Demonstration Gardens

There are a number of gardens and demonstration areas to explore at the Hampton Roads AREC. Besides their beauty, the gardens offer nurserymen and the general public a chance to see how different plants grow in our Zone 8A climate. There is no admission fee to visit the gardens, and they are open seven days a week from dawn to dusk. Visit throughout the different seasons to see how the plants respond to changes in temperature and light.

Select a garden in the table below to learn more.

Gardens and Demonstration Areas

Theme Gardens

This garden was established in 1995 as a Master's degree project by Holly Cruser. It has developed into an outstanding display that illustrates, by demonstration, the assortment and usage of annual and perennial plants available for use in landscape installations. All plant material is labeled and provides visitors with necessary information to make sound purchasing decisions. It is maintained by Virginia Beach Master Gardeners.