From the McDonald Garden Center Blog
The dog days of summer have officially begun. And in these hot and humid summer months, it can be a challenge to keep your lawn looking green and healthy. So, we've had our lawn experts put together a few simple tips to help you keep that lawn looking lush all summer long.For Warm Season Lawns: If you have Bermuda, St. Augustine, Centipede or Zoysia, follow these steps this summer...
McDonald Owner, Eddie Anderson, grows garden-fresh herbs steps away from his kitchen and grill to bring flavors to summertime cuisine.Why have all those store-bought herbs in the kitchen when you can have it fresh at your finger tips all summer? It only takes a small bed or a few large pots. Whether used by the pinch or by the bunch, garden-fresh herbs pull a recipe together by infusing most any dish with unmatched aromas and flavors.
Hampton Road’s love affair with crepe myrtles is undeniable. Few plants can match their combination of stunning summer flowers, vibrant autumn foliage, and unique and beautiful exfoliating bark. With so many cultivars to choose from, we’ve selected a few of the newer introductions that you're sure to fall in love with!
The crepe myrtle is originally from China and has been in cultivation in the United States for more than a century. This beloved tree can be seen all over Hampton Roads, lining streets in its wide range of colors and sizes. July and August mark the peak of the tree’s 100-day blooming period -- putting on a show of beautiful crepe paper-like flowers.
Enjoy the beauty of a drought-tolerant yard and gardens.by Kathy Van Mullekom, a lifelong gardener and gardening writer living in York County, VirginiaWhen husband Ken and I lived in the Kiln Creek area of Newport News, we had a fescue lawn that an underground irrigation system kept lush and green. Ken loved that watering system. Many evenings, he and neighborhood men stood in the street, admiring each other’s lawn and comparing notes on who had the greenest lawn. I used to chuckle at their manly competition.
Plant more warm-season veggies now for cool-season harvests.by Kathy Van Mullekom, a lifelong gardener and gardening writer living in York County, VirginiaI grew up with a vegetable garden. Dad raised potatoes, string beans, corn, cucumbers, onions, squash and tomatoes – lots of tasty tomatoes. Mom canned beans and tomatoes and pickled cucumbers. It’s how our family of six ate healthy and fresh on the conservative income my father made at the local shipyard.
One man’s trash is another’s treasure! Recycle old tins for a small, quick project that will add some green to your space while going green in the process.What you’ll need:
A fiery show of color! An explosion of color, this upright, annual grass features variegated stripes of white, green, burgundy and hot pink blades. Fireworks produces red-burgundy foxtail plumes from mid-summer to early fall. It is the first variegated purple fountain grass that grows as a thick clump that can reach 2-4 feet tall and 1-3 feet wide. It is a great accent plant in the landscape or in containers or group en mass for a stunning display of color.
Savor the sweet smells of fragrant plants in your garden.by Kathy Van Mullekom, a lifelong gardener and gardening writer living in York Co., VirginiaIf you’ve ever ridden past a patch of white-flowering privet on the highway and caught a whiff of its fragrance, you know just how powerful a plant’s perfume can be. At home, you can enjoy the sweet smells of fragrant plants in your yard with just a few strategically placed species.
