Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Blog

Sep 2nd, 2019

Coming Together to Feed Our Community

When people think of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, they often think of interest rates and bank regulation, but at the core of our mission is service to our […]

Aug 29th, 2019

Eco-Friendly Virginia Green Certification

At Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden we are committed to doing what we can to help the environment and our Virginia Green program is just a start. After all, our mission […]

Aug 20th, 2019

Plants of the James River — Native Plant Illustrations

The month of October will feature a special exhibit of botanical art featuring illustrations of native wildflowers and plants. The Plants of the James River Project, a group of botanical […]

Aug 13th, 2019

Companion Planting to Support Beneficial Insects at Lewis Ginter

The screams of a dozen middle- and high school-aged girls pierce the still air in the Kroger Community Kitchen Garden. I’m in the middle of a demonstration about beneficial insects, […]

Jul 9th, 2019

Bay-Friendly Gardening in Richmond Can Improve the Health of the Chesapeake Bay

Chemicals, excess nutrients and sediment are the Chesapeake Bay’s biggest pollutants. You may not live near the Chesapeake Bay, but what you do directly affects it – as does what […]

Jun 19th, 2019

What’s the Buzz? Pollinators in the Library

National Pollinator Week is a time to celebrate pollinators—like bees, birds, butterflies, beetles, and bats—and learn about ways that we can protect them. After you’ve flitted through M&T Bank Butterflies […]

Jun 19th, 2019

Purple Passionflower

Purple passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), both handsome and hardy, is a native that frequents fields and fencerows across our state. A day in the sun The sun-loving perennial vine produces showy, […]

Jun 14th, 2019

Feed More Receives A New Herb Garden

The Garden is full of beautiful landscapes, blossoming flowers, art installations and small wildlife. It is beautiful year round and always offers something new to engage with. However, one of the […]

Jun 5th, 2019

Special Events Are Going GREEN!

Weddings aren’t always white. Sometimes they’re green. Rehearsal dinners, baby showers and other celebrations are trending green, too. Going green has little to do with color. It’s the concept of […]

May 23rd, 2019

Raising Eastern Black Swallowtails

If you’ve ever dabbled in herb gardening, chances are you’ve seen little green worms munching away on your parsley, dill, or fennel. If that’s the case, then you’ve been visited […]

May 20th, 2019

The Power of the Garden: Therapeutic Horticulture

“Connor, come sit down with me!” A simple sentence perhaps, but for Jennifer Simmons, the words seemed miraculous. Three-year-old Parker had speech delays. He rarely spoke in complete sentences, and […]

May 17th, 2019

GRTC Grows Greener

The passenger platforms for PULSE, the GRTC bus rapid transit system, have been touted for their innovative architecture. Their landscape designs merit kudos, too. The largest planting is little more […]

May 16th, 2019

Good Gully: Stream Restoration Helps Environment

As you wind your way through the entrance to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, a stream cuts through the lawn to your left. It has a naturalistic feel, with trees and […]

May 14th, 2019

Kingdom Fungi Interesting Facts

Fungi—some forms have existed millions of years!—originally were classified as plants. But they lack chlorophyll and other basic plant characteristics, so today, they reign over their own realm: Kingdom Fungi. […]

May 9th, 2019

Early Spring Migration

We’re in the early stage of spring avian migration, a time when birders’ pulses quicken in anticipation of finding colorful songbirds, shorebirds and raptors. Some migrants will stay and breed in […]