April is Garden Month, and we want you to celebrate by visiting a garden or working in your own garden.
The Williamsburg Botanical Garden (WBG) is a gem to visit during April. The garden has free admission, but donations are accepted to help support the garden. WBC is located in Freedom Park and has a variety of areas for visitors to explore including a butterfly garden, an herb garden and native garden. Additionally, WBG has a small pavilion, benches and picnic tables. One of our tips for visiting WBG is that you can request a guided tour from a Williamsburg/James City County Master Gardner. Tours are intended for groups, can be modified for accessibility and last 60-90 minutes. Our favorite part of WBG is the arbor that is covered in hops – the kind used for beer! Such a neat display of agriculture.
While an unlikely spot to enjoy gardens, Busch Gardens Williamsburg is definitely a large garden that happens to also be a theme park. The lush landscaping at the park changes with the seasons and the care of the landscape team is evident. Busch Gardens has been named World’s Most Beautiful Theme Park every year since 1990 by the National Amusement Park Historical Association. Two of our favorite areas are the gardens by the Royal Palace Theater in the France area of the park and the breathtaking garden area in Italy near The Flying Machine, The Battering Ram and Da Vinci’s Cradle. Reservations are required for Busch Gardens Williamsburg at this time and health and safety measures are in place.
If you want to go back in time and see what an agricultural garden looked like, you can visit Jamestown Settlement, where there are agricultural gardens of what was grown in the 17th and 18th centuries in the re-created Powhatan Indian Village. Some of the highlights of the garden include corn, which was a food staple at this time as well as tobacco, which was the primary cash crop.
If you would rather work on your own garden during April, there are numerous locations in James City County where you can pick up flowers, plants and agricultural products and also the tools you need for success.
- Jamestown Feed and Seed – The greenhouse is stocked with vegetable and flowering plants, trees and shrubs, grass seed and fertilizers and the staff has the knowledge to help you have a green thumb!
- McDonald Garden Markets in the Colony Square Shopping Center (1303 Jamestown Road) or on at 4501 News Road off of Monticello Avenue – These two popup markets are open from March through mid-July and has a variety of garden décor and products available.
- Plow and Hearth in New Town Williamsburg – This store has lots of tools and planters to help your garden look beautiful.
- Tractor Supply Co. in Norge – If you’re looking for a place with plants and all the equipment you need, Tractor Supply Co. is the answer. With everything from tools to composting bins and raised bed gardens, this is the solution for you.
Regardless of how you choose to celebrate, enjoy the beauty of nature during Garden Month.
