Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Promoting environmentally sound gardening practices for over 35 years!
Interspersed among vibrant spring flowers are the delicate lacy leaves of bittercress, the rich green tufts of annual bluegrass, colorful expanses of henbit and deadnettle, and cheerful clumps of chickweed … In case you’re wondering, remember, a weed is merely a wildflower in the wrong place.
Since many native foods are scarce this time of year, bird feeders can be quite busy. Birds, such as cardinals, finches, chickadees, titmice and sparrows, prefer black-oil sunflower seeds (hulled seeds cause less mess) in hanging feeders. However, if you happen to grow plants like eastern redcedar and winterberry (both are natives with high wildlife value) that still hold their winter fruit, then you may find a flock of colorful Bombycilla cedrorum (cedar waxwings) stopping by for a snack.
George Washington was an obsessive gardener; Thomas Jefferson, a stealthy seed smuggler; and John Adams, so taken with manure, he once examined a pile of it while on a diplomatic excursion in Europe.
Organic Vegetable Garden, October 4th As we make our way into fall, our garden still thinks it is summer, as is evidenced by the bounty of warm season crops we …
Monarch caterpillars at Glencarlyn Library Community Garden
The Glencarlyn Library Demonstration Garden has specimens of both the American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) and the Japanese Beautyberry (Callicarpa japonica). Our experience with them is based on the fun of comparing (and showing off) both in the same garden.
