GROWING YOUR OWN FRESH KITCHEN HERBS IS A VERY POPULAR PLANT TREND Now that we are toward the end of April, outdoor gardening is in full demand. And, growing fresh herbs is huge here in 2022. Did you know that many of our popular herbs are mentioned in the Bible? People who lived in Jesus’ … Read more
This coming Friday, April 22 is Earth Day Earth Day was established in 1969 at a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) conference in San Francisco, California. In March of 1970, a sanctioned Proclamation was signed at the U. N. by Secretary-General U Thant giving official United Nations recognition. In the 1950s, the … Read more
APRIL IS A GREAT GARDENING MONTH Here we are in the middle of April. So much is happening with gardening right now. However—PLEASE WATCH THE WEATHER FORECAST for any possible late-season frost or freeze. Our average last frost for our area is around the 20th of April. A few years ago we had a frost … Read more
I have a raised bed at the front of my yard, just under a large maple tree. I used to grow impatiens there. They did great in the shade; however, they are thirsty little plants. By mid-summer I was having to water every single solitary day—and if it was a little on the hot and … Read more
HOW GARDENING CAN HELP WITH ALZHEIMER’S All of us know this horrible disease. All of us know that there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s. Many of us have experienced loved ones and friends who have suffered from the effects of Alzheimer’s. The founder of Meadows Farms, Bill Meadows, who was the father of the … Read more
Elephant ears have been cultivated for more than 10,000 years as a food crop—making it one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world. The botanical name is Colocasia esculenta—esculenta comes from the Latin word for edible. It’s toxic when raw due to calcium oxalate crystals, but edible when cooked. On the other hand, I’m … Read more
CAN A TROPICAL LANDSCAPE BE DONE HERE IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA? Can we create a tropical oasis in this area? A quick answer to this question is yes! You will need to put on your creative cap because there are a few steps that you can do now knowing that you will add to this landscape … Read more
What vegetable is low in calories, high in fiber, a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—and tastes delicious? Asparagus, of course. Interesting Facts About Asparagus Thomas Jefferson had asparagus beds at Monticello and often ate it marinated in oil, red wine vinegar, capers, and herbs. Asparagus gets its name from the Greek word for … Read more
Yesterday, in the Northern Hemisphere, was the first day of Spring—astronomically anyway. For meteorologists, spring started three weeks ago on the first of March. And, if you are living south of the equator, it’s the first day of fall. From here on out, the days will continue to get longer until the Summer Solstice. Spring … Read more
NATIVE PLANTS ARE ESSENTIAL In a nutshell, native plants are essential if bees are to survive and thrive. Make sense? It does to me and it does to many others, thank goodness. Matter of fact, adding natives to the landscape has become very, very popular over the last few years. And, The Great Big Greenhouse … Read more
