The Gill’s Guide to Fall Veggie Gardening
The slow, soaking rains this week followed by slightly cooler temps make for excellent planting weather. We dare say it’s feeling a little fall-ish! Even though it’s still warm out, right now is the time to plant your fall veggie garden to ensure you can get a good harvest. Here’s our guide to growing the best […]
Top 7 Gardening Must-Do’s for September 2024
Fall planting season is here!! September is the best time to plant almost everything. And the recent rain is excellent news for getting started! Here are our top 7 must-do’s this month as we head into our favorite season in Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend. Check out our September Garden Guide for more tips! 1. […]
Set the Table for Hummingbirds!
It’s almost that magical time of year again when ruby-throated hummingbirds make their way through the Coastal Bend on their way south for the winter! Expect to start seeing hummingbirds around town any day now, with peak numbers around mid-late September, right in time for the Rockport-Fulton Hummerbird Celebration. With our hungry guests arriving very […]
URGENT: Plant Your Tomatoes & Peppers Now!
It sure feels like summer outside, but in order for fall tomatoes and peppers to have time to produce lots of fruit, we gotta plant em now! Here are a few tips for growing the most and the tastiest tomatoes and peppers. 1. Count Your Days to Maturity The average tomato, like our beloved Celebrity […]
Greenhouse Discovery in the Wilds of New Mexico
There really is something to being a creature of habit. Oftentimes James and I are flying down the highway, pass a roadside nursery, look at each other, nod, make a U-turn and stop for a “quick” visit. Just as much as the plants, we enjoy meeting the nursery owners and hearing their stories, how they […]
Top 6 Gardening Must Do’s for August 2024
Temperatures may not feel like it yet, but it’s time to start making the transition into an exciting new Fall planting season! There’s a lot to do in August to set yourself up for big garden success this Fall and beyond. Here are our top must-do’s! Check out our August Garden Guide for more tips and remember […]
Magical Powers of Mulch!
We all know that fresh mulch is like a fresh coat of paint for your garden – instant makeover! But did you know that applying a proper 3” layer of natural mulch keeps underlying soil temps more than 20 degrees cooler?! Gill’s Landscape Designer, Kathy Hubner attended a webinar presented by Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories […]
3 of Our Fav Nativars!
What’s a nativar? Simply put, it’s a plant that has been cultivated by humans, a cultivar, of a native plant species. Why would you do that? Why not just plant the true native species? Well, because plant growers and gardeners want more variety and sometimes we want to dial in certain desirable traits (shorter, taller, […]
Got Ants!?
We’ve seen and heard about lots of ants in the garden lately, which is pretty typical during our summer months. Luckily there are 2 solutions that are very effective against 2 of our most common ants: fire ants and crazy ants! Get Rid of Fire Ants with “Come and Get it” Bait Did you […]
Cookout at Gill’s this Saturday, July 6th!
Join us for fun and food this Saturday, July 6th! Gill’s resident pitmaster, Hidalgo, will be serving up pulled pork sandwiches with slaw, hot dogs, and veggie dogs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. He’ll be set up with his pit under the shade tree right in the middle of the garden center, and we’ll […]
Top 6 Gardening Must-Do’s for July 2024
How is it almost JULY already?! We hope you’re having lots of fun this Summer – holidays, BBQs, weekend trips, and garden projects! Here are our top must-do’s to keep your plants healthy and happy this month, including tips for water conservation and speaking to local officials about your water. 1. Speak Up About Your […]
Pollinator Tips for Pollinator Week!
It’s International Pollinator Week, y’all! Now’s a great time to add elements to your landscape to support our essential pollinator friends like birds, bees, and butterflies. Did you know at least 75% of all flowering plants on earth are pollinated by insects and animals? When you support pollinators in your backyard by providing food sources, […]
Artists and Their Gardens: A Visit to Barbara Hepworth’s St. Ives Studio
At the end of May, my wife Ashley and I had the great pleasure of visiting England and touring so many amazing English gardens! As soon as we touched down in London, we went to the Chelsea Flower Show, a world-renowned plant and landscape design show where top landscape designers install full-scale landscapes that they’ve […]
Houseplant Care Guide for Summer
We just received a BIG new shipment of houseplants and we’re all deciding which ones we want to take home – yes, we shop at Gill’s too! Everyone’s excited about new Maranta (prayer plant) varieties, new philodendrons, huge pitcher plants, wild new bromeliads, and String of Frogs! Summer time is a great time for houseplants, […]
Top 5 Gardening Must-Do’s for June 2024
Here’s to summer garden fun! We’re making the transition to warmer weather with some intermittent rainfall and lots of good energy in the garden. Here are our top priorities this month, including what to plant, how to adjust watering, what to watch out for, and how to keep plant roots insulated and happy. Check out […]
Garden Talk: DIY Drip Irrigation with Harry Villarreal – This Saturday, May 25th!
These days, we’ve been installing more and more drip irrigation systems on our landscape projects. With a few simple parts, you can set up your own super-efficient drip system to automatically water your landscape plants. – get water right to the roots, slowly, and with almost no evaporation. Drip systems are a great way to […]
Meet Joyce Barnette: Gardener, Community Volunteer, and Dear Friend
What a gift running into Joyce Barnette this past Saturday while visiting Gill’s. Joyce has been a weekly visitor of Gill’s since we opened our doors 46 years ago. She and her husband Jim have lived in the Country Club Estates neighborhood since the early 70’s, raising three boys and now blessed with daughter-in-laws and […]
Mother’s Day Flower Art for Kids! This Saturday, May 11th!
Attention kiddos: come celebrate Mom with us this Saturday, May 11th from 10-12! Kids are invited to come make prints for mom with real flowers and plant parts. Using real blooms, greenery, and watercolor paper, kids can make prints by smashing the blooms with a mallet or by dipping the blooms in paint and pressing […]
Top 6 Gardening Must-Do’s for May 2024!
Yay for May! Everything’s growing and blooming and we hope you are too! May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which is a good time to think about the peace of mind that gardening brings us. Gardeners know that all the research is true – gardening is good for you! Here are our Top 6 Must […]
Announcing: May 2024 Events at Gill’s!
Garden talks and events are back!! Here’s a preview of what we’ve got planned for May – flower art for kids and adults + an informative talk about how to set up your own drip irrigation system to help with watering. Hope to see you here at Gill’s! May 11th – Mother’s Day Flower […]
Make Your Landscape More Earth-Friendly for Earth Day!
Happy Earth Day Weekend! A big part of our purpose here at Gill’s is to help gardeners be the best stewards of their pieces of the earth that we all share. We want to help you create beautiful gardens that only get better with time, which means nourishing life in the soil and choosing the […]
Quick Tips for Growing Peppers!
Time to turn up the HEAT! It’s pepper planting season! Shishitos for grilling, bell peppers and poblanos for stuffing, plus chile pequin, jalepenos, and habaneros for salsa. We’ve even got some Hungarian wax peppers and super hot ghost peppers if you’re adventurous. Here are a few quick tips to make sure you get plentiful peppers! […]
Top 10 Plants for Hummingbirds in South Texas
April means hummingbirds in South Texas! We’re lucky to see a few pretty much year-round, but April and September are when we see big migration surges. If you want to attract and enjoy hummingbirds, feeders can help, but plants are key. Did you know that most plants which are pollinated by hummingbirds have evolved over […]
Top 5 Gardening Must Do’s for April 2024!
Now THIS is some gorgeous gardening weather!! We’re all busy planting, re-designing, fertilizing, and getting ready for holidays and weekends outside with family and friends. Here are our top tips for making the most of a very important month in the garden. 1. Feed Your Lawn and Plants Fertilizing/feeding your plants this month is a […]
Dressing Up for Easter
It’s that wonderful time again in South Texas! Easter is right around the corner and we’ve been enjoying some amazing weather – and some spring rain!! Conditions are just right for gardening and gathering with family and friends for holidays. Time to dress up our outdoor spaces. Here are a few simple tips for big […]
Mmmmm…Worm Poop!
Did you know that earthworm poop, aka worm castings, are one of the best things you can add to your garden soil?! The pros here at Gill’s are hooked. Once you work with it, you’ll understand. Worm castings contain extremely bioavailable nutrients for plants, including iron. Plus, they’re awesome for aerating and improving soil texture […]
Lawn Care PSA: Weed THEN Feed!
We’ve had lots of lawn questions so far this spring, particularly about weeds. The short answer is…yes you can treat the lawn for weeds right now, but if you do, you need to wait to fertilize. This is one reason why we advise strongly against using any “weed and feed” combo products. Why would you […]
Top 6 Gardening Must Do’s for March 2024
Spring has sprung!! Look around and you’ll see lots of happy and healthy plants enjoying the sunshine and putting on fresh new growth. We hope you feel the same way! Here are our top must-do’s in the garden this month – time to get planting! Check out our March Garden Guide for more tips! 1. Fertilize Regularly […]
Garden Talk this Saturday: Perennial Color – Tricks of the Trade with Zach Halfin!
Join us this Saturday, 2/24 at 10am for our final February garden talk! We’re so excited to host guest speaker Zach Halfin for his talk, Perennial Color: Tricks of the Trade. Zach is the lead grower at Green Lake Wholesale Nursery in San Marcos, TX, one of our go-to growers of gorgeous blooming perennials like […]
Garden Talk this Saturday: Spring Kickoff with James Gill!
Join us rain or shine this Saturday, February 17th at 10am for Spring Kickoff with Gill’s founder and Master Naturalist James Gill! We’ve made it to mid February…that means Spring is here!! It’s time to cut away the brown and bring on the green. You’ve probably already noticed new green growth and new buds – […]
Garden Talk this Saturday: Low Water Landscape Design!
Join us this Saturday, February 10th at 10am for Low Water Landscape Design with Harry Villarreal. If you know Harry, Landscape Designer here at Gill’s, you know he loves pokey plants! Yuccas, different Agaves, Mangave, and cacti can all serve as features and focal points in the landscape, but they’re far from the only plants […]
Top 7 Gardening Must Do’s for February 2024
The weather this week is making us want to get outside and garden!! We’re stocking up on veggies, Texas native plants, trees, and lots of flowers and blooming perennials as we head into Spring! Here’s our top 7 gardening tasks to focus on this month to kickstart an amazing season. 1. Be Ready for Cool […]
IT’S ALIVE!! How to Assess Freeze Damaged Plants
The freeze certainly damaged some plants, but chances are a lot of them are still alive and will be just fine, even though they look rough right now. Here are a few tips for assessing damage and moving forward into spring! The Scratch Test Use the scratch test for most blooming perennials (like Turk’s Cap, […]
Announcing: February Garden Talks!
Spring is around the corner and Gill garden talks are back!! We are so excited about this February lineup! As always, the talks are free and open to everyone of all ages and gardening skill levels. We’ll hold the talks outside if the weather’s nice, or indoors if not. Mark your calendars for Saturday mornings […]
Freeze Alert! Protect Your Plants!
As of right now, NOAA (our preferred source for weather forecasts) shows cold weather starting Sunday night (1/14) through Wednesday morning (1/17), with temperatures dipping below freezing Monday and Tuesday nights. That means we’re busy preparing to protect plants here at Gill’s! We want you to be prepared too – here’s how. 1. Water all plants well. It […]
Top 7 Gardening Must-Do’s for January 2024
Have you set your 2024 new year’s gardening resolution?! January is time to get moving and set yourself up for big success this spring and beyond. Beds need prepping, veggie seeds need starting, citrus trees need feeding, and YES you can get a head start on planting too! Here are our top must-do’s (and don’t […]
Houseplants that Bring Good Luck!
2024 is almost here! Will you be eating your black-eyed peas and cabbage for good luck on New Year’s Day? Did you know that many different houseplants are also said to bring good fortune and harmony? Here are a few of our favorites. Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) Golden Pothos is an important plant in Feng […]
Gill’s Holiday Hours
Wishing everyone a happy & healthy holiday with family & friends! We’ll be closing at 2 on Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day, then back open regular hours 12/26. Same thing the following week!
