Blogs by Year

The Original

by Kathy Van Mullekom, a lifelong gardener and gardening writer living in York County, VirginiaDad was never a fan of ornamental shrubs and flowers. His philosophy was: Grow what you can eat! And, by golly, we ate good from his huge summer gardens filled with potatoes, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, string beans, spring onions and anything else tasty he could squeeze into the 40-by-100-foot plot behind my childhood home in Newport News.

Fresh herbs are easy to grow and can make all the difference between a good dish and an extraordinary dish! Once you begin to use fresh herbs in your favorite recipes, you'll never want go back to using just dried herbs again. Chefs know that fresh food is always best and fresh herbs are no exception.

Check out what's trending in the tasty tomato world. Enjoy a homegrown harvest right from your own yard. Tomatoes are one of the easiest & tastiest foods to grow, and, best of all homegrown tomatoes are much tastier than store bought varieties. Simply choose a few of your favorite varieties. We offer more than 40 different types including slicing, cherry, grape and old fashioned heirlooms. Here's five of our favorites...

Did you know that a Better Boy tomato plant once yielded more than 340 pounds of fruit, earning it a Guinness World Record? Although your plant might not yield that much fruit, it will produce plenty of bright red delectables that you can enjoy fresh from your garden all summer long.

Help Mother Nature open up pollinator hotel in your yard.by Kathy Van Mullekom, a lifelong gardener and gardening writer living in York County, VirginiaMy backyard perennial garden is my pollinator hotel.

Pink your garden with some of our favorite spring & summertime blooms. From bubble gum pinks to blush tones that feel more refined, adding a splash of pink to your landscape can instantly add a touch of beauty. For a colorful alternative to neutrals, opt for more muted blush tones like beigy-pinks or powder pinks. The key is to find the perfect pink that best suits your design style. Try pairing pink with yellows, oranges, purples, or even reds. You just can't go wrong with pink.

Get your taste buds ready for our newest berry on the block... Strawberry Éclair! This new gourmet strawberry boasts a unique taste with a hint of citrus and raspberry flavor to it. Strawberry Éclair is a Junebearing variety, so expect the majority of harvest in the early summer. This berry is developed from Junebearing and Everbearing relatives, so it often produces fruits longer into the season that traditional Junebearing strawberries. Allow berries to mature before picking to enjoy maximum flavor and sweetness. Enjoy these sweet treats in pies, tarts, jams and preserves...

Earth Day is a time to both celebrate Mother Nature and find ways to improve it. We're all looking for ways to make a difference in the world around us. Take a look at some simple ways to go green in your garden.

We’ve all been waiting for things to heat up in Hampton Roads and it looks like summer is finally on its way. Fill your garden with these tough plants that thrive in the Hampton Roads heat and humidity. These will last spring through summer and perform even better as the mercury rises! They’ll not only survive the heat, but they'll look great doing it. Some of our favorite plants that love the heat & sun: