How many Native Plants are Enough? If you are trying to increase native plants on your property, you might answer that there are never enough. However, listening to a seminar last week, I heard a great line to answer the question. How many native plants are enough: More than you had last year! That is a pretty easy goal for most of us, and even a small patch of natives makes a difference for our native pollinators, and a mailbox...
The New Kent Cooperative Extension Office brings you the New Kent Bug Event for 2026, a festive opportunity to learn more about the diverse and wonderful world of insects through educational booths, activities, and a hands-on environment. They will be joined by local organizations and specialists who will offer engaging activities and insightful information on any and everything to do with bugs! An event for all ages, there will be plenty to learn and enjoy! This event will bring youth...
Transform Your Garden with Expert Advice from Certified Master Gardeners Do you dream of a flourishing garden but aren’t sure where to start? Or perhaps you’ve encountered some gardening issues that require expert intervention. The James City County Williamsburg Master Gardener Association has just what you need! We offer free, environmentally sound, research-based recommendations for your home’s trees, lawn, landscape, and water-saving practices. Our teams of 2-3 certified Extension Master Gardeners are ready to visit your home, discuss your gardening...
As we find ourselves in the clutches of ‘Ole Man Winter” and will be dealing with snow, ice, and freezing rain from this most recent storm, we found an article from our great Master Gardener friends up in northern Virginia that is a great resource for preparing and dealing with winter’s challenges. Enjoy, and keep safe and warm. Essential Tips to Protect Your Garden from Snow Damage
A display of striking, contemporary glass vases waited on the counter where I paid for my bulbs in the Heath family’s Bulb Shop in Gloucester last week. A Hyacinth bulb nestled in the curves of one of them; with thick white roots emerging from its base reaching into the water below. These were tall, crystal clear vases designed for forcing bulbs indoors during the winter. Their height allowed room for the bulb’s roots to grow freely, as they do...
Vibrant Fall Foliage Are you drawn to bright scarlet leaves in autumn? You have probably admired sumac shrubs growing along the roadsides even if you didn’t know their name. Sumac’s huge, compound leaves can grow to two feet long, made up of as many as 31 leaflets arranged along its colorful central stem. They are deep green and glossy through much of the year, until they turn golden, orange, scarlet, or even deep purple from September until the leaves finally...
What is Forest Bathing? Have you ever wondered about the practice of forest bathing? It is one of several recent eco-prescriptions to help us heal what ails us and adapt to the stresses of contemporary life. Many therapists and physicians are sending their patients outdoors to enjoy the benefits of unplugged time in nature, away from screens, pings, and climate-controlled spaces lit with fluorescent tubes and LEDs. Ecotherapy has proven highly successful for millions of people. Biophilia Medical professionals...
“The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician.” Paracelsus Creating Sanctuary Sometimes we all need a place to get away from the noise of our daily lives to find some peace. We want a place to relax, to heal, to reconnect with the natural world, and to dream of a better future for ourselves and our loved ones. Our outdoor spaces can provide us with peace, healing, sanctuary, sustenance, and inspiration when we design them with these...
A Window of Opportunity Your window to destroy any Japanese stilt grass on your property closes when its seeds emerge in late August through October. This tenacious, invasive grass has all the adaptations it needs to gobble up real estate in private yards, public spaces, and in woodlands across America. But your swift action now, before this year’s seeds ripen, can help stop its spread. Japanese stilt grass, Microstegium vimineum, is an annual that will die back with...
Ivy: Hero or Villain? English ivy, celebrated in hymns and carols, rich in history and tradition, may be among the most hated of ‘imported’ plants for some American gardeners. Native plant enthusiasts may call ivy a ‘noxious weed.’ And now, thanks to a new state law, HB 1941, which will go into effect in Virginia in January of 2027, horticultural retailers will be required to label ivy as an invasive plant and suggest alternatives whenever it is sold directly...