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Ginkgo biloba trees are not native to North America, but have become a popular plant in cities and other environments, because they seem to survive a wide range of hostile conditions well. In fact, Ginkgo is a living fossil that has been surviving since the dinosaurs. But that’s not the only interesting thing about this amazing plant.
Read MoreIt seems like everywhere we go there are caterpillars – crossing streets, crawling through fields, on fallen logs. They dot the fall landscape like leaves. In many ways, these insect larvae are synonymous with fall and the coming of winter: they are the Wooly bear caterpillars, larvae of the Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrhactia isabella).
Read MoreFrom no-mow zones to native reforestation, we have been ramping up our sustainable land management plan at Oak Spring. Our most recent project in this plan is an eight-acre native wildflower meadow, which is showing some early signs of new life.
Read MoreIt isn't common to see acorns on the ingredient list for modern recipes. Unless prepared properly, they have a bitter taste and can cause an upset stomach. Acorns do have a long culinary history, however, and we decided to explore this with a hands-on approach – by making our own tree to table treat.
Read MoreJoseph Dalton Hooker is remembered as one of the greatest British botanists and explorers of the 19th century. Among his many accomplishments, he founded the field of geographical botany, served as the director of Kew Gardens, and was responsible for the creation of countless artworks of foreign plants. The Oak Spring Garden Library is home to four rare books by Hooker, which altered the history and future of plants for centuries to come.
Read MoreWhen Ellis discovered the fragrant and popular plant, he wrote an introduction to An Historical Account of Coffee describing the flower and fruit. While many of Ellis’ affiliated contemporaries studied plants, he was not only interested in growing them: he was most interested in the culture plants created. By the time he caught wind of Coffea arabica, it was most prominent as a beverage consumed while people assembled “in crowds to pass the time agreeably.” In 2017, we face the threat of losing the cultural staple to climate change.
Read MoreVanity Fair once described Bunny Mellon as the “high priestess of pruning and pleaching” for her devotion to gardening and personal love for pruning. While Bunny had an affinity for picking wildflowers and celebrated vegetable gardens, she loved pretty weeds as well.
Read MoreCharles Darwin once said that the Venus flytrap was “one of the most wonderful [plants] in the world.” The carnivorous plant was discovered in North Carolina, soon to become one of the most fascinating studies in plant discoveries during the 18th century. Behind the doors of the Oak Spring Garden Library is a manuscript of England’s first formally recorded encounter with Dionaea muscipula.
Read MoreToday marks what would have been Rachel Lambert Mellon’s 107th birthday. To honor her life, we searched for the legacy she left with the Oak Spring staff in memories, wisdom, and books.
Read MoreAbraham Munting’s Phytographia curiosa combines botanical science with the artistry of Munting’s imagination. The illustrations were notable for their elegance and the unique images Munting depicted in the landscapes of his work.
Read MoreClick to see the Oak Spring Garden in summer.
Read MoreThis year, a complete renovation of Paul Mellon's Broodmare Barn was completed, realizing his dream of creating a space to benefit visiting scholars.
Read MoreOSGF President Sir Peter Crane has been hard at work in Inner Mongolia and Shenzhen, China. Read about his recent expedition and research, as well as his upcoming lecture at the XIX International Botanical Congress.
Read MoreEuropean honey bees may be the most recognizable pollinators in the world. But the busiest workers in American gardens are often overlooked: these are the bats, birds, flies, wasps, solitary bees, and other animals that make up the native pollinator population. In the midst of the summer pollinator frenzy, we want to celebrate and protect the species that have pollinated native plants for hundreds of years.
Read MoreListen to OSGF President Sir Peter Crane tell the story of a tree that some consider mankind's oldest conservation effort.
Read MoreA critical part of the Oak Spring Garden Foundation's mission is to foster knowledge among young leaders in the fields of horticulture, plant science and garden research. This month, we are very excited to welcome our first gardening interns from the School of Professional Horticulture!
Read MoreAs part of an initiative to increase recognition of the role that women have played in the development of plant science through botanical art, the Oak Spring Garden Foundation has been hosting interns to visit the Library and research our collections. One of the women researched was Anna Maria Hussey, an artist and mycologist.
Read MoreBunny Mellon and renowned jewler-designer Jean Schlumberger shared interests at the intersection of style and the natural world. See how their friendship is being honored at VMFA and at OSGF.
Read MoreAs the days grow longer and warmer, the color and aroma of spring have come flooding back into Bunny Mellon's garden, despite a late freeze!
Read MoreEcologist Michael Gaige is currently undertaking a comprehensive site survey of Oak Spring to document the flora and fauna of the 263-acre estate through all four seasons. He visited Oak Spring this week and shot these photographs of wildflowers and trees that have been blooming around the landscape outside of the garden.
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