Horticulture

Located in Coastal Virginia, Norfolk Botanical Garden sits in a unique horticultural sweet spot where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. The insulating power of surrounding waterways keeps the region warmer in winter and often cooler in summer than much of the rest of the state. Combined with good soil, the climate creates a unique sweet spot for horticulture, giving us more in common with places further south, than with the rest of Virgina. It allows us to grow a diverse palate of plants, both native and from similar climates around the globe, while serving both as a resource for area gardeners, and as place of natural beauty for all visitors.

Quiet contemplation and impressive trees can be found along the miles of trails through the more natural parts of the garden and along our waterways. Keep your eyes open for many bird, mammal, and reptile species, as people are not the only creatures who enjoy our garden.

Within our 175 acres you can see many renowned plant collections, including:

• Roses: The largest rose garden on the East Coast – The Margaret Moore Hall Bicentennial Rose Garden
• Camellias: An internationally recognized camellia garden – The Hofheimer Camellia Garden
• Hydrangeas: An extensive hydrangea collection – The Kaufman Hydrangea Garden
• Crapemyrtles: The only accredited collection of crapemyrtles in North America
• And more!

Visitors can experience over 60 different gardens with varied styles and intents including:

• The Japanese Garden: Reflects a traditional design ethos using both native and Asian plants
• The Baker Perennial Garden: Offers year-round interest, with bold color from spring through fall
• The Perry Conservatory: Showcases two distinct biomes, including a desert environment filled with succulents and a tropical biome planted with lush exotic species
• The Virginia Native Plant Garden: Highlights plants closer to home, including a recreated longleaf pine savanna
• The Kitchen Garden: Designed in the traditional French potager style, featuring vegetables best suited to our local climate
• The Bristow Butterfly Garden: Comes alive in summer with nectar plants, host plants and butterflies, with a seasonal butterfly house allowing observation of all native butterfly life stages
• And More!

Our horticultural staff come from diverse backgrounds and have varied interests. They love to share what they know, and teach a variety of classes throughout the year, from workshops, to garden tours, to more traditional offerings in classroom settings. If you have questions for them about a plant you have seen here, or about something from your own garden, please stop and ask, or contact them at askaplantquestion@nbgs.org.