Written by Director of Horticulture Les Parks Ilex verticillata      Winterberry is not a difficult plant to grow, it thrives in our climate, and it is not typically bothered by pests or diseases. Even deer and rabbits tend to ignore them. They do well in full sun to partial shade, though too much shade will reduce flowering and consequently reduce fruiting. They will also do well in the wetter areas of your garden and don’t mind the poor drainage that is detrimental to so many other plants. Once they are established they can even take a bit of drought.    &n ..read more

There seems to be a bit of a tradition of NBG Tour Guides creating beautiful art! Enter Liz Nobles. Spirited, effervescent, and multi-talented. Liz is currently creating garden inspired art featuring butterflies, flowers, and insects. Liz Nobles is a Tour Guide at NBG. She creates garden inspired art & works for Visit Norfolk as well! Thanks for all you do Liz. Tell us a little bit about your art? I focus on realism, I’m really into still life and capturing the moment. Especially when it comes to my nature inspired pieces. It does make it a little hard sometimes. . .especially when do ..read more

We caught up with Lynne Frailing to chat about the fascinating world of Botanical Art, the teachers that inspire her, and her fellow artists Juliet Kirby and Lesley McCowen. Lynne is a vision in soft fabrics and colors. Her piercing blue eyes are exacting. We sit outside Baker Hall Visitor center on a shady bench. Lynne is a fount of knowledge with a breezy, friendly demeanor. She tells me she grew up in Norfolk with a mother and father who enjoyed getting their hands in home vegetable and flower gardens. The artist shares that she enjoyed many trips to NBG as a child and has fond precious mem ..read more

Pollinators: Words & Images by Horticulturalist Anna Huebner BEYOND THE BUZZ All the buzz right now is about planting native, SAVE THE POLLINATORS! Which many people consider to be the most important topic out there. I want to take some time to explain another important aspect of helping our native pollinators, specifically our bees and wasps. Now before you fret, it’s important to know that 90% of our native bees and wasps are solitary and not aggressive. Unless you grab them or they somehow get into your clothing, it’s unlikely you will be stung. I have spent many hours with my face near ..read more

I was honored to meet with the artist and local icon Maizelle Brown in Baker Hall Visitor Center back in January of 2021. Here are a few snippets from our conversation that day.  Maizelle is wearing a colorful head wrap, beautiful earrings, stylish oversized sunglasses, and an elegant black coat with gold trim. Gold metallic nails and sleek black boots complete the outfit. She is glowing, elegant, and kind. There is a richness to her voice and presence. I feel honored to be in conversation with a woman whose art I have admired a great deal since moving to the Virginia Beach/Norfolk Area ..read more

I met with my coworker Ande back on a blustery December day near the Marigold and Honey Cafe. Our shoes crunched the gravel underneath our feet and about halfway through my papers flew about (Don’t worry we gathered them all back up). She shared with me her dreams, inspirations, and a slice of her life as a revered Tour Guide and Tram Driver here at NBG. Be sure to check out her artwork now on display in Education Hallway in Baker Hall Visitor Center!    Winter Boots Pen & Ink Ande Holbrook CB: Do you have a favorite piece of art here in the garden? AH: Oh goodness. If I had t ..read more

Diana Davis Artist and Watercolor Instructor Diana Davis’ art lines the Education Hallway in Baker Hall Visitor Center. Her colorful and whimsical work is full of character and charm. Aside from her outstanding watercolors, Diana is also well known for her warm teaching style and delicious brownies. Diana and I chatted over the phone about art, teaching, blue-footed pigs, and chocolate of course. Read along to learn more about one of our incredible instructors. CB: How long have you been painting? DD: I’ve been painting always. I’m 62 so I started with crayons of course. (She laughs. It’s a l ..read more

The first time I saw a Camellia I was charmed instantly. Walking through my grandmother’s neighborhood in Georgia one day, trudging along through a particularly dreary winter – there – I saw it and stopped dead in my tracks. Color? Flowers?  I rushed back to tell my grandma all about it. She wasn’t impressed. An avid gardener herself, she knew immediately the plant I was referring to. “Are you talking about the Camellia?,” She asked. “Those stupid plants. They’re stupid. They bloom too early and then their blooms just fall off!” she laughed.  My grandmother was not the only one wh ..read more

Rich Gray is a self taught origami and paper artist. He also sells his unique and colorful jewelry in local stores and teaches origami here at Norfolk Botanical Garden.  Rich’s studio is quiet and peaceful. Organized and clean. A menagerie of mobiles hang from the ceiling – butterflies, birds, fish, ornaments, even a rather large bat peering at me. Rich jokes “I make the most of my track lighting.” Indeed.  His wife Pam’s studio is nearby – they can wave to each other from their individual working spaces. Their home and yard are adorned with things of beauty, contemporary Jap ..read more

Black History Month  Celebrating Black History Month and the contributions of 200 African American women and 20 African American men. NBG now acknowledges their excellence, resilience, and legacy of hard work year round. Fitting, since the original gardeners worked year round in sweltering heat, cold winters, and frightening conditions. I am lucky to have arrived at the garden at a time when the WPA Heritage Garden is alive and well, there are two sculptures, and a beautiful painting that give credit to and help tell the origin story of NBG, formerly Norfolk Azalea Garden. This was not ..read more