Please welcome guest blogger, Phyllis Laslett, who is the adult education coordinator at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

A little about Phyllis? The peaceful West Island Garden is her favorite part of Lewis Ginter, with the sarracenias (pitcher plants), shadbush, and iris offering wonderful color and variety.  .... 

Once upon a time in my life, I did want a colonial-style herb garden, but I got over that, along with a fondness for straight lines and boxwood.  But, I’ve never gotten over book lust.  Recently, an advance copy of the book Flowers and Herbs of Early America landed on my desk, and while normally I would give the title—and subject—a pass, the spectacular image of Nigella damascena (Love-in-a-Mist) on the cover convinced me to open it. 

Lawrence Griffith, curator of plants for The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, researched contemporary colonial records for references of plants commonly grown in gardens, then he trialed (grew in measured plots, kept detailed notes and collected seed) as many of these plants as possible over several years.  He discusses not only classical and European references to these plants, but also includes his own notes from having grown the plants over many seasons.  He’s upfront in his observations on the growth habits and appearance of each plant, and entries are generously illustrated with Barbara Temple Lombardi’s exquisite photographs.  Even his brief section on ‘also-rans’ is informative.

Griffith will speak Wednesday, October 8 at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden at noon on his research and his book; copies of the book will be available for sale.  Pre-registration is required:  the lecture includes a light lunch, and costs $18 for Garden members and $28 for non-members.  The book is $50—and it’s worth it.  As Garden Executive Director Frank Robinson notes “Not only is this a useful work for the garden historian, historic gardener, and cottage gardener, but it has great relevance to twenty-first-century gardening.”

What’s not to like about a book with gorgeous photographs and an author who tosses off lines like:  “Though ungainly, coarse, and pedestrian, viper’s bugloss has its charm.”!

Visit Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s calendar for details. 

Photo by Heather Weimer, courtesy of the My Great Richmond Photo Contest

My Greater Richmond recently sponsored a photo contest all about our wonderful Richmond Region. This website is a great place to go and see beautiful photos of the Richmond and the surrounding area and to get ideas for things to go see or do. The best part of all? The first place winner for Henrico County was a photo of an amazing sunset right here at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden!

So, go check out the winning photos. Even the submissions that didn’t win, are really interesting to help us appreciate all the beauty we have here in Richmond.
And remember Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is part of your community. Yes, people drive from all over to visit, but sometimes it takes a beautiful photo like this to remind us what is in our own backyard.

The Henrico Master Gardener Association will host the Henrico Harvest Fair, Saturday, Oct. 18th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Armour House and Gardens at Meadowview Park, 4001 Clarendon Road—just down Laburnum Avenue from Lewis Ginter.  Admission to the festival is free.

Events will include classes, demonstrations, and family activities related to gardening—with topics including winter gardening, indoor herbs, buiding a rain barrel and more. Demonstrations will include beekeeping, pruning and composting along with hands-on activities.

In addition to adult classes, which are $10, there will also be $8 classes for children grade K-5. Pre-registration is required and the form can be accessed online or by calling 501-5160.

In addition, The Master Gardener Association will hold its Green Elephant

Sale of garden related books, tools and plants. And over 20 vendors will sell their products and services.

The Harvest Fair is presented in cooperation with the

Henrico Extension Office and the Henrico Division of Recreation and Parks, and will be held rain or shine.

Jonah Holland is public relations & marketing coordinator at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

Butterfly enjoying Lewis Ginter’s beauty.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is truly an enchanting place that will only become more captivating in the years to come. 

As I walk through the Garden on my last day of my internship, I’m saddened that my Lewis Ginter experience is coming to an end.  I have gained much needed experience and wisdom about PR and marketing field and I’m thankful for being able to work here over the summer. After being at Lewis Ginter for a summer, I feel like I not only know the Garden better but I also appreciate it more. I will miss walking down the Garden’s paths and relaxing in its natural beauty.

