PROCRASTINATORS – LISTEN UP!!! I, too, am a procrastinator when it comes to shopping. But, come see us. This time of year we are full of gift ideas for the gardener in your life. Let’s start with the obvious – the gift of a plant. We pride ourselves on having the biggest and widest selection…
In the past couple of weeks, I’ve had numerous people ask me how to care for the holiday plants they either received or bought for Christmas, so here is a quick guide. Poinsettias Take them out of foil they came in or poke holes in the foil so they can drain well. Keep them in…
DISH GARDENS ARE A UNIQUE AND POPULAR GIFT ITEM Dish gardens are, in effect, miniature landscapes. It is hard to find an office that does not have at least one florist dish garden sitting on top of a desk or file cabinet. Basically, a dish garden in a container that contains three or more assorted…
This coming Wednesday, December 12th, is National Poinsettia Day. So here are four interesting facts about everyone’s favorite holiday flower. Poinsettia, botanically Euphorbia Pulcherrima, is named for Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S minister to Mexico. He was an avid amateur botanist who, in the 1820s, sent home to South Carolina cuttings of a…
LAST MONTH OF THE YEAR. THERE ARE STILL SOME TASKS THAT CAN BE DONE IN THE GARDEN. Up to this point, Mother Nature has been very kind to use with some nice days. Other than a little snow a couple of weeks ago, temperatures have been mild. However, we could use some rain. This year…
One of my favorite flowers this time of year is the Paperwhite Narcissus, the fast and easy indoor bloomer. Narcissus papyraceus—paperwhites—are native to the Mediterranean from Greece to Morocco. They are daffodil relatives. They are not winter hardy here in Virginia, however, they will bloom easily indoors in a sunny window. Paperwhite bulbs are readily…
IF WE COULD SUMMARIZE THE 2018 GARDENING YEAR IN ONLY ONE WORD, THAT WORD WOULD BE RAIN. The time right before New Year’s is often a time for reflection on the past year and the year ahead. It’s only fitting that my last blog of 2018 would be just that! We’re reflecting on the gardening…
BIRDING IS THE COUNTRY’S SECOND-MOST POPULAR OUTDOOR PASTIME (AFTER GARDENING) Winter will be here, officially, in just a few days. But, we have already experienced some cold weather and snow already here in Central Virginia. How about all that snow last week? Just imagine what it must be like for our feathered friends. How do…
This Friday, December 21st, is the Winter Solstice—the shortest day of the year; the first official day of Winter; Yule. The days, which have been getting shorter and shorter each day since the Summer Solstice, now will begin getting longer by a minute or two each day. Many cultures around the world have celebrated the…
SHOPPING FOR GARDENERS MADE EASY BY COMING TO THE GREAT BIG GREENHOUSE & MEADOWS FARMS NURSERIES T’is the season. All of us here at The Great Big Greenhouse invite you to come and shop for unique gardening gifts. The sky is the limit when it comes to finding new and unique gifts for that gardener…
