If you’re particularly keen on using Virginia native plants to attract more bees to your garden, then you can’t go wrong with golden Alexander, wild geranium, and calico aster. These are so useful because they provide essential food to native bee populations in Virginia in early spring. Meadowlark Gardens are one of the best botanical gardens in Vienna, Virginia. The grounds cover more than 95 acres! Here you will discover gardens with beautiful showcases of local Virginia flora. There are also peaceful ornamental display gardens.

You don't have to adhere to the strict rules of a formal garden to have a beautiful, sustainable yard. In fact, by choosing the right plants and materials, you can create a low-maintenance landscape that is easy on the environment and your wallet. The Old Farmer’s Almanac offers an excellent online garden planning tool that makes your garden planning fun and easy. With this tool, draw your garden plan on the computer and drop in your preferred vegetables, and it automatically calculates the proper spacing for each type of crop! This way, you don’t waste seeds or crowd your plants. The Garden Planner automatically pulls in the frost dates for your specific location, identifies easy vegetables, and even identifies companion plants. Then you can print out your plan, and the tool reminds you of your seeding and harvesting dates for everyvegetable! Aloe Vera is the perfect plant to cut and use its pups to create grow more aloe vera and create your very own succulent garden indoors. Want to keep gardening in Virginia zones 6, 7 and 8 even as the weather cools? You might be surprised by your options!Do not miss out on the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C.. It is a piece great piece of living history that was constructed by the Architect of the Captiol in 1933. The large iconic greenhouse is the Lord & Burnham greenhouse. It contains two courtyard gardens as well as ten other garden rooms under glass. This dreamy space has over 28,000 square feet of growing space! Virginia is a great state for gardening! The climate is perfect for growing all sorts of plants, from flowers to vegetables to trees. And the soil is rich in nutrients, making it easy to grow healthy plants. Plus, Virginia is home to a variety of plant life, which means there are plenty of options for gardeners who want to plant to benefit wildlife. Another beautiful native plant is the great blue lobelia, which can add some beautiful color to your garden. Growing up to three feet tall, this perennial flower produces blue or purple blooms from mid-summer to early fall. The great blue lobelia is a relatively low-maintenance plant that does well in both full sun and partial shade. However, it can get a little thirsty in full-sun locations, so be prepared to do some watering! It's also tolerant of a wide range of soil types. We like this lobelia so much that it’s part of our Pollinator Power 6-Plant Collection (Part Shade). Little bluestem grass

The best time to plant your outdoor garden in Virginia is in the spring, after the last frost has passed. You can also plant in the fall, but make sure to start your plants indoors about 8 weeks before the first frost is expected. Nutrient-rich soil. Your soil feeds your plants. You’ll have poor, unhealthy plants if you have thin, nutrient-poor soil. Mix in plenty of organic matter to help your plants grow. See how to prepare your soil for vegetable plants.Callahan and local Extension Master Gardener volunteers use community centers and local libraries to bring programming to areas identified by the local government as needing an infusion of programming. These crops will feel much more comfortable in the moderate temperatures of spring, as opposed to the intensity of a Virginia summer. And their short growing period means once temperatures begin to rise, they’ll be ready to harvest and replaced with plants more adapt to the Virginia heat. One of Virginia's most popular native plants is whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata). It’s a Virginia native plant that is perfect for dry, sunny, and part shade areas and gets its name from the whorls of thin leaves arranged around the stem. This milkweed is also adorned with tiny, fragrant blooms that appear late in the season. Spider Plants are beautiful succulents that fit in almost any spot in your home due to their small height and width. This makes it perfect for families that want to grow it together in their homes!

This Arboretum in Virginia is an award winning gem. Two national champions trees reside here- the Jujube and the Paper Mulberry. The arboretum also has 20 Virginia state champion trees including the Compton Oak which measures 97 feet wide! Topping trees is a gardening practice that should be avoided. Topping refers to the indiscriminate cutting of tree branches to reduce the tree's height. This practice is detrimental to the tree's health, as it can cause crown shyness, reduced vigor, and greater susceptibility to disease and pests. Freeman recalls one particularly important example of the lifelong impact gardening can have. At a recent intergenerational gardening event, a 105-year-old community member had the opportunity to make mud pies, which were filled with flower seeds. Though she had not put her hands into the earth for a long time, she happily made mud pies along with the children excited to play with mud. Did you know that some insects are actually beneficial? In addition to pollinating certain crops, many beneficial insects will eat bad insects. If you’re interested in learning more about beneficial insects and how you can attract them to your garden, read Improving Pest Management and Pollination with Farmscaping.

Introduction

Make sure your garden is properly watered on a regular basis and fertilize it when needed. When watering your plants, keep the water temperature constant in the summer and once a week in the winter. The Right Time To Start Gardening

Have you ever stopped to think about all the amazing plants that grow in Virginia? From the towering oaks of the Shenandoah Valley to the delicate wildflowers of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia is home to a remarkable diversity of plant life. But what makes Virginia's plants so special? To help beginners, we thought it may be useful to see a garden design. Here is an example of a starter family garden using the common easy-to-grow vegetables listed above. It also features companion planting (the practice of placing plants that thrive together next to eachother). For more fun with flowers, take the short drive from Richmond to visit the Colonial Williamsburg Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Witness the magnificent 18th-century tree and woody shrubs. Discover more than 30 historic gardens located confidently on the same grounds! Most plants require a specific type of soil to grow and thrive. If you provide your Christmas Cactus with the wrong type of soil expect it to not grow and possibly even die. There are several factors to consider when deciding when to start a garden in Virginia. One crucial factor is the type of plants you want to grow. Certain plants, such as annuals and vegetables, need to be planted at specific times to thrive. Others, such as perennials and trees, can be planted any time of year.Explore the enchanting Italian garden, botanical garden, and more specialty gardens when you visit. Stroll these public gardens in VA, take a tour of the historic Dooley mansion, and visit the nature center. Walk down Marnie’s Butterfly trail, stop by the Grotto, or meditate on the Mansion Ornamental Lawn. See the animals at the petting zoo for even more fun! Whatever the size of your garden: Every four feet or so, make sure that you have paths that allow you to access your plants to weed and harvest. Just ensure you can easily reach the row or bed center without stepping on thesoil. If your garden is in a shady area, it may be best to wait for the sun to come out. Shade has the ability to inhibit plant growth. What Month Do You Start Gardening? River Farm’s manor house is home to the Society’s Administrative and Membership offices. The lower floor is open to the public and features a charming parlor with a stunning river view, and a beautiful ballroom. Rotating exhibits by area artists are often on display in these rooms. The manor house is a popular venue for weddings, corporate events, meetings, and memorials, and is available for rental. Then there’s the little bluestem grass, a native Virginia plant perfect for landscaping projects. This hardy grass grows in both sun and part shade, making it a versatile choice for gardeners. It’s also drought-tolerant and resistant to deer and rabbits, making it a low-maintenance option for busy homeowners.