The sweet aroma of roses, great blue herons flying overhead, butterflies relaxing on blossoms, children exploring their surroundings, families enjoying nature together.  Just a few of the reasons why Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is a beautiful oasis which blooms brighter everyday.

Lindsay Silva is the PR/Marketing intern at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden this summer.

Every woman enjoys getting a bouquet of roses.  Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s new Rose Garden is filled with intoxicating scents that you will enjoy this summer.  You are invited to sit down and relax on one of the benches in the Rose Garden and breath in the wonderful scents that this garden exudes. 

But roses aren’t the only plants in your garden that your nose can delight in.  Lilacs, daylilies, and lavender are just a few of my favorite floral scents.  Here at Lewis Ginter, we know that nature is to be experienced not just by sight alone but with all five of your senses.

In a better effort to utilize your power of scent, please join us this Saturday, August 2nd from 9 to 10:30 a.m. for “Fragrance in the Garden”.  This workshop will be taught by Holly Shimizu, the executive director of the United States Botanic Garden.  You will learn the horticultural aspects of fragrance, such as what fragrant plants to grow, where to best grow them, how to blend and combine them, and specific aspects of the essential fragrant garden collection. Current research in the area of fragrance will also be covered.  Pricing is $20 for members and $30 for non-members. For more details, call (804) 262-9887.

I encourage you to go into your backyard, close your eyes and let your nose lead you.

Lindsay Silva is the PR/Marketing Intern at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden this summer.

The other day I was able to take a few early morning images in the new Rose Garden at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. We often joke about how we wish we could attach “scent files” with our images—and that crossed my mind as I was photographing. The fragrance of the roses was simply amazing.

If you have roses at home, you may want to pick up the fallen leaves—as they can be the source of spores and bacteria that can re-infect the plant if left on the ground. It’s one of the things we do here to keep our Rose Garden healthy.

Another thought for today—I was talking with a co-worker about the abundance of herbs at this time of year. Did you know you can preserve herbs for cooking and stewing by freezing them in water instead of drying? Place chopped herbs in an ice-cube tray, cover them with water, and freeze. The cubes can be stored in plastic bags in the freezer until you are ready to add them to the pot!

Beth Monroe is public relations director at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

My four-year old pointing to a bee on our front door step.

I’ve been making a conscious attempt to enjoy the “summer-ness” of every day.

What does that mean? Well, there are just certain things that mean summer – and I don’t want to wake up in September and think “darn, I missed it this year.”

What does summertime mean to you?

For me, it’s colored by recollections of childhood. Eating watermelon; catching lightning bugs; running through sprinklers, the sweet smell of honeysuckle…to me, summer means nature and plants.

Last weekend, some good friends came by and brought their young children ages 2 and 3. We got out the garden hose and the kids, including my two ages 1 ½ and 4; proceeded to turn our backyard into a mudfest. One of my best memories of the summer of ’08 will be my friends’ son, covered in mud from head to toe with blackberry juice running down his chin.

Sometimes I think we underestimate the impact of these seemingly small experiences. Every day as we leave the house, my daughter pauses to check on her plants – a tomato growing in a container and a few sunflowers planted near our front door. This morning she reminded me the tomatoes need to turn red before we pick them and we will need to wash them before we eat them. Then she told her plants “good-bye,” blew them a kiss and climbed in the car.

And it occurs to me that childhood, like summer, is way too fleeting.

Beth Monroe is public relations and marketing director at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

These gardening tips will keep your plants looking beautiful this summer, so don’t sweat it.

With temperatures in the upper 90’s, it is rough trying to stay cool.  It is even rougher on your garden.  There are several ways to help your garden maintain its “green” this summer.