Winter Watering Do’s and Don’ts
Over the past couple weeks, we’ve talked to lots of customers about adjusting watering for winter. Most are still watering too much. Plants and lawns need less water, but it’s been tricky to gauge lately with warmer weather and intermittent rain. Here are a few winter watering do’s and don’ts. DO: Slow Down Watering for […]
12 Gift Ideas for the Gardeners on Your List
Gill’s is here to be your holiday stress antidote! Come take a stroll and pick out a few gifts for the green thumbs on your list. We’ll help you find the right plants, useful tools, nature gifts for kids, holiday cards, and all kinds of other unique and fun gifts to help connect your loved […]
Top 6 Gardening Must-Do’s for December 2023
December is here! These last few weeks of 2023 are sure to fly by. Our advice: make sure you spend some time in the garden to balance out the hectic holiday season. Here are our top to-do’s this month: what to plant, gift ideas, holiday plant care, and more. Check out our December Garden Guide for more […]
Happy Thanksgiving for Caterpillars?
Have you noticed lots of holes and chunks missing from the leaves of your fall veggies like cabbage, kale, broccoli, and cauliflower? These are delicacies for caterpillars! A little snacking is nothing to worry about, but here’s how to prevent a feast! First, decide for yourself how much caterpillar snacking you can tolerate. If it’s […]
Christmas Trees are Here + Care Tips
We’re happy to report that Christmas trees are here and they look….WOW!! These are some of the best quality trees we’ve ever seen! The garden center is stocked with fresh-cut trees ranging from 5ft to 12ft, and the Gill’s crew has delivered one very special Nordmann Fir measuring 22ft at The South Texas Botanical Gardens! […]
What’s This GUNK on My Plants?!
Over the past week, we’ve talked to a lot of customers about brownish and speckled gunk that they’re noticing on their outdoor plants, and sometimes houseplants, all of a sudden. This time of year, it typically means several different types of 1 thing…scale insects! Luckily we’ve got an effective (and eco-friendly) solution. The photo above […]
Top 6 Gardening Must-Do’s in November 2023
November is one of our most beautiful months in South Texas – nice weather for spending time outdoors! Now’s the time for fall flowers and planting trees! And there’s still time for veggies, too. Good timing this month will keep us looking good through the fall and winter and set us up for showtime next […]
4 Important Tips for Fall Flower Planting
It’s full-on FALL FLOWER TIME here at Gill’s! Time to add new splashes of color to landscape beds, pots by the front door, and start flowers to cut and share. We’re seeing absolutely stunning Snapdragons, Petunias, Impatiens, Violas, Begonias, ornamental cabbage and kale, Lobelia, Calendulas, Dianthus and more! Here are 4 important tips for the […]
Lawn Replacement Ideas for Texas Native Plant Week
In honor of Texas Native Plant Week, we’re celebrating at Gill’s with 20% off all Texas Natives up to 15gal! Our native section is stocked with native grasses, blooming perennials, shrubs, trees, and groundcovers. Speaking of, here are some ideas for replacing parts of your lawn with natives! In 2009 the Texas Legislature designated the […]
Time to Fertilize Lawns and Landscapes! Here’s How…
After a long summer, the recent rains and cooler temps have worked wonders for our lawns and landscapes. Everything is bursting with new growth, which means everything is using a lot of energy, which means…we need to fertilize!! Use our simple fertilizing tips and you’ll see a big difference: healthier, stronger, more disease and pest-resistant, […]
Pink Gerbera Daisies and Pink Kalanchoes to Support Breast Cancer Awareness!
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we’ve partnered with FIRST FRIDAY, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to breast cancer awareness. This Friday, October 6th through next Thursday, October 12th, when you buy a pink Gerbera Daisy or a pink Kalanchoe at Gill’s, 100% of your purchase is donated to FIRST FRIDAY! FIRST FRIDAY was formed […]
Top 5 Gardening Must-Dos for October 2023
Fall is OUR ABSOLUTE BEST TIME for planting veggies, trees, flowers, and just about everything else! It just feels good! But time is of the essence! A lot of the things we do in the garden this month will set us up for success for seasons to come. Here are our top must-do’s for October. […]
Garden Talk this Saturday 9/23/23 at 10am – Fall Veggie Gardening with Andy Chidester!
Garden Talks at Gill’s continue this Saturday at 10am with another very special guest! We’re excited to welcome Andy Chidester of Medina Agriculture Products , makers of our favorite organic fertilizers, Medina Growin Green and Hasta Gro! Andy is a seasoned speaker, Master Gardener, Master Composter, and an all-around awesome resource for veggie gardening. She’ll […]
Tree Planting 101 with John Wood of Tree Amigos – This Saturday 9/16/23!
We’re back this Saturday at 10am with another event here at Gill’s! Since fall is the ideal time to plant trees, we’ve invited John Wood, owner of The Tree Amigos to give a talk on proper tree planting and tree care. John is a certified arborist and our go-to local expert for tree advice. He’s […]
Kids Fall Seed Starting Workshop – This Saturday 9/9/23!
We are so excited to kick off our fall planting season with a workshop for kids of all ages! We think learning how to grow veggies from seed is an amazing life skill and SO rewarding when they make it to your dinner plate. Join us here at Gill’s for our Kids Fall Seed Starting […]
Top 7 Gardening Must-Do’s for September 2023
Say hello to our BEST gardening season here in the Coastal Bend! September is the time to plant almost everything! And the recent rain is FANTASTIC news for getting started! Here are our top must-do’s this month as we head into our favorite planting season. Check out our September Garden Guide for more tips and remember that […]
Preview: September Garden Talks & Events!
After some much-needed rain this week, we are beyond excited for fall! We’ve got some awesome talks and events planned for September to kick off the best gardening season. Here’s a preview – mark your calendar! Kids’ Fall Seed Starting Workshop – September 9th We’re kicking off the fall season with a hands-on seed starting […]
Simple Solution for Watering Stressed Trees!
Are your mature trees struggling this summer? We’ve noticed a lot of stressed and thirsty trees around town, and we’ve been encouraging everyone to give them long, deep waterings, which is a commitment! Now there’s an easy way… Enter the Treehugger sprinkler! Since trees need to be watered at the drip line (the outer edge […]
How Long Should You Water Your Lawn?
Most people (and I’m most people too) just guess how long to leave their sprinkler in one place, or how many minutes to set their automatic sprinkler zones for. 10 minutes per zone? 45 minutes? You don’t really know, and neither did I, I had just set them for 12 minutes per zone and 3 […]
Gill Gear is Here!
Many of you requested, and for the first time ever, Gill gear is here! We printed Gill t-shirts, hats, tote bags, and stickers for the stylish gardener, and we worked with 2 of our favorite Texas artists to make it happen. We’ve admired Houston artist, Sarah Welch’s work for a while. She’s a fabulous illustrator […]
Top 6 Gardening Must Do’s for August 2023
It may not feel like it yet, but it’s time to start making the transition into an exciting new Fall planting season! There’s a lot to do in August to set yourself up for big garden success this Fall and beyond. Here are our top must-do’s! Check out our August Garden Guide for more tips and remember […]
Ben’s Terrarium
Ben is an avid gardener and has been a regular Gill’s customer for nearly ten years. Sometime back, Ben came to Gill’s to seek advice on building a terrarium. He started with a couple small plants and some interesting moss that he found online. Then we came up with some good additions to take his […]
More Plants that Love 90 and Above
Summer is here for sure! Stay cool, stay hydrated, and get started gardening early! Some plants need more love during the Summer, but lots of others don’t even start thriving and looking their best until temps stay above 90. Here are a few standouts to plant right now. Firebush (Hamelia patens) Blooms all summer, top […]
Don’t Forget to Water Your Mature Trees!
The rains this week are excellent (!!!), but not enough to water your established, mature trees sufficiently. We spend a lot of time making sure our plants and lawns get plenty of water, but don’t forget about your big trees! Here’s what we recommend. Trees, especially mature shade trees, provide huge benefits for our environment […]
Top 5 Gardening Must-Do’s for July 2023
Lots of fun to be had this Summer – holidays, BBQs, weekend trips, and landscape projects! Here are our top must-do’s to keep your plants healthy and happy this July. Check out our July Garden Guide for more tips and remember that trees, shrubs, and perennials can be planted 12 months out of the year! The only […]
Top 10 Summer-Tough Plants for Pollinators!
It’s National Pollinator Week and summer is officially here! Just like gardeners adapt to summer temps, so do pollinators like bees, butterflies, birds, and all kinds of insects. They need our help finding food, shade/shelter, and places to raise young. Good thing there are lots of plants that love our South Texas summer AND help […]
The Cooling Powers of Mulch!
