Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
40 Years of Growing Gardens and Gardeners
#MGNV Tried and True #NativePlant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic
Found naturally along roadsides, pastures, and open woods, the exotic flowers and edible fruit of Purple Passionflower make this unique vine a striking ornamental plant for the garden. The common name, Maypop, refers to the fruit, which makes a popping sound when stomped.
#renting #gardening #mgnv #book review
Back in the day, when I was renting, it never occurred to me that with relatively little effort I could make my small townhouse patio anything other than the uninviting space it was. Fortunately, that is not a problem for today’s renters. In How to Garden When You Rent, author Matthew Pottage presents renters with a variety of gardening ideas with solid advice on how to undertake them.
#MGNV Tried and True #NativePlant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic
This native of open woodlands is a truly high-value wildlife plant. Showy fall flowers draw myriad pollinators to nectar, seven species of specialized bees to pollen, and birds and small mammals to seeds. It is a larval host for about 70 lepidopteran species.
#farmersmarket #vegetables #fruit #farmers
When you meander through a farmers market, do you ever think about where that colorful cornucopia of vegetables and fruit comes from?
The first week of August is National Farmers Market Week (Aug. 3-9 in 2025), an opportunity to learn more about the actual farmers at your farmers market.
#MGNV Tried and True #NativePlant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic
An important native species for soil stabilization along roadsides, Purple Lovegrass is a lovely ornamental in home gardens. Its reddish-purple clouds of airy flowers are stunning in summer when backlit or sparkling with raindrops.
THE MYTH: Using pine needles as mulch will cause your soil to become significantly more acidic.
THE REALITY: False! Read on to learn more!
