Double-Flowered Japanese Kerria Posted by Gateway Gardens · Shrub Guide Series If you’ve ever walked past a shrub dripping in golden, pom-pom blooms in early spring and thought it looked like something out of a cottage garden dream – you’ve probably met Kerria japonica ‘Pleniflora’. This old-fashioned (in the best way!) deciduous shrub puts on a […]
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Treasure Hunting at Octoraro Farm: Rare Natives, Spring Ephemerals, and the Story Behind a One-of-a-Kind Nursery View the Collection Printable Plant List We visit a lot of nurseries every spring to catch up with old friends and make new ones, look over endlessly neat greenhouses filled with endlessly neat rows of plants. These visits are
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Photo Credit: Mt. Cuba Center Planting with Monarda Monarda (Bee Balm) is one of our favorite native perennials and a pollinator magnet. While a stand-out plant on its own, Monarda is truly happiest in company. Planted among other native perennials, shrubs, and grasses, it weaves itself into a loose, meadow-like planting, alive with movement and
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So many roses… so little time! Join us this Saturday, April 25th from 10am – 11am for a lively discussion about the different types of roses and their needs, such as choosing the proper location, fertilizer, pruning and ongoing maintenance. Come on out and bring your questions, it’ll be fun! Discussion hosted by Garden Coach, Nancy Bell
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Champion Breeder, Raymond Evison Raymond Evison, CBE VMH, is one of the world’s foremost clematis breeders, with a career spanning six decades. He began his horticultural journey at age 15 in Shropshire, England, and eventually established The Guernsey Clematis Nursery on the sunny Channel Islands, where he has spent a lifetime searching for, breeding, and
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Sun-Loving Spring Perennials Posted by Gateway Gardens · Companion Planting Series This week, we’re continuing our companion planting series by taking a look at two sun-loving perennials: the low-growing Phlox subulata and the tall, architectural Salvia nemorosa. Together, they create a dynamic, layered planting in a candy store of color! Both are low-maintenance, pollinator-friendly, and
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Grab a cold one… this one’s for the bees Join us on Thursday, April 23rd from 6:00 – 7:30 PM at Dew Point Brewery for Pints for Pollinators, a laid-back evening of great conversation, craft beer, and a deep dive into the natural world right outside our doors, hosted by our own, Nancy Bell. Nancy
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Explore Private and Historic Gardens Through the Blue Ridge Mountains June 17–21, 2026 (registration closes May 14th) Join the Delaware Center for Horticulture (DCH) for a tour of Virginia’s most exceptional private gardens and historic properties in Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia. Enjoy Southern charm and hospitality as you explore small, intimate city gardens and
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Trees, Shrubs & Perennials Three Plants, One Stunning Spring Garden Gateway Garden Center · Spring 2026 This spring, we’re spotlighting unique planting combinations to make your spring garden come to life. Today’s trio is hard to beat: Pieris, Hellebores, and Phlox. Layered together, they create a garden that’s textural, vibrant, and effortlessly beautiful. Whether you’re
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Few shrubs earn their keep as reliably as the cherry laurels, and this week, we’re shining a light on two of the finest cultivars in the genus: the compact, elegant Otto Luyken and the bold, architectural Skip Laurel. ‘Otto Luyken’ Laurel Prunus laurocerasus ‘Otto Luyken’ Named for a German horticulturalist at the Hachmann nursery in
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