Garden Gals

02/01/2026

Dreaming of a spring garden in the ice and snow? You can easily find your deep shade by noticing where there is still ice! There are so many choices! Check out: https://mgnv.org/plants/best-bets/plants-for-partial-shade-or-shade/ and https://www.gardenia.net/guide/top-zone-8-shade-perennials-that-thrive-in-woodland-dappled-light

This list of plants resistant to deer was compiled based on research from 10 different resources. Ferns, grasses, and sedges are generally avoided by deer. They are also often warded off by plants …

01/05/2026

Still time to plant spring bulbs with this week's warm weather and still-unfrozen ground! Planted 155 bulbs (below). Check back for seasonal progress - early, mid, and late season bulbs to bloom in seasonal sequence.

01/05/2026

A few more photos of winter decorating:

12/11/2025

Working on winter decorations!

11/23/2025

Fall decor starting to transition to winter. Keep an eye out for the next update!

11/22/2025

Sadly we forgot the before photo. It happens. Bushes were pruned and had dead material removed. The big thing that you don't see is the high mulching around the tree. We removed 6" of mulch and brought the bed down to the root flare of the tree. No volcano mulching! No mulch touching the trunk. The bed is now ground level with 2" of mulch. Because mulch was just piled up of the years, the tree is "tricked" into thinking the ground level has increased (it has) and it sends out new roots, which end up girdling (enscircling) the tree. Not good. We also removed 2"-4" of soil from the beds. When mulching, you only want to add 1-2". Rake out old mulch to keep from increasing the ground height. This is now a very happy tree. We could hear her breathing a thank you!

11/22/2025

Revitalized bed, weeded, edged with rocks from homeowners collection.

11/22/2025

Mulching in Williamsburg. While double-shredded mulch is popular, we have many acidic-loving plants. Azaleas love pine straw mulch. One advantage to pine straw over shredded hardwood is the breakdown rate. Hardwood mulch breaks back down into soil and "weedy" seedlings will grow (weeds are just what you call a plant that is not in a place you want). That's harder with a deep pine straw mulch. We weeded and added pine mulched beds. Homeowner had hardwood mulch from another project, so that was used on the crape myrtles in the front.

11/22/2025

Planters filled for transition to winter while awaiting plants.

11/22/2025

Don't toss your pruned "greenery." Consider using for filler in outdoor arrangements. The photo below was just a collection of pruned panicle hydrangeas and non-spreading Nandina tossed into a container. Imagine if it was thoughtfully arranged!

11/22/2025

Pyracantha pruning and shaping Nandina. No beginning photo. Just mid-way and final. Homeowner hasn't decided whether to train plant to meet or keep it "eyebrow" style.

11/22/2025

Adding before and after photos of assorted projects. This is an 11' long window box that was planted at the beginning of June with white vinca and pink petunias. Photos that follow are mid-season and the end of October/beginning of November.