We all know that fresh mulch is like a fresh coat of paint for your garden – instant makeover! But did you know that applying a proper 3” layer of natural mulch keeps underlying soil temps more than 20 degrees cooler?! Gill’s Landscape Designer, Kathy Hubner recently attended a webinar presented by Bartlett Tree Research […]
Cactus and Succulent Workshop – This Saturday, June 10th!
ATTENTION CACTUS AND SUCCULENT LOVERS!! We’re hosting a cactus and succulent workshop this Saturday, June 10th starting at 10am and going all day! Drop by any time to check out our new CACTI & SUCCULENT BAR! We’ve got lots of special cacti and succulent cuttings to choose from. Come mix and match and build your […]
Top 5 Gardening Must-Do’s for June 2023
Summertime is here! We’ve been fortunate to have rainfall that’s created some depth moisture in the soil which makes our transition into the warm summer season smoother. Here are our top priorities this month, including how to adjust watering, what to watch out for, and what to keep planting! Check out our June Garden Guide for more […]
Update: Gabe’s Garden at Windsor Park Elementary School
Back in December 2022, the Gill’s crew planted a native pollinator garden at Windsor Park Elementary dedicated to Gabe Velasquez, longtime landscaper at Gill’s who passed away during the pandemic. We thought this would be a nice way to honor Gabe’s love of plants, provide some valuable nectar for pollinators, and add some beauty for […]
Creating Your Own Houseplant Soil Cocktail – Saturday, May 20th!
Join us this Saturday, 5/20 at 10am for a special houseplant event! Creating Your Own Houseplant Soil Cocktail with Ori! Different houseplants have different soil moisture and soil consistency requirements. Ori will demonstrate how to use potting soil amendments like perlite, vermiculite, expanded clay, coconut chips, and more to create the right soil blend for […]
Mother’s Day Pressed Flower Workshop – Saturday, May 13th!
Join us for our Mother’s Day pressed flower workshop this Saturday, May 13th at 10am! We’ll have plenty of flowers and cuttings available for you to press. Or bring your own! And we’ll provide the flower press for you to take home, while supplies last. This hands-on workshop is free and for all ages. Come […]
Garden Talk this Sat! Ideas for Using Tough Texas Natives in Your Landscape with James Gill
James is retired these days, but he loves talking plants! We’re excited to have him back for a garden talk this Saturday, May 6th to discuss ideas for using tough Texas native plants in your landscape. James has a passion for natives and recently received his Texas Master Naturalist certification, plus he’s been designing with […]
Top 6 Gardening Must-Do’s for May 2023!
May means Mom’s Day, graduations, and more BBQs and family holidays outside! May is also Mental Health Awareness Month. As gardeners, we know growing plants and being outdoors are necessary for our wellbeing…and so much fun! As one of our customers put it recently, “I believe that people who garden are the most hopeful and […]
Why Do You Garden?
Here at Gill’s, we get to spend all day every day close to nature, working with plants, helping gardeners, and building landscapes. Then, almost all of us go home and garden some more! We asked several Gill staff the simple question: Why do you garden? In honor of Earth Day, we thought it would be […]
The Original Bird Feeders…PLANTS!
April is National Gardening Month, this Friday is National Gardening Day, and it’s also the time of year when a huge number of migrating birds are making their way through our area. Wooden and glass feeders are great, but birds will flock to the original bird feeders…the right plants! Gill’s has an abundance of plants […]
Enjoy Your Holiday Weekend with Family and Friends
Ori’s houseplant basket with Starfish Sansevieria, Kiwi Dracaena, Calathea, and Rex Begonia Vine! Many of us will be gathering with family & friends this holiday weekend to cook, eat, play games, and visit. Wonderful times and good rain clearing out for relaxing outside! We’ve been working hard to stock the store with beautiful blooming annuals, […]
Top 5 Gardening Must Do’s for April 2023!
Spring is in full swing! Everyone’s busy planting, re-designing, fertilizing, and getting ready for holidays and weekends with family and friends. Here are our top tips in the garden this month. 1. Feed Your Lawn and Plants Fertilizing/feeding your plants this month is a must. This includes lawns, trees, and most plants. Everything is actively […]
Stop and Smell the Roses (and other plants too!)
We’ve been blown away by the amazing Spring blooms at Gill’s this week! We’re always on the go, but no plant person can resist stopping to smell fresh roses or to brush against a Copper Canyon Daisy to release the wonderful scent. If you want to bring some fragrance to your landscape, here’s what we’d […]
Good Bones for Your Landscape
We’ve been talking to lots of local gardeners who are totally rethinking their landscapes this year. After 2 cold winters in a row, you might be wanting more cold-tolerant plants. Understandable! We think that’s a great idea – start with some good bones, then add color and accents to suit your style. Here are some […]
Flower Power! Tips for the Best Spring Blooms
Nothing says Spring like planting flowers! Our South Texas climate gives us lots of options for blooms through the Spring and Summer. Here are our tips for timing, planting, and care to get the healthiest plants and brightest blooms. Timing – What to Plant, What to Expect Plant Impatiens, Petunias, Begonias, Gerbera Daisy, and Geraniums […]
Top 5 Gardening Must Do’s for March 2023
Spring is here!! Look around and you’ll see lots of happy and healthy plants enjoying the sunshine and putting on fresh new growth. We hope you feel the same way! Here are our top must-do’s in the garden this month to help you have the best Spring season and beyond. Check out our March Garden Guide for […]
Garden Talk this Sat! Planting to Support Our Local Ecosystem with Sara Jose
Our February garden talks wrap up this Saturday, 2/25/23 at 10am! Join us here at Gill’s for Planting to Support Our Local Ecosystem with Sara Jose, Preserve Manager at the Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve & Education Center. Sara is an avid gardener, birdwatcher, and environmental educator who encourages the community to think of nature as […]
Garden Talk this Sat! Organic Veggie Gardening: Promoting Life with Wyatt Page
The Gill’s Garden Talk series continues this Saturday, 2/18/23 at 10am! Join us for Organic Veggie Gardening: Promoting Life with Wyatt Page, Gill’s Assistant Manager and passionate veggie gardener! Wyatt has an impressive garden at home and spends his days talking veggies here at Gill’s. He’ll share all kinds of tips for better food production, […]
Garden Talk this Sat! Re-Thinking Your Landscape: Smart Choices for South Texas with Kathy Hubner
The Gill’s Garden Talk series continues this Saturday, 2/11/23 at 10am! Join us for Re-Thinking Your Landscape: Smart Choices for South Texas with Kathy Hubner, professional Landscape Designer here at Gill’s. Kathy has a reputation for landscapes that endure and she’ll share her ideas for plants that can withstand freezes and South Texas summers. This […]
Top 6 Gardening Must Do’s for February 2023
Are you as ready as we are to get outside and garden?! If the Mesquite trees are right, Spring is just around the corner. Here’s our top 6 to focus on in February to kickstart an amazing Spring season. Check out our February Garden Guide for more tips and remember that trees, shrubs, and perennials can be […]
Garden Talk this Sat! ‘Get Ready for Spring’ with James Gill
The Mesquite trees say Spring is coming! Join us here at Gill’s this Saturday, 1/28/23 at 10am for James Gill’s ‘Get Ready for Spring’ garden talk. James will go over proper pruning techniques, what to plant, how to fertilize, and lots more. Bring your gardening questions! Our talks are always free, fun, and open to […]
Gabe’s Garden at Windsor Park Elementary School
Back in late December, Gill’s had the pleasure of donating the planting of a new pollinator garden at Windsor Park Elementary School for kids, parents, and teachers to enjoy this Spring and for years to come. James Gill designed the garden in an empty parking median using mostly Texas native plants like Kidneywood, Texas Lantana, […]
Start Veggie Seeds Now for a Spring Harvest
Spring in South Texas starts around February 15th – only 33 days away! We may or may not have another cold snap ahead of us, but it’s time to start planning our Spring projects and starting veggie seeds. The first day for planting Spring seeds is January 15th give or take a few days – aka […]
Top 6 Gardening Must-Do’s for January 2023
Happy 2023! January is time to get started on garden resolutions. Planning a veggie garden? New landscape beds? More Texas native plants to support wildlife? So many possibilities, and we’re here to help. Here are our top must-do’s this month to set your projects up for success. Check out our January Garden Guide for more tips and […]
Post-Freeze To-do’s (and Don’t Do’s)
It was nice having some cold weather for Christmas, but some of our plants might disagree. Covering plants (and keeping them covered) was a big challenge with such high winds. Chances are, we’ve all got some plants that suffered damage. But it’s too early to give up and too soon to prune! Here are a […]
Corpus Christi Bonsai Club at Gill’s This Saturday!
