Blog Post

Growing a Love of Gardening

Al King, ’13 • Jun 24, 2020

After moving back home to Norfolk in 2011, it became clear that I needed to get involved in an activity that would enable me to meet interesting people. 

Prime Plus was hosting a Health Fair in the fall of 2012 and there was an “Ask A Master Gardener” booth, where I met Tom Bolt, submitted my application, and was interviewed by Blanch Wise and Betrice Hovey for the Class of 2013. 

  I knew nothing about gardening but realized that becoming knowledgeable and interacting with others with gardening expertise was a good plan. Because I don’t like to get dirty, it took almost three years for me to finally decide to plant something. Once my NMG buddies recovered from the shock of my announcement, everyone pitched in to help me.

I decided on a nectar garden. Lorraine Schreiber gave me plants from her garden along with regular coaching. I put my first plants in the ground in the spring of 2016 and today it’s a beautiful space that attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Once I caught the gardening fever, the next year I started garden bed #2. The focus was still on perennials and if they had flowers, great! I went with coneflowers, verbena, liriope, hostas, coral bells and some colorful annuals. Creeping Jenny ground cover added a lovely way to minimize weeds.
Debora Mosher and Donna Van Keuren, my mentor, stopped by recently to see the garden in person and suggested that I share my journey from zero gardening skills to planting and maintaining healthy, beautiful gardens. Since COVID-19, I’ve started two more beds. Gardening has been very therapeutic; I’m so glad that it has become a regular part of my life. Thanks, Norfolk Master Gardeners!!!
Share by: