Blogs by Year

Impatiens Downy Mildew is a relatively new disease problem for American gardens and now is being observed in many areas around the country. It has been confirmed this summer in Northern Virginia and Chesterfield County Virginia. Although it has not been confirmed in the Hampton Roads area, the recent rains and cooler night temperatures provide the perfect environment for disease infection. You may be experiencing early decline in your Impatiens.Here is what you should look for:

As nights become cooler and days get shorter, it’s time to plant your fall garden ~ but are you stuck in a rut? Maybe it’s time to explore some other plants to compliment the traditional fall favorites. It’s easy to create a one-of-a-kind fall garden. Mixing several different plant varieties will give your landscape a unique look and make visitors look twice. So this fall, try incorporating some out-of-the-box plants along with those beautiful mums & asters we all know and love!

TOAD LILY is in fact a true beauty. In fact, it's one of our favorite fall-blooming perennials!

Just because summer is winding down doesn’t mean your garden has to! Fall in Hampton Roads is one of the most beautiful times of the year offering vibrant colors and rich textures. The possibilities are endless when planning your fall garden and landscape, so keep the color coming with some of our favorite fall-blooming perennials:

It's just beginning to feel like fall, and winter is around the corner... so why are we talking about spring?! Well, fall is in fact the ideal time to plant spring-flowering bulbs ~ like tulips, daffodils, crocuses & hyacinth. A flower bulb is really an underground storehouse and flower factory. Within the bulb is just about everything the plant will need to sprout and flower at the appropriate time. All bulbs need is to be planted in the ground at the appropriate season of the year, given liberal water, and then sit back and let Mother Nature do the rest!

URBAN™ APPLE COLUMNAR APPLE TREESThere are apple trees that flourish in orchards with foxglove and clover at their feet, and then there are apples who stand all alone, trained on wire or string on the side of a house. Apple blossoms and juicy fruit can now captivate homeowners, apartment dwellers, condo owners, suburbanites and those short on space!

Our expert staff knows that laying a good foundation is the first step to successful gardening. From topsoil, potting soils, compost, grass seed and soil amendments, we have everything you need to help you keep your lawn and garden in tip top shape! All McDonald mixes are specifically formulated for Hampton Roads to ensure your gardening success.

Bulbs are an easy way to add color, texture and bloom variety to your garden. They are easy to grow, quick to deliver, are relatively inexpensive and their versatility is unbeatable! They can be grown in most any garden situation, in pots, borders, rock gardens, grass and even indoors. Now’s the time to start planning for those spring flowering bulbs, but there's no need to confine your planting efforts to the garden. Don’t overlook those indoor bloomers like Amaryllis and Paperwhites for dramatic blooms to brighten your home this fall and winter.

Ornamental peppers are absolutely stunning with their flashy kaleidoscope of color. Many gardeners are unaware of the beauty peppers provide to both beds and containers due to their delightfully colored fruit. Much like hot peppers you would grow in your veggie garden, ornamental peppers produce colorful little fruits that are round or pointed. But these varieties are so beautiful in their own right that they can be grown just for show -- not to eat.

Roasting marshmallows in your fire pit, enjoying a glass of wine on your patio, or simply relaxing with friends & family in your garden are all ways that you can enjoy your yard. Nowadays, the back yard has become an extension of the home and the popularity of using concrete pavers in landscapes continues to be on the rise. From patios, to walkways and even fire pits, it’s no wonder concrete pavers have become one of the top choices for all external paving needs. Today’s pavers offer the homeowner numerous benefits. Here are some of the reasons concrete pavers are so popular today: