Cathy Benson, The Botetourt View

Dottie Underwood gets up early to water in the greenhouse.

In response to our continuing gardening series for the tough economy, The Botetourt View received a call from Mike Underwood of Springwood inviting us to his wife Dottie's greenhouse. It is called Springwood Paradise Greenhouse.

It turned out to be aptly named. The greenhouse is located past the high school about a mile across the James River Bridge if approaching from Route 43.

Dottie Underwood said, "I love nature, every part of it from animals to plants to digging in the dirt." She has operated the greenhouse in her back yard for the past six spring seasons. It has been more difficult for her as a greenhouse grower because she is off the beaten path, but a trip by, since gas is a bit cheaper, would be a nice experience for the whole family.

A babbling stream crossed over by three different bridges and landscaped to perfection engages the visitor upon arrival. A slew of irises stand waiting in anticipation of budding this week. Crossing the bridge and listening to the water peal as the sun glitters from the surface would entice just about the hardest heart. A couple of beagle/cocker spaniel mixes greeted with a happy baying followed by a long haired Dachsund named "Toes."

At the yard entrance is a garden of Daylily varieties -- yes, for sale, too, and then it's uphill to a series of ponds. One water garden is home to tons of tadpoles while the other is alive with exotic koi. Underwood grows and sells water plants and fish as well. The tadpoles are locals growing to keep the frog population well and thriving in Springwood.

Her greenhouses are chock full of flowers, vines and vegetables. She even has grown her own lemons in a greenhouse; though those are not for sale, they looked lush and juicy. There are hanging baskets of cherry tomatoes; some already have little tomatoes among the leaves. "I wanted to try greenhouse plants because I love to grow things," said Underwood, a pleasant lady who apparently loves life in rural Botetourt.

Vegetable-wise, the Springwood greenhouse boasts an incredible 60 varieties of tomatoes and many types of peppers. Underwood has squash and zucchini in little pots and cucumbers, too. A plethora of herbs thrive through out the greenhouse. cabbage, cauliflower, brussell sprouts, several kinds of lettuce and other delights await a new home. She even sells a veggie container garden containing a tomato plant, a pepper plant, cucumber, an herb and topped off with a rainbow Coleus flowering plant perhaps so the grower will find "a pot of gold" in the little home garden attempt.

"I try to sell plants that discourage deer -- they don't like herbs, so plant those near the garden. They are mostly perennials, so they will come back every year," said Underwood.

She has edible geraniums, including ones that smell like orange fizz, a peppermint and nutmeg.

Up on the top of the hill she has stepping stones for sale, hostas, fruit trees, several types of berry vines, grapevines and an assortment of perennials. Bird houses line the porch of the shed. In the perennial flower garden, birds occupy some of the first ones she built. She dropped back to the koi pond to feed and they bubbled voraciously along the surface. Like the fish, water plants in the buckets along the wall are also for sale.

At The Botetourt View's departure, Underwood noted that the greenhouses and gardens are like her piece of heaven on earth. Indeed "Springwood Paradise" is a good name for the place.