Become a Member of Fred Heutte Garden and help keep Norfolk's urban garden thriving.

Your membership supports free Fred Talks, free children's programs, free educational workshops, volunteer initiatives, and the care of this beautiful public garden.

As a member, you'll also receive reciprocal admission and benefits at more than 400 public gardens nationwide through the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admissions Program—making your membership an investment in both your local community and gardens across the country.

Come be a part of The Fred, support our mission to offer accessible hortocultural and sustainability education to Norfolk’s citizen and maintain a demonstration garden free and available to Norfolk residents. We want you here because this is your garden!

Team Fred: Come Grow With Us!

Every Saturday morning, Team Fred comes together to care for the gardens we all love, and there's always room for another pair of helping hands!

Join us at 9:00 AM and stay for an hour, two hours, or the entire morning until noon. There's no minimum commitment, no experience required, and no need to bring anything but yourself. We provide all the tools, equipment, and gloves you'll need.

There's always something happening at The Fred, even during the winter months. Our volunteers help with everything from planting, pruning, weeding, and mulching to preparing garden beds, maintaining pathways, and tackling seasonal projects. When the weather turns cold, we keep busy with winter garden maintenance.

Fred Heutte Garden is maintained entirely by volunteers. Every flower bed, pathway, and carefully tended corner of this free public garden reflects the time and generosity of people who believe that beautiful green spaces should belong to everyone. Our volunteers make it possible for The Fred to remain a welcoming place for all of Norfolk.

There's no need to sign up in advance. Just show up, introduce yourself, and we'll find something you'll enjoy doing.

Team Fred meets every Wednesday and Saturday, 9:00 AM–Noon.

Join us for a wonderful November morning outdoors at Fred Heutte Garden! We’ll read two great books together, explore the garden, and get creative making our own tabletop turkeys from pinecones and colorful feathers—perfect to take home for Thanksgiving.

Once Upon a Garden is designed especially for preschool and early elementary-age children. The program is completely free, but registration is required. Please plan for one adult for every three children attending.

Because our programs often have a waiting list, registered families must arrive by 10:15 AM. After 10:15, unclaimed spaces will be offered to children on the waiting list.

Come read, explore, create, and enjoy a beautiful fall morning in the garden. We can’t wait to see you!

Help Us Build the Children's Garden!

Saturday November 21st 10am-12 noon

Come get your hands dirty and help us grow something wonderful!

We're building raised garden beds for the new Children's Garden at Fred Heutte Garden, and we'd love your help!

Our Children's Garden will be a welcoming, hands-on space where Norfolk's youngest gardeners can plant seeds, grow vegetables and flowers, discover the natural world, and experience the joy of gardening.

We'll be assembling and positioning raised beds. No gardening or construction experience is necessary—just a willingness to pitch in, work alongside some great people, and help create something special for our community.

Every bed we build brings us one step closer to our grand opening on May 1, 2027!

This Is Your Garden. Come Grow With Us!

Composting doesn’t have to be complicated, messy, or mysterious. Join us at Fred Heutte Garden for a free Fred Talk with Cameron Kania, founder and owner of Tidewater Compost, and learn how food scraps and other organic materials can be transformed into something every garden needs: rich, healthy soil.

Cameron will take the mystery out of composting, explaining what composting actually is, what can and can’t go into compost, how the process works, and how compost improves soil and supports healthier gardens. Whether you’re interested in starting a compost pile at home, wondering what to do if you don’t have the space for one, or simply want to understand why keeping food waste out of the landfill matters, this is a great place to start. Come with your questions! This practical, approachable Fred Talk is for experienced gardeners, composting beginners, and anyone who has ever looked at a banana peel and wondered, “Couldn’t I be doing something better with this?”

The talk is free, but registration is required.

Saturday, December 19 | 10 AM | Fred Heutte Garden

Join us for a festive morning of stories, creativity, and holiday cheer at December's Once Upon a Garden!

We'll begin by reading two delightful holiday books together, then turn our attention to making whimsical little woodland gnomes. Using wooden pegs, colorful felt hats, fluffy woolly beards, and tiny noses, children will create their own one-of-a-kind holiday characters to take home.

It's a wonderful opportunity for little hands to get creative, enjoy the magic of storytelling, and celebrate the season in the Garden.

This program is FREE, but registration is required as space is limited.

Come make a little holiday magic with us!

January's Once Upon a Garden: Snowflakes & Winter Wonders!

Saturday, January 16 | 10 AM | Fred Heutte Garden

We're celebrating the magic of winter at January's Once Upon a Garden!

We'll begin our morning with two delightful winter-themed books, then get creative making giant paper snowflakes! Using white paper, scissors, and a little imagination, children will cut, fold, and unfold their own beautiful, one-of-a-kind snowflakes to take home.

Along the way, we'll discover how every snowflake is unique and explore the wonderful shapes and patterns found in nature. It's a fun, hands-on morning of storytelling, creativity, and winter discovery—no snow required!

This children's program is completely FREE, but registration is required as space is limited.

Come celebrate winter with us at The Fred!

Fred Talks: Herbs for Heart Health with Vickie Shufer

Saturday, February 6 | 12 Noon | $20 per person

Discover the fascinating world of medicinal herbs and their traditional uses in supporting heart health with renowned herbalist, naturalist, forager, and author Vickie Shufer.

With more than 40 years of experience studying wild and medicinal plants, Vickie brings an extraordinary depth of knowledge to this special Fred Talk. She holds a Master of Science in Therapeutic Herbalism from the Maryland University of Integrative Health and is the owner of Wild Woods Farm, a certified native plant nursery specializing in edible and medicinal plants.

Vickie is also the author of several acclaimed books, including The Forager's Handbook, The Everything Guide to Foraging, and her newest book, The Forager's Garden: Cultivating Wild Plants for Food & Medicine. Her work explores the connections between plants, traditional herbal practices, sustainable gardening, and everyday wellness.

During this engaging, hands-on program, Vickie will introduce herbs traditionally associated with cardiovascular wellness

Best of all, participants will create their own herbal tea blend to take home! It's an opportunity to learn directly from an exceptionally knowledgeable herbalist while discovering new ways to connect gardening, nature, and personal well-being.

Whether you're an experienced gardener, curious about herbalism, or simply interested in the relationship between plants and health, this is a Fred Talk you won't want to miss.

Registration is required. Space is limited.