Susan Higgins

Volunteer Susan Higgins writes about what she learns and loves in the Garden.

Sep 19th, 2018

10 Surprising Tree Facts

Trees. They provide shade on a summer’s day. Brilliant bursts of color in fall. The stark beauty of naked bark against an overcast winter sky. And the hope of rebirth […]

Jan 12th, 2017

Forest Bathing

Updated 1/17/17 Awash in the Health Benefits of Nature My mother was right. She may not have known why, but she was right. When she sent me outside to play […]

Dec 15th, 2016

Bling House Light Toys

Making Spirits Bright with Light Toys from the Bling Shop As Dominion GardenFest of Lights casts its spell over the Garden each year, you may discover that even you are […]

Dec 6th, 2016

Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights Decorations & Inspirations

Updated 12/14/16 Ask Justin Brown when he and his team began work on this year’s light show and he replies, “We never stopped.” Brown is Operations Manager and External Team Leader for Dominion […]

Nov 1st, 2016

Cheers to Shopping

Here’s to holiday shopping! We’re making spirits bright in the Garden Shop with a festive salute to the season. Introducing Cheers to Shopping, a special evening of creative ideas for […]

Oct 12th, 2016

Membership Changes Everything

When you join Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, it changes the way you experience this special place. You explore the Garden from a new perspective. You find a deeper connection in nature. […]

Aug 7th, 2016

Butterflies: Believe It or Not

Fun Butterfly Facts to Know and Tell Robert Frost called them “flying flowers.” The French call them papillon, which also means “parking ticket.” In the United States we call them butterflies, […]

Aug 4th, 2016

LEGO® Gifts for LEGO® Geeks

Finches fabricated from LEGO bricks feast on fanciful food at feeders also fashioned out of LEGO pieces. A trio of pollinators (a bee, a butterfly and a hummingbird,) made entirely from […]

Jun 15th, 2016

A Peace Offering

Peace Essays: Seeing Nature’s Lessons about Peace Through the Eyes of a Child This week, maybe more than ever, nature’s lessons about living together in peace seem imperative. The Richmond Peace […]

Jun 10th, 2016

Thank Dad with Father’s Day Gifts from the Garden Shop

Make him feel like a king with a gift from the Garden Shop. Dad. He’s your hero, your mentor, your role model, your friend. How can you ever thank him? Well, […]

Jun 3rd, 2016

A Bed is Born

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Garden Design Give a gardener a new bed, full of fresh soil and unlimited possibility, and stand back. Twice a year at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, in […]

May 18th, 2016

Garden Shop Wedding Gift Ideas

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue — if there is a summer wedding on your calendar, there’s sure to be something for you in the Garden Shop at Lewis Ginter […]

Apr 28th, 2016

Spring PlantFest

Mother’s Day was not on Nancy Penick’s mind when she cut up a jumble of fabric scraps and sewed them into a gardening apron. As the Volunteer Coordinator of PlantFest, […]

Apr 13th, 2016

How to Pick a Perfect Tree

Joel Koci knows a good tree when he sees it. He’s a tree guy. A highly respected local arborist and Virginia Forestry Extension Associate at Virginia State University. Koci visited […]

Apr 7th, 2016

Cracking the Code to Nature’s Calendar

Predicting the future can be tricky business. It’s the stuff of tea leaves and tarot cards, Magic 8 Balls and Ouija boards. And yet, for farmers, horticulturists and even home […]