfect indoor winter project. Miniature gardens or landscapes can be created … Read more