Tips for your Backyard Garden:
• Water less often. For most fruits and vegetables, thoroughly soak the soil, with about a half an inch of water, every three or four days. This minimizes the water lost to evaporation and encourages roots to reach further into the ground to absorb extra moisture, making them deeper, stronger and less vulnerable to drying out.
• Water early in the day, to give plants more time to absorb water before the midday sun dries the soil. If possible, avoid watering in the evening because plants that are damp overnight can be more vulnerable to slugs and fungus.
• Go straight to the roots, and save water with a simple drip irrigation system, which is essentially a hose full of tiny holes that delivers moisture to your plants at a slow and steady rate, giving roots time to absorb more water. Some systems can be set to run on an automated timer, which makes them almost effortless.
• Mulch conserves water and can be a real lifesaver for plants. A three-inch layer will act like a protective coating over the ground, holding in moisture longer so you won’t need to water as often.

Here are some tips for your potted plants that you have in your home or out in your garden:
• A Good Balance. Plants in containers can dry out quickly, but it’s also easy to over water. For a healthy houseplant, water whenever the topsoil feels dry and choose a pot with holes in the bottom to allow the excess liquid to drain out.
• Bottoms Up. Plants absorb water most efficiently through their roots. For best results, place a potted plant with a drainage hole in the bottom inside a larger pot partially filled with water. That way, the liquid from the larger pot will slowly soak up through the soil of the smaller one, watering the roots from the bottom up.
• Add some Moss. Hanging baskets look lovely, but they can dry out quickly. Try lining yours with Sphagnum moss to keep the water in. It’s available at most garden stores and it can look beautiful draping down from a wire basket.

So put on some sun screen and get outside to help your garden stay cool!

Article found at: http://www.homemadesimple.com/en_US/nbrcontent.do?contentType=op&articleId=ar072

Lindsay Silva is the PR/Marketing Intern at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden this summer.

Echinaceas are a popular resting place for bees in the Flager Perennial Garden.

Not all the visitors to the Garden are human.

Walking through the paths at Lewis Ginter during the summer, you’ll notice bees hastily flying around the flower beds.  If you’re like me, you’ll quickly walk (or run) in the opposite direction.  However, I have to admit there is something uniquely beautiful about watching bees land on flowers. 

Of course, the bees wouldn’t bother you if you don’t bother them.  Here are some quick facts about the Garden’s frequent visitor.

Quick Facts:
1. There are 250 species of bumblebee worldwide.
2. Estimates suggest that the number of bumblebee species in lowland Britain have reduced between 50 and 70% since the 1950s.
3. The queen bee is the largest bumblebee followed by the female worker bee with the male (drone) bee being the smallest. Bumblebee workers can weigh between 0.04g and 0.60 g, whilst queens can weigh as much as 0.85g.
4. Depending on the species of bumblebee, worker bee’s tongues can vary in size from 6mm to 12mm.
5. Bumblebees have four wings; the two rear wings are small and are usually attached to the fore wings by a row of hooks called hamuli.
6. Bumblebees will pollinate flowers, fruit and vegetables in the garden, but produce very small amounts of honey.
7. Bumblebees live in smaller groups than honey bees and do not tend to swarm.

The summer is the perfect time to enjoy the Garden and the bees.

Lindsay Silva is the PR/Marketing intern at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden this summer.

Lotus; Nelumbo lutea ‘Mrs. Perry D. Slocum’

We’ve been enjoying the lotus here at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. These showy blooms make their appearance in late June and early July, so we’re right at the end of their season. Here’s some more info on these gorgeous plants:

COMMON NAME: Lotus
BOTANICAL NAME: Nelumbo
HISTORY/TRIVIA: Since ancient times the lotus has been revered and celebrated by cultures around the world, perhaps most significantly by the Egyptians. This Old World lotus, Nelumbo nucifera, is also important to Buddhists and Hindus, and is part of the Asian diet. Many people are surprised to learn there is also a native American yellow lotus—Nelumbo lutea – the only lotus native to the U.S.
GROWTH HABIT/FORM: Lotus are aquatic perennial plants that grow from thick rhizomes.
FOLIAGE: The tuber first sends up small, round, flat leaves, these are followed by larger wavy leaves up to 2 feet in width and 3 feet in height.
FLOWERS: (Depending on the cultivar) red, pink or pale yellow flowers; up to 12 inches in diameter. Flowers typically open in early morning and close by mid-afternoon. Flowers last between 2 – 5 days.
FRUIT: The distinctive seed pods have small holes and contain round, long-lasting seeds.
EXPOSURE: Sunny location.
CULTURE: They are usually propagated by rhizome division. Plant rhizomes in early spring when water temperatures are in the 50s (degrees Fahrenheit). Plant in shallow water or directly in a container.
HARDY/HEAT ZONES: Zones 4 - 11
RELTED SPECIES/VARIETIES: The American yellow lotus Nelumbo lutea and the sacred lotus of the Nile Nelumbo nucifera. A popular lotus cultivar now is ‘Mrs. Perry D. Slocum,’ which is a cross between Nelumbo lutea and Old World cultivar ‘Roseum Plenum.’
USES/TIPS: Lotus require regular fertilization.  This can be done using pond tablets. Make sure lotus are in a place that won’t freeze or store in a pot in a cool, dark location where it can be kept moist.
PROBLEMS: When grown in home gardens, lotus will take over a pond. Plant in containers to control growth (make sure containers don’t have holes!).

Beth Monroe is public relations and marketing director at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

It’s July in Central Virginia—hot and humid!

Not that you really want to be working in the Garden right now—but just in case, here’s some things to do…

Pinch off dead blooms on annuals during summer months to promote re-blooming.
Take care in fertilizing during hot, dry spells. Fertilizer affects a plant’s ability to absorb water and can cause dehydration. Liquid fertilizers are ideal for annuals. 
Divide and transplant bearded iris. Discard the center rhizome and cut the leaves back to eight inches long.
Stake perennials that threaten to fall over. Some late-blooming perennials such as aster, helenium and salvias can be cut back to control height.

Beth Monroe is public relations director at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (LGBG) has implemented Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in an ongoing effort to be environmentally conscious.

IPM is an effective, environmentally friendly approach to pest management that relies on a combination of commonsense practices.

The goal of IPM is to see a reduction of pests to acceptable numbers with the least environmental impact.  Our goal is not the total elimination but rather the successful management of pests at levels that are acceptable and promote plant/public health.

IPM incorporates many elements that will help LGBG strive toward environmental excellence:

Identification: Proper identification of all pests or factors responsible is essential to the success of IPM. 

Monitoring and Sampling: The presence of pests and pest populations will be monitored and sampled frequently.  Monitoring is vital because it determines the presence of pests and pinpoints their exact locations.  It will determine the proper timing for control strategies, and will provide information about beneficial and coincidental insect populations.

Control Strategies: It is a necessity to determine how much pest damage can be tolerated before a particular strategy is executed. Different strategies can include resistant varieties, sanitation, good horticulture, physical and mechanical controls, and reliance on weather events.

Follow-up and Evaluation: It is always important to measure how effective the control strategies are.  Sometimes, a new cycle of scientific and observational monitoring may be required. 

Public Education: Most importantly, learning from our ongoing IPM experience and from those of others should be shared with garden visitors and other interested parties.

IPM improves the environment while educating the public and the Garden is excited to be incorporating IPM practices.

Lindsay Silva is a PR/Marketing Intern at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden this summer.

I inherited my obsessive love of music and I can thank my dad for that.

My dad is pretty much a walking music encyclopedia, and anyone who knows him can vouch for that.  My most vivid memories of my childhood are attending concerts at Innsbrook After Hours with my family.  My childhood was different from other children.  For instance, instead of having a Peter, Paul & Mary CD on repeat, I would have Rubber Soul on repeat while singing along with every song.  Most children’s favorite entertainers are Big Bird and Barney while my favorite entertainers were The Beach Boys and U2.  I will always be eternally grateful to my dad for blasting anything from The Rolling Stones to Otis Redding to The Clash.  Being raised by such a music enthusiast has helped me become the person that I am today.  I was learning, while I was still in diapers, that good music is something to be cherished because it will transform your life. 

Even at 22 years old, I still go to concerts with my dad and we have long talks about different bands and musicians.  The core of our relationship is that we share the same passion for music and I know that will never change. If I hadn’t spent that time with my dad growing up, I would have been a completely different person.

Spending quality time with your family is something that you can’t take for granted.  Every family is different, not every family is full of music freaks like mine, but by spending time together will allow you to get to know each other better and bond over similar interests. 

This Father’s Day is the perfect opportunity to come together as a family and have a good time with each other.  Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden has just the event that the whole family will love. On Sunday, June 15 from 1 to 4 p.m., Father’s Day will be celebrated in style with classic cars, hot rods, and Harleys.  You will be able to enjoy the Garden while we provide crafts for the kids and a family cookout (by purchase).  Music is being provided by the “Jangling Reinharts”.

Who knows dads, maybe you and your child will bond over music and create an everlasting friendship.  It’s definitely worth a shot.

For the menu and pricing for Father’s Day in the Garden, click the link below:
Father’s Day In The Garden

Lindsay Silva is a PR/Marketing Intern at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden this summer.

Give Mother Nature a summer vacation, it’s your turn to “Go Green”!

It had become popular to “Go Green” recently.  I’m definitely not considered an environmentalist but I do enjoy saving money, especially with the rising gas prices. Here are several tips from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that you can use this summer to keep your garden looking picturesque without breaking your wallet.

• Mow regularly and leave the clippings on the lawn – the clippings will recycle into “free fertilizer.”
• Water deeply, but infrequently, to prevent lawn disease and save water.
• Mulch flower and vegetable beds with compost or grass clippings to conserve water and control weeds.
• Identify bugs before you spray, squash or stomp – most bugs are good bugs, not pests.
• Consider planting native trees and plants, especially ones with berries, fruits and flowers to invite birds, butterflies, and other wildlife into your yard.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden also has some “green” components.  Our Children’s Garden uses environmentally friendly materials that are long lasting and do not carry preservatives that would be harmful to children who come in contact with them.  For example, the rampway to the Tree House is constructed of a WeatherBest, a recycled plastic product.  The shingles on the Tree House are made of recycled rubber.

Children’s Garden follows an integrated pest management practice, an environmentally friendly practice which aims to reduce the need for pesticides by choosing alternatives to chemicals and using them only when all other means of prevention or control have been exhausted.  When pesticides are necessary, we opt for organic pesticides and products that have the lowest possible level of toxicity.

Lewis Ginter also provides fresh veggies to the Central Virginia Foodbank, which are raised by Children’s Garden visitors and staff, where they’re distributed to local families in need.

We can make this world a more environmentally friendly place, one garden at a time.

Lindsay Silva is a PR/Marketing intern at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden this summer.

A Great Blue Heron overlooking the Asian Valley Pond.

Oh how lucky the Great Blue Heron is to get an aerial view of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden!

I was walking around the Garden today, when I saw a Great Blue Heron soar over my head and descended into the Asian Valley Pond. 

As I carefully approached the heron, I noticed that he was looking attentively at the water.  I wasn’t sure how many or how big the fish in the pond are, but then all of a sudden the heron reach down and grabbed a fairly large fish from the pond. 

A Great Blue Heron searching for a fish in the Asian Valley Pond.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a picture of the actual catch because the heron hastily turned around (from camera view) and consumed it. I have seen Great Blue Herons in the Garden before, but I have never gotten this close to one or seen one eat a fish.  It was quite a breath-taking experience to be so near to such a graceful creature. 

