Update 2/25 @ 9 a.m.
Always wanted to learn how to attract amazing butterflies to your garden? Catch a free lecture at the AREC tomorrow (Sunday, 2/26) featuring “The Butterfly Lady.”
It’s the last Friday in February and it’s hovering right about 76 degrees in Virginia Beach! Amazing weather for what is usually considered the dead of winter almost everywhere in the US. It’s perfect timing for a spring-centric read, so sit back and enjoy this post, accompanied by some fabulous photography, courtesy of ShoreLines blogger Sherry Friel.
Off the Beaten Beach Track
Shhhh! I’m about to share one of my favorite secret photography spots in Virginia Beach, a destination local horticulture and agriculture experts are very familiar with, but is often off the radar of visitors and some long-time city residents. It’s called the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC).
Now, I love all the regional botanical gardens and try to visit them throughout the year to see the very best each season brings, but when I need a “garden fix” in Virginia Beach, I head out to AREC. It’s conveniently located at 1444 Diamond Springs Road and is open seven days a week from dawn until dusk. Look carefully for the sign, as it is easy to drive right past it.
And here’s the best part about AREC. Entrance is absolutely free! But don’t tell everyone. These gardens are now a serene, unexpected oasis tucked right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city. So let’s just keep this our little secret for now, okay?
According to the AREC web site, the grounds feature a number of gardens and demonstration areas to explore. Each area is designed to offer nurserymen and the public a chance to see how different plants grow in our Zone 8A climate.
My experience visiting AREC over the years has been extraordinarily welcoming. The gardens are maintained by the Virginia Beach Master Gardeners and they are very helpful in educating visitors on extensive plant varieties throughout the grounds. When one of the gardeners saw my camera, she gave great advice on when certain flowers I was interested in would bloom, as well as unique varieties starting to emerge that I had never seen before. Visit here and here for a sampling of what you will see at AREC from March-June.
The best time to visit is in spring and throughout the summer, but it is also fascinating to see seasonal changes throughout the year. Be sure to carve out several hours to explore the entire grounds. I usually end up leaving before seeing everything, because time just gets away from me there. Pack a lunch and picnic blanket to relax under the trees and enjoy the surroundings. Children are welcome, and on my visit last spring a group of second graders on a field trip got a great lesson on plant cycles and garden care. The kids went crazy over the abundant blooming magnolia trees, touching the blooms and burying their faces in the enormous, plate-sized blossoms.
“The AREC is a treasure hunt of horticultural excitement for children,” said Audrey Hodges, Virginia Certified Horticulturist, ISA Certified Arborist and Horticultural Therapist. “Prized jewels of flowers, trees, and educational wonders and fun to fill the senses.”
I cannot wait for my first AREC visit this spring, and hope to make it within the next month to see this special garden.
Photography credits: Sherry Friel
Tags: great photography spots in Virginia Beach, Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Virginia Beach in spring, Virginia Beach Master Gardeners
