Thanks to the team at McDonald Garden Center (MGC) for their generous donation of 150 bags of McDonald Natural & Organic Potting Soil in fall ‘23 and their October ‘26 generous donation of 3 yards of a custom blend potting soil, 2 big bags of Hi Yield 12-6-6 fertilizer and 300 3 gallon pots for our project with the Virginia Department of Forestry(VDOF) & Virginia Teach Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC) to create a nursery to propagate Virginia live oaks with a long term goal to offer saplings for sale in several years.

A stack of potting soil being transported for the project.

Their wonderful potting soil.
Putting the work in.
Some of the 3 gallon pots, McDonald Natural & Organic Potting Soil & newly planted acorns before squirrel protection placement.
Some of the team, Clay, Vivian & Howard plus Lara from VDOF who’ve put in the work to get VDOF their first batch of saplings for the new nursery. 150 saplings!
Some of the saplings from April ‘26 photo.

Recent delivery of saplings raised from acorns by Mark of a Hague live oak, Algernourne live oak on Fort Monroe, a Willoughby live oak & a First Landing State Park live oak.

Thanks again to the team at McDonald Garden Center (MGC) for their generous donations in ‘23 & ‘26 for our project with the Virginia Department of Forestry(VDOF) & Virginia Teach Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC) to create a nursery to propagate Virginia live oaks with a long term goal to offer saplings for sale in several years.