Attention plant people: join us here at Gill’s this Saturday, December 17th for our last event of 2022! We’re so excited to host the Corpus Christi Bonsai Club! Members will be here at Gill’s to display their amazing bonsai and give talks and demonstrations throughout the day. The Corpus Christi Bonsai Club has been around […]
10 Gift Ideas for the Gardeners on Your List
Come take a stroll through our garden and do a little stress-free shopping. We can help you pick out the perfect gifts that grow and other useful gifts that the gardeners on your list will love. Here are 10 gift ideas for green thumbs. 1. Gifts That Grow Now is a great time to plant […]
Top 5 Gardening Must-Do’s for December ’22
December is here! These last few weeks of 2022 are sure to fly by. Our advice: make sure you spend some time in the garden to balance out the hectic holiday season. Here are our top to-do’s this month: what to plant, gift ideas, holiday plant care, and more. Check out our December Garden Guide for more […]
Happy Thanksgiving from the Gill’s Crew!
We’re thankful to get to do what we do! Thank you for all your plant questions, your landscaping inspiration, and for sharing your excitement and love of gardening with us. We hope you have a great holiday!
Christmas Trees are Here + Care Tips
We’re happy to report that Christmas trees are here and they look amazing! This cool, damp weather is what they love! The garden center is stocked with fresh-cut trees ranging from 5ft to 11ft, and the Gill’s crew has set up one very special Nordmann Fir measuring 22ft at The South Texas Botanical Gardens! Here’s […]
Last Chance to Feed Lawns and Treat Weeds + Slow Down Watering!
Fertilizing lawns now (before November 15th!) helps develop strong roots for healthy growth next Spring and Summer. And, if you’re concerned about weeds, now’s the time to take care of them. Here’s how! Step 1: Fertilize Now! Fertilizing while it is still warm is best because lawns are still in their active growing season and taking up […]
Top 5 Gardening Must-Do’s this November
November in South Texas is all about spending time outdoors and gathering with family & friends. Cool weather, crisp evenings, outdoor fires & a beautiful garden… a welcome invitation. Here are our top tips for this month. Check out our November Garden Guide for more tips and remember that trees, shrubs, and perennials can be planted 12 […]
What are These Strange Orbs on My Oak Trees?
All from a shiny reddish ball. Or a fuzzy white ball. Or a corky brown ball. I’m talking oak galls, which commonly strike terror into the hearts of live oak tree owners this time of year. They are all caused by various species of small, stingless, solitary wasps. These wasps insert an egg (or several) […]
Texas Native Plant Week at Gill’s!
Lots going on at Gill’s this weekend in honor of Texas Native Plant Week! We’ve expanded our native plant section, we’re hosting the Native Plant Society of Texas meeting on Saturday 10/22/22 at 2pm, and we’re having a sale on all native plants! In 2009 the Texas Legislature designated the third week in October as […]
Pink Calandiva Kalanchoes to Support Breast Cancer Awareness
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we’ve partnered with FIRST FRIDAY, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to breast cancer awareness. This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 14-16, when you buy a pink Calandiva Kalanchoe at Gill’s, 100% of your purchase is donated to FIRST FRIDAY! FIRST FRIDAY was formed by a group of Corpus Christi […]
Kids’ Wildflower Seed Ball Project This Saturday!
Bring the kids this Saturday, October 8th at 10am to make some wildflower seed balls! It’s time to plant wildflowers and seed balls are such a fun and easy way to do it. We’ll have stations set up with all the supplies, including native wildflower seeds, for kids to make their own seed balls. Here’s […]
Garden Talks
Join us on Saturday mornings for Gill Garden Talks! Check out the season schedule and join us in the garden for expert advice from our awesome staff.
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Gill Landscape Design and Installation
