When winter seems at its bleakest, Hampton Roads gardeners have a colorful treat in store for them -- the beautiful blooms of camellias. Camellias have been a part of the southern landscape for almost 200 years. Native to the Orient, these graceful beauties were introduced into the U.S. near Charleston, South Carolina in 1786. Camellias flower in the fall and winter with blooms appearing October through March. Flowers range in color from pure white to dark red, while some cultivars offer multi-colored or variegated blooms.
When walking through our greenhouse, you can often find Eddie Anderson, McDonald Garden Center owner, with his hands deep in the soil potting plants and experimenting with new gardening ideas. Today, we found him creating what he calls, Root Globes…. a project any plant lover can try at home.
Winter weather may be dreary, but your landscape doesn’t have to be. Cone-bearing trees and shrubs, known as conifers, can transform landscapes from ordinary to extraordinary with their assortment of sizes, shapes and textures. Conifers come in a variety of colors including green, yellow, blue, orange and purple. Some conifers are lacey; while others have rigid needles. Conifers that are hardy in the Hampton Roads area include: juniper, arborvitae, yews, hemlock, false cypress, and of course, pine, fir, and spruce.
Bird has become one of America's fastest-growing hobbies, and backyard bird feeding is a convenient way to enjoy these fine-feathered friends. Surveys reveal that nearly half the households in the United States provide food for wild birds.
Did you know that you should use rainwater to water your houseplants? Why you ask?
Our expert growers feel that rainwater is best due to the low pH in rainwater. The low pH makes it easily absorbed by a plant’s root system. Rainwater can also leach away excess salts and minerals that have built up in the potting soil.
