Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Promoting environmentally sound gardening practices for over 35 years!
Compost, also known as Black Gold, is decomposed organic waste materials from your yard or your kitchen or both that is added to vegetable gardens or other planting areas to improve the soil. Composting is a natural process, so anyone can do it, and the materials are free.
Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic
In the Mid-Atlantic Region, this attractive wildflower is most common in Pennsylvania. In Virginia its occurrence is spotty, although it is native to Fairfax County. At home in moist woods and along stream banks, this Phlox family member features leaflets arranged like rungs on a ladder (the ladder dreamt of by Jacob in the Bible story), thus the common name.
Featured Glossary word: Pedicel New in 2022!
pedicel: a thin stalk that supports an individual flower (or fruit) of an inflorescence (or infructescence)
It attaches to the main axis of the inflorescence or its branches above the peduncle.
In Glorious Shade—Dazzling plants, design ideas, and proven techniques for your shady garden, Jenny Rose Carey shows how any shady spot can be a wonderful mix of textures, colors, flowers, and seasonal interest.
Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic
Indigenous to wooded slopes and floodplain forests, this diminutive iris forms a lovely carpet in various shades of purple when it flowers in spring. Its colorful blooms and easy culture make it a valuable addition to a woodland garden.
Featured Glossary word: Crest
As you enjoy the spring blooms this May, start strategizing ways to keep mosquitoes and ticks at bay in your yard without the use of pesticides. Our May 20 class, "Controlling Mosquitoes and Ticks in Your Yard Without Pesticides, describes an integrated pest management approach based on an understanding of the life cycles of these insects.
