Fall is one of the best times for gardening in our area. With fewer hours of daylight and lower temperatures, (new plants don’t dry out as quickly, lessening their stress and our garden maintenance tasks. The ironic thing is that many of us only get the “gardening bug” when winter is moving into spring. We’ve been cooped up all winter; plant sales abound, and we’re raring to get out in the yard. Then, by the end of a long summer of hot , sweaty gardening, our enthusiasm has waned and we’re ready to kick back with a pumpkin flavored beverage in one hand and a bag of Halloween candy in the other. I say, “Repent you lazy gardeners!” Fall weather is better for working, new plants will continue to grow through our increasingly mild winters (our average first frost is between November 15 and 25), you’ll have free mulch from falling leaves/pine needles, weeds aren’t as aggressive and there are still plant sales to attend. Vegetables planted in September can be productive through December and beyond if we don’t get any sudden deep freezes. Selections to consider include beets, lettuces, turnips, Swiss chard, spinach, collards, kale, radishes, mustard greens and kohlrabi. Even if you’re not much of a vegetable gardener , you can add fall/winter color to your yard using Red Russian Kale and Rainbow Swiss Chard. If you’re looking to add to your outdoor or indoor plant inventory you might want to swing by Lafayette Park ( 3500 Granby Street ) on October 10 for the Norfolk Master Gardener Fall Plant Sale . 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. It is part of The Norfolk Arbor Day Festival that runs from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the same site. It’s a great place to buy plants AND get quality advice on how to care for them. Also, beginning at 10:30, the City of Norfolk will give away (yes FREE) trees to Norfolk residents who agree to plant them in their own yards (one per address and subject to availability. Normally there are a mix of tree species available. There are also educational booths set up by various community groups, music and more. So, on October 10, put down your Pumpkin Spice Latte and head to Lafayette Park to get energized about Fall gardening! 

LauraBeth was born in Crittenden, Virginia, which later became the City of Suffolk. She attended Isle of Wight Academy. She received her BA from Mary Baldwin University and received her MA in Marital and Family Psychology from Western Seminary. LauraBeth continued her education at California Southern University where she attained her Doctor of Psychology. After college, LauraBeth moved from Suffolk to Virginia Beach where she worked for Central Fidelity Bank. When she married, she and her husband moved to California where she worked thirty years at different jobs and to seek adventure. LauraBeth retired from private practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist in August 2024. While in high school, she worked at Coleman Nursery in Portsmouth. She enjoyed working with all the plants and helping customers with their questions. She grew up with a “largish” vegetable garden in Suffolk and had a small garden in San Jose. Later, she was drawn to gardening as she observed that her clients who were connected in some way to nature were thriving during COVID, while others were really struggling. She applied this concept to her own life by moving into a house with a yard, and found that her time in the yard, neighborhood, and urban parks was powerfully healing. LauraBeth loved the classes, and both the challenge and the knowledge she gained. She preferred the in-person presentations more than the Zoom presentations. She loved the Hermitage and hopes to become more involved in that project in the future. She participated in community outreach at the zoo, the Elizabeth River Trail, and the Hermitage. To attain her required fifty hours, she worked at the zoo garden, Weyanoke Bird and Wildflower Sanctuary, the Fred Heutte Square Foot Garden, and the Eco Garden. Going forward she wants to contribute to the Germinator Blog, look at ways to seamlessly add mindfulness education to some of the beautiful gardens we already have, perhaps teach a class, and become more involved at the Hermitage. When she isn’t involved in the Master Gardener projects she enjoys travel, reading, Bible study, swimming, boating, kayaking, mahjong, pickleball, wine tasting, and cooking. She is active and past Board Member of the Rotary Club, and is a board member of the Chas Foundation, the Downtown Circle of CHKD, and incoming Board President of PrimePlus. She made the intentional decision to retire her professional license but remains active in the psychological community by serving as a volunteer mentor for graduate students, is a lecturer, and runs a twice - monthly support group for caregivers with loved ones who have cognitive disorders.  LauraBeth is married to Kerry DeHority and they have three children: Shay ( married to Maddy ) , Charlie ( whose fiancée is Kaylee), and Chris. She is a “cool aunt” to nieces and nephews and is the “ backup Emotional Support Human” to Jasmine, a Jack Russell Terrier rescue dog who is quite certain she is a human.

 Julia was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. She lived in Fort Worth, Texas and in Acworth, Georgia before moving to Norfolk, when her husband was transferred to Norfolk for his job at Norfolk Southern Railway. She graduated from Texas Christian University and University of Texas at Arlington. Julia is a retired ICU nurse. Julia has enjoyed gardening but felt a loss of purpose because of COVID, when her retirement plan to volunteer at the hospital where she used to work was adversely affected. Her grandparents owned an 80-acre farm in Iowa, where she attained a very basic knowledge of gardening but realized there was more to learn so she joined the Master Gardener Class of 2026. She enjoyed the classes and thought the speakers were great. She would have preferred that the classes to have been in the afternoon instead of morning because they prevented her from going to her usual yoga classes. She didn’t like getting up in front of the class to present her project, but has no problem interacting with the public. To attain her required fifty hours Julia worked at the Zoo Garden and the Potager Garden as well as some community outreach projects. She has found the steering committee meetings interesting and she wants to do more continuing education. Going forward she wants to try the Significant Tree Project, and will no longer choose to volunteer outdoors when the temperature exceeds the upper 80s. Julia loves to travel. She enjoys helping her friends with their personal gardening projects. She is fixing up her home in order to sell it in a couple years. Julia is married and owns a cat. She has a sister who lives in Austin. When you see Julia, be sure to introduce yourself and welcome her to the Norfolk Extension Master Gardeners.

Jeff was born in Birmingham, Alabama. Like so many others who come to Norfolk he came because of the U.S. Navy. Jeff liked the area and decided to stay and after 45 years, he considers Norfolk his home. He worked in aviation, specifically helicopters. While on active duty he attended classes on base for about two years through St. Leo University, but regrettably was unable to finish due to work and family responsibilities. Jeff retired from City of Norfolk Bureau of Cemeteries. He began in maintenance but became a heavy equipment operator. Jeff has always been interested in gardening and nature. His wife volunteers at the butterfly house at Norfolk Botanical Garden and he noticed the satisfaction she derived from working in that atmosphere. He met other Master Gardeners through her work at NBG. The idea of delving deeper into gardening and making a positive effect on the environment were determining factors in wanting to become a Master Gardener. Jeff enjoyed the classes. It was the type of experience he was looking for. Having been unable to complete his earlier academic pursuits, the MG classes gave him a taste of what he wished he had been able to accomplish. He thought the curriculum was well put-together and seamlessly done. In attaining his required fifty hours, he worked at the Ernie Morgan Eco Garden, Wyanoke Bird and Wildflower Sanctuary, Fred Heutte Square Foot Garden, the greenhouse, Seed Project and community outreach. He plans to continue to work with the Ernie Morgan Center but wants to look at other projects. Jeff’s wife is very involved with their church, St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Norfolk and he helps her with her projects. He and his wife belong to a book club at the church and he enjoys discussing the interesting books. In addition, he has a nice vegetable garden and a wildflower pollinator garden in his yard. Jeff and his wife have been married for twelve years. He has a daughter and two grandchildren in Mississippi and a son in Richmond who is working on his master’s degree in public health at Virginia Commonwealth University. He adopted a cat that came to him as a stray and wouldn’t leave. He named her Missy.  When you see Jeff, be sure to introduce yourself and welcome him to the Norfolk Extension Master Gardeners.

Ken grew up and attended school in Halifax County, Virginia. He attended UVA for his undergraduate degree and received his MBA from Old Dominion University. His career brought him to Norfolk. Ken is retired from his career as an industrial real estate broker. Ken enjoyed gardening activities, and joined the Norfolk Master Gardener Class of 2026 in order to refine his knowledge. He enjoyed the classes but felt reading a science textbook a little challenging! In order to attain his fifty hours, he worked at the Potager Garden at Norfolk Botanical Garden, the Fred Heutte Square Foot garden, the dune garden, the Elizabeth River Trail, the Norfolk Zoo garden , and the Hermitage Museum and Gardens. Now that he is certified, he plans to focus on the Elizabeth River Trail project. Ken likes to exercise and read in his spare time. He has four grandchildren.  When you see Ken, be sure to introduce yourself and welcome him to the Norfolk Extension Master Gardeners.