I’m use to seeing herons around Virginia but I don’t know much about them.  I thought I’d share some interesting facts with you about the stunning Great Blue Heron:

• Great Blue Herons are the largest and most widespread heron in North America.

• An all white form is found from southern Florida into the Caribbean, and used to be considered a separate species, the “Great White Heron.”

• Although the Great Blue Heron eats primarily fish, it is adaptable and willing to eat other animals as well. Occasionally a heron will choke to death trying to eat a fish that is too large to swallow.

• Great Blue Herons have a seven foot wingspan and can fly 20-30 mph.

• Great Blue Herons congregate at fish hatcheries, potentially creating problems for the fish farmers. However, studies have shown that the herons tend to eat sick fish (which spend more time near the surface) that would have died anyway.

• A group of herons has many collective nouns, including a “battery”, “hedge”, “pose”, “rookery”, and “scattering” of herons.

The next time you come across a Great Blue Heron, take a minute to stop and marvel at its magnificent beauty and grace.

Lindsay Silva is a PR/Marketing intern at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden this summer.

Recently, it has become popular in today’s society to “Go Green”.  Lakeside Farmers’ Market is meeting that demand and then some in Henrico County.  The Farmers’ Market is located on Lakeside Avenue near the corner of Lakeside and Hilliard where Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is located.

The Market provides healthy produce while making food shopping enjoyable.  Instead of being in a jam-packed and highly priced supermarket, the Farmers’ Market allows customers to enjoy the outdoors while browsing for healthy food from personable vendors.

Peter and Sharon Francisco, who own the Lakeside Farmers’ Market, wanted to build community support while improving the appearance of Lakeside Avenue.  The Market has a small town feeling where the vendors know their customers’ first name, though it is located at Lakeside Towne Center.  Sharon told me that the vendors love their customers at the Market because the customers are so appreciative and some even thank the vendors for coming.  This isn’t something that you can find at a larger scale Farmers’ Market. 

Seeing the produce makes my mouth water and actually makes me want to eat my vegetables.  Each session will include as many as 11 vendors to provide Henrico residents with home-grown, healthy produce.  However, not all of the vendors sell organic products, but all try to maintain the integrity of their produce.  I spoke with Mike Wiblin, the owner of Hanover Produce, who informed me that although he isn’t an organic farmer, he classifies himself as a “Traditional Grower”.  Meaning he uses fertilizer when it is appropriate, and uses home grown pesticides.  Also with Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden so close by, helps business at the Market by educating and encouraging the public to get involved with nature and help maintain a “Green” lifestyle.

The Farmer’s Market is building a strong foundation of repeat customers.  On May 3rd, when it officially opened, the first 1,000 customers received reusable Lakeside Farmers’ Market shopping bags.  This is “green friendly” while spreading the news about the Market around Henrico County and the outlying areas.

The market is open May through November on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  On Wednesdays, it is open for two sessions from 8 a.m. to noon and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Saturdays will be open from 8 a.m. to noon. 

Lindsay Silva is a PR/Marketing Intern at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden this summer.

A turtle sunbathing at the West Island Garden.

Oh to be a turtle and spend your days gliding through the water or sunning yourself on the rocks.  This is what fills most of our turtles days here at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. 

Last summer, 2007, was my first summer working here at the gardens.  As a horticulturist, one of the main areas I am responsible for is the Asian Valley.  When you first enter the AV, you walk down to a pond where our fish feeder is located and there is a little ‘island’ to walk out on and feed the fish (and turtles).  As soon as the weather warmed up last year I was approached by many visitors wondering where “their” turtle was—did he come back, did he die?  I, of course, had no idea what they were talking about as I had encountered no turtles thus far in the upper pond.  The visitors each had their own name for this turtle and all seem to think of this turtle as their very special friend here at the garden.  One particular gentleman theorized that this turtle had passed away, since he was very old and had been around that pond for many years, and the turtle disappeared into the mud earlier than normal in the fall and now it was spring and still no turtle.

I was intrigued by all these observations from so many people so I kept an eye on this upper pond.  Sure enough, after some time had passed, a large turtle appeared, and with Her, a tiny baby turtle!  So the mystery was solved and we’ve figured out He is indeed a She!  All summer I watched the happy visitors come and stop by the pond, delighted to find “their” turtle was back.  (I wonder how many names this turtle has!) I watched the mother turtle hide and protect her young one, and oftentimes, the mother was present but the baby was not.  Sometimes weeks would go by and I would not see the baby turtle, and I feared one of our great blue herons had found the baby.  At some point in the fall, when the weather cools, the turtles disappear into the mud.

This spring, 2008, now that I know the history of our turtle, I kept close watch on the upper pond in Asian Valley.  All the turtles began to appear in all the lower ponds and lakes sometime around late March and still the upper pond was vacant.  I am happy to report that about six weeks later, the mother turtle made her appearance with--guess what?!...the baby turtle in tow, just swimming along as happy as can be.  The baby has doubled in size, from about 2 inches to now 4-5 inches.  Yesterday, I noticed the mother and her baby side by side sunning themselves on the rocks at the edge of the island in the upper pond.  What a sight to see!  You just can’t help but smile because they are so darn cute! 

I am also happy to report that there have been sightings of another baby turtle down in one of the lower ponds.  We can thank a very kind visitor for this, as he found a little baby turtle wandering on one of our garden paths one morning and asked me if he could put it back into our lake.

This is just one of the many reasons to visit us here at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.  Come visit, get acquainted with our flora and fauna, and even name a turtle or two.  You’ll be glad you stopped.

Laura Henley is a horticulturist at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

View of the North Terrace at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Today’s blog is a quick “photo essay” ending with a sneak peek at the big news at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden—the new Rose Garden—opening to the public this Saturday (May 24)!

On any given weekday morning you’ll probably see a visiting school group. Here, one poses for a photo in front of the Conservatory. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden has more than 16,000 schoolchildren who visit each year—it’s a key part of our educational mission.

It’s time to plant summer annuals! Here horticulturist Laura Sullivan Henley is doing just that along the main garden path. What’s that gorgeous plant with the seed head? Ornamental millet.

Here horticulturist Neil Greishaw (left) and the Garden assistant director for horticulture and education Tom Brinda (right) inspect roses in the new Rose Garden.

And here’s a view of the new Rose Garden. Want to see more? Visit the Garden’s website.

Beth Monroe is public relations and marketing director for Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

Peony in bloom at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

May is one of the busiest months for working in the garden. But if you prioritize carefully and take advantage of the many devices and tools available, you can get the work done and stop to smell the roses!

Weeding
In most cases it is too late to use a pre-emergent herbicide to suppress weeds because these herbicides must be used on bare soils before seeds germinate. However, if you have a new garden area, you can use a scuffle hoe to remove germinated weeds and then apply the pre-emergent herbicide. Mulch is an even better alternative because in addition to keeping down weeds, it retains moisture and helps build organic matter in the soil.

Pruning
Prune spring-flowering shrubs such as forsythia, azaleas and lilac now before new flower buds are set for next spring. Any plant that has not bloomed yet, such as spirea, Rose-of-Sharon and viburnum, should be pruned after flowering.  Be especially careful when pruning rose family members. It is fireblight season and this disease can be easily spread on pruning tools during wet early summer weather. 

Planting
Almost all plants can be added this month. Before you purchase containerized plants, examine them carefully to make sure they are not root-bound or overgrown. Just to be safe, wait until after May 15 to plant Mediterranean herbs and caladiums because the roots can languish in cold soils.

Thinking Ahead
Planning next year’s spring garden seems impossible in the middle of all this activity, but now is the best time when everything is still fresh in our minds.  Take a few moments to make notes of what bloomed best and where to add new plants for attractive flowering compositions.

Beth Monroe is public relations director at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.