Did you get an Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum) and want to see if you can grow it in your garden? Though not always reliable, you may have success with the following guidelines. Set out in the garden after the flowers have faded, remove the flower stalk so it does not go to seed. Choose a…
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Is It a Product of Genetic Engineering (ge) or a Genetically Modified Organism (gmo)?
The terms Genetic Engineering (GE) and Genetically Modified Organisim (GMO) are often used interchangeably in the media. However, there is a difference. GE refers to a high-tech genetic engineering processes that are used to incorporate genes from one organism directly into another. This is done by using recombinant DNA techniques that bring together genetic material…
Forcing Woody Plants for Indoor Bloom
There are a number of plants that you can force into bloom for indoor display. Three of the easiest are forsythia, pussywillow, and flowering quince. Prune branches that you wish to force on a day that is above freezing. The branches should be 3 feet long or less and placed into a bucket of water…
Earth Kind Roses
Hybrid tea roses are the darling of avid rosarians because of their spectacular blooms, rich, deep green foliage and repeat blooming qualities. At the same time, they are the bane of the casual home gardener who sees them as a maintenance nightmare requiring a rigorous regimen of watering, fertilization and pesticide application. Rose beauty and…
Ornamental Pepper
An annual that you might want to check out for your garden this coming season is the new Ornamental Pepper ‘Black Olive’, (Capsicum annuum ‘Black Olive’) It went through nation-wide testing last year in All America Selections trial gardens and was reported as a standout, especially in southern gardens where heat was a major factor. …
Twas the Night Before Christmas
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the Garden All the lights were blazin’ and the cars were a-comin’; The stockings were hung by the camellias with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The plants were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of compost danced in their heads;…
It’s Showtime at the Garden
The Garden is partnering with Virginia Stage Company for a holiday special. Learn more
Paint the Town Red
As you arrive at the Garden this month, look for banners hanging at the entrance that resemble paintings by the artist Mark Rothko. Combined with plantings of red mums, they are our way of “painting the town red” to celebrate the Virginia Stage Company’s production, Red. Learn more
September Gardening Tips
Work on cutting back your exhausted perennials. Some will die back earlier than others and some will die back a little at a time. Generally, if the foliage and stems are brown or fallen over it’s time to cut it back. If the stems are brown, but still sturdy and upright you might choose to…
Vote for the Garden and help save our sculptures
Online voting has begun in Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifiacts program. The goal of Virginia’s Top Ten is to raise public awareness about care of collections throughout Virginia, D.C., and beyond. Our sculptures on display in Statuary Vista are candidates and need your vote. Statuary Vista features eleven, seven-foot tall statues carved from Cararra marble by Sir Moses…