Nancy was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and grew up in Lafayette, Indiana. She graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science degree in landscape architecture. She moved from Indiana to Michigan and finally to Norfolk to be closer to her sister. Nancy started working for a Parks and Recreation department and then shifted her focus to K-12 school site design with a specialty in playground design, after which she worked for a planning/engineering firm on a range of projects from design standards, streetscapes, commercial and industrial sites, and parks. Her last focus was on public health facilities and healing gardens. She retired after 48 years in her field. She joined the Norfolk Master Gardener class of 2026 because she wanted to change her focus from planning to planting. She was interested in acquiring more information about community gardens. Nancy enjoyed the classes and thought they were well organized with detailed text and engaging speakers. While some of the material was a review for her, it had been a long time since she sat in a classroom. It was informative for her to relearn some things she had forgotten and new things to expand her knowledge in a hands-on planting approach. She liked the class size and the opportunity to learn more about her classmates. She was a little sad when the classes ended. To reach the required fifty hours, Nancy worked at the plant sale, seed starting with Little Creek Elementary School, East Ocean View Children’s Garden, the Zoo Garden, and the Fred Heutte Square Foot Garden. Now that she is certified, she plans to continue with many of the same projects but will try something new each year. Nancy organized a community vegetable garden at her church, Miles Memorial United Methodist Church. She plans the garden each year and organizes the youth group to assist with the planting. She harvests the vegetables and fruit every Wednesday for the community breakfast that is provided by the church. Vegetables and fruit that are not used for the breakfast are donated to a neighborhood food pantry to help families in need. She is a member of the Ocean View Lions Club, and it is with their support she has been able to get assistance with watering and backing to apply for grants to start the garden with its system of rain barrels. Nancy’s other interest is music ; she plays the clarinet in three bands—the Tidewater Concert Band, a jazz band , and a praise band at her church. She enjoys pottery classes at the recreation center, works on small quilting projects, enjoys quiet time with a good book, and sitting in her garden. Nancy has two children: Jen, who lives in Barcelona, and her son Thomas who is married to Alexis. She is Mema to her sweet granddaughters, Mila and Lola. She comes from a big family and is close to her siblings. There have been several fun adventures traveling with her daughter, Jen, in Europe. She has a sweet rescue pup, Brownie, who is aging but still up for a morning walk every day.  When you see Nancy, be sure to introduce yourself and welcome her to the Norfolk Ext

 Chrizar is a true Virginia native, having been born in Chesapeake and grew up in Virginia Beach. She attended Tallwood High School and received her B.S. in Biochemistry from Bridgewater College. She moved to Norfolk after college in 2018 to close the gap between Chrizar and her long-time boyfriend, who is now her husband. They have lived in the Ocean View area for eight years. Chrizar is a stay-at-home mom but plans to return to the workforce in the future. Before she was a mom, she worked in healthcare billing. Prior to that she was a pastry chef for almost a decade. Her specialty was breads. Since Chrizar has the privilege to be a stay-at-home mom for a few years, she wanted to do some community work to show her child the opportunities within your village. She started volunteering at the Norfolk Botanical Garden and learned about the Norfolk Master Gardens at the Potager Garden. They shared with her the efforts to give vegetables to the Southeastern Virginia Food Bank. Having grown up in Virginia, she has seen grocery stores close and knew this would be a problem for the residents. After her first successful vegetable garden, it made her smile to be able to give vegetables to her neighbors. Becoming a Master Gardener has opened many doors to her to continue engaging with her community. Chrizar thought the classes were well-organized. She believed the co-leads did a good job of guiding the class through the training. She particularly liked the commercials because this gave the project leads an opportunity to introduce themselves and for the class to put names with faces. Chrizar participated in a variety of demonstration gardens. She was a regular at the Potager Garden at Norfolk Botanical Garden and the Zoo garden. She worked at the Plant Propagation Palooza and Live Green by Keep Norfolk Beautiful for her outreach hours. She plans to continue participating with the Zoo Garden and is excited to help with the Butterfly Garden. When Chrizar isn’t gardening she likes to create art through watercolors, photography and crafts. She is also into weight training and hopes to compete in the future. When you see Chrizar, be sure to introduce yourself and welcome her to the Norfolk Extenson Master Gardeners.

Stewart was born and grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Westinghouse High School in Pittsburgh. He has earned two bachelor’s degrees and three associates degrees. He has also received certifications, all in engineering, technology and business. The U.S. Navy brought Stewart to Norfolk 1983. He has retired from the Navy as well as Verizon Communications LLC. Stewart joined the Norfolk Master Gardener Class of 2026 to improve upon his gardening knowledge and skills, and to leverage his experiences from all around the world. He was interested in meeting like-minded people and to continue being involved civically in his city and community. In order to meet the required fifty hours, Stewart participated in Dig and Divides, Significant Tree Program, the green house, East Ocean View Children’s Garden, spring plant sale, and Tucker Library Juneteenth Celebration. Going forward, Stewart plans to continue volunteering in these projects and will add the Tucker Demonstration Garden when that restarts. He is also interested in Master Gardener College, Master Food certification and the tree stewardship program. When Stewart is not participating in Norfolk Master Gardener activities, he enjoys distance cycling as well as distance swimming. He enjoys going to the gym, audiophile and is an avid gardener. Stewart is married with two grown children, a boy and a girl. He has both grandchildren and great grandchildren.  When you see Stewart, please be sure to introduce yourself and welcome him to the Norfolk Extension Master Gardeners.