Arbor Day

admin — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:22:38 +0000

Arbor Day is a time to enjoy the outdoors, give a little back to the environment, and plant a tree. On the first Arbor Day in 1872, it is estimated that one million trees were planted! J. Sterling Morton began his campaign in Nebraska, and 140 years later it is a day recognized country-wide. For Virginia residents, our state tree is the Flowering Dogwood, and a great place to start. The last Friday in April is when we celebrate Arbor Day, and this year it falls on April 27th. So next Friday, we encourage people to participate, and help by planting a tree.

Amelia Farm

admin — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:29:36 +0000

I wanted to share a few pictures that I took while out on the farm the other day.

Watkins Nurseries tree spade at work!

admin — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:12:41 +0000

The Crape Myrtles pictured above are between 25-30 feet tall, and most landscapers would not have the capability of dealing with such large trees. Watkins Nurseries is one of the only companies in the Richmond area with the ability to transplant trees of this size. It is truly fascinating to see this machine in action!

Monument 10K

admin — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:08:04 +0000

Watkins Nurseries has always taken pride in how long we have been in business. We are grateful to say that we have helped to shape the landscape of our community. As folks are getting ready to run the 10k tomorrow, I am reminded of the small part that Watkins Nurseries played by planting the trees along Monument Avenue. This was during the time that my Grandfather was running the business, and things have changed quite a bit since then. But it’s nice to know that those trees are still there, and playing a role in making that street one of the most beautiful in Richmond.

Village Bank Building

admin — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:43:41 +0000

The Village Bank building is located on Midlothian Turnpike, just past 288. Although this landscaping install job was done a few years ago now, it is still one of my favorites! The Cherries in the spring are the most beautiful.

Spring coming early!

admin — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 21:11:42 +0000

With the fourth warmest winter on record in the Richmond area coming to an end…actually, I think we can officially say it is OVER…a potential problem is that spring is here too soon. Pears, Purple Leaf Plums, deciduous Magnolias and some bulbs are beginning to come alive, but if there is another cold spell that comes along it could really damage those plants that have started to bloom. Ideally we would not be seeing this for a few more weeks to another month. However, since we have no control over the weather…all we can do is appreciate the pretty color.

For those of you that are on the Southside of Richmond- if you are driving down Midlothian Turnpike heading west, once you pass Westchester Commons there is a beautiful field of white blooming Pear trees on the right. You can not miss it! If you are trying to find our office, once you pass that field full of Pears, the next road on the left is Dry Bridge. Watkins Nurseries is on the left side of Dry Bridge.

Richmond Home & Garden Show 2012

admin — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 22:06:46 +0000

Our goal, as always, is to stand out. Watkins Nurseries never wants to look like every other landscaping company in Richmond. So we decided to plan our booth at the Home and Garden Show accordingly. A pristine booth with perfectly placed brick pavers, and manicured boxwoods is beautiful, and something that we are certainly capable of staging in our space at a trade show or a customer’s yard. However, that does not tell our entire story.

Our story began in 1876 with J.B. Watkins planting fruit trees, and has continued through five generations until present day. We created a booth that would grab the attention of every person that walked past, and would draw them in to ask what was goign on, and what our company was about. The center of our display was a 1928 Model A Ford, and boy, that accomplished drawing people in! The thing that is unique about Watkins Nurseries is that our company was around for more than 50 years before that truck was even built. We are old, but we are reliable, loyal, and plan on staying around through five more generations and another 135 years. That is a small part of our story that we like to share.

Thanks to those who came out to visit us, and please enjoy the photos below.

Richmond Home & Garden Show

admin — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:38:24 +0000

Come and see us at the Richmond Home and Garden Show at the Richmond Raceway Complex. The show starts Friday, March 2nd and goes through Sunday, the 4th. We will be in Building 4, booth 355. Our landscape designers will be there to answer questions, and take appointments for free consultations. We look forward to seeing you! www.richmondhomeandgardenshow.com

Snow Day at Watkins Nurseries

admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:50:08 +0000

Here is the snow that we have grown accustomed to these past two years! While the office is fairly quiet today, our crews have been very busy working through the night to clear the snow that came down.

Spring 2012 Holly Specials

admin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:26:15 +0000

Watkins Nurseries is running Spring specials on Emily Brunner, Dr. Kassab, and Koehneana Hollies. Call Cody Jordan or Todd Morris for pricing details 804-379-8733. (Emily Brunner’s are not pictured below.) Place your spring orders now to get in early, and beat the rush!

: Dr. Kassab Holly

Broad, pyramidal Evergreen
Beautiful red fruit and dark green leaves
Grows to 15-20′ tall
Prefers partial to full sun
Relatively slow growth habit

Koehneana Holly

Distinctly pyramidal
Grows to 20-25′ tall
Prefers semi-shade to direct sun
Resistant to drought
Heat tolerant

In addition to the Hollies, there are currently specials on Autumn Blaze & Jamestown Maples and American Boxwoods. *Only certain sizes are on sale- call for details.