Before starting your garden, you should consider a variety of factors, including its climate, soil type, and sunlight availability. Start by following these three steps: For more fun with flowers, take the short drive from Richmond to visit the Colonial Williamsburg Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Witness the magnificent 18th-century tree and woody shrubs. Discover more than 30 historic gardens located confidently on the same grounds!

Did you know that there is not only a Christmas Cactus but also a Thanksgiving Cactus and an Easter Cactus? All make for beautiful gifts! It is located in USDA’s 8-a zone, which is the most hardy zone. Native plants can withstand temperatures ranging from 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Because it is drought tolerant, common yarrow can be found in xeriscapes. Turk’s cap lily is a stunning aquatic plant that can be used in any garden. Partridge peas are a low-maintenance annual that reseeds itself on a regular basis. The cinnamon fern, which is a dense, spiky plant, can reach a height of six feet. The leaves of a Southern lady fern resemble those of a Christmas tree. This summer, as Virginia gardeners are busy growing home vegetables, maintaining community gardens, and nurturing indoor plants, Virginia Cooperative Extension works to ensure all Virginians can enjoy the benefits of gardening.

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What truly makes the magic here is the state-of-the-art automated environmental control system. It controls everything down to the shade cloth, fans, and window vents giving the plants maximum growth opportunities. It makes the plants feel right at home and allows us to feel like we’ve been transported to a tropical land. You’ll see that we have given the garden decent-sized paths and mixed in a few herbs and flowers, too. Frankly, if we had grown this garden in our very first year, we would be thrilled! In planning the garden this way, we have made it much easier for you tosucceed.

Follow these simple tips and you can create a beautiful, eco-friendly yard that will be the envy of the neighborhood! Sustainable water For warm weather crops such as these, start seedlings indoors in March. In April and May, once temperatures at night are consistently above 50 degrees, transplant established plants to the garden. Zone 5Zone 7a, which includes the city of Charlottesville, to the Virginia suburbs of the Washington DC metro area, has slightly warmer winters. Gardeners in this zone can take advantage of the state's humid climate by growing plants that might not survive in other parts of the country.