One of the most familiar such fruits is the common fig (Ficus carica), native to the Mediterranean basin. Gardeners in coastal Virginia are fortunate that we can grow this without dragging pots in and out for the winter, as many people farther north must do. Not only does this fig provide abundant delicious fruit, but its bold, attractive leaves will add an unusual touch to the landscape. While figs can typically grow to 20 or 30 feet tall, there are a number of smaller selections that might be more suitable for smaller gardens.

Gardeners who like bold color should grow pomegranates (Punica granatum). The flowers are an intense red-orange and bloom through much of the late spring into early summer. The orange fruits, showy and attractive in their own right, ripen in late summer to early fall. The fleshy seeds produce a lot of juice and are high in vitamin C, antioxidants and potassium. Originally native to western Asia, they are now grown around the world in warmer climates, where their smaller size (6 to 20 feet tall) makes them easy to fit into many landscapes. Good-looking and good for you.

Loquats (Eriobotrya japonica) are grown primarily for their evergreen, tropical-looking foliage and their clusters of ivory flowers, which typically bloom between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The flowers are also sweetly scented, enough to perfume an entire garden. Native to China and Japan, the 10- to 15-foot-tall plant is sometimes called Japanese plum, though it is not actually a plum. However, the spring-ripening, golden orange fruit has a similar delicious sweet-tart flavor. Local gardeners should consider the fruit a bonus, since loquats will produce fruit here only in mild winters, even though the plant is hardy.

Also evergreen, pineapple guava (Acca sellowiana) can be grown as an attractive screening plant and an alternative to some of the more common hedges. It’s native from southern Brazil to northern Argentina; in our climate it typically grows about 6 to 8 feet tall, has attractive silvery foliage and, being salt tolerant, is a good choice for coastal conditions. The flowers are unusual and showy, with bright red stamens over white petals. The fruit ripens in late summer to early fall with a flavor reminiscent of Juicy Fruit gum, and you know it is ripe when it falls off the shrub: no guesswork.

Although we have our own native persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), if you want something a little different, consider the easy-to-grow Asian persimmon (Diospyros kaki). Although the flowers are not very showy, the fruit certainly is. It ripens in the fall, covering the tree with 3- to 4-inch berries that are a bright orange. About the same time, the foliage turns shades of yellow, red, orange and burgundy before dropping. The fruit will persist after the foliage, like so many mini-pumpkins hanging on bare branches. There are two types of Asian persimmons. Those with astringent fruit are like our native ones in that they need a good cold spell to be edible. Then the gelatinous flesh becomes incredibly sweet and can be eaten with a spoon or used in desserts. The nonastringent varieties have fruit that is crunchy and can be eaten fresh like an apple or cut and added to salads. Asian persimmons vary in size, but most will grow in the 10- to 30-foot range.

With fall being the best time to plant and just around the corner, now is a good time to consider something that will add unusual edible beauty to your landscape.

Wild Green Yonder is a monthly feature from the staff of the Norfolk Botanical Garden, where Les Parks is the director of horticulture. Send gardening questions to askaplantquestion@nbgs.org.

Here are five that I recommend.

1. Right plant, right place. We have likely all had our heads turned by some pretty plant at the garden center, so cute that you couldn’t resist an impulse purchase. But going forward, take a moment to ask yourself a few questions: How big does it get, and do I have enough room? How much light does it need? Will it be easy to water? Does it do well in our climate?

In this age of information at your fingertips, do some homework before you make a purchase you might regret.

2. Say no to systemic insecticides. As you may have heard, the population numbers for insect species have been plummeting in recent decades. You might ask if this is a bad thing, and indeed it is. Insects are a key building block in the ecosystem, providing food for many other species. Certain insects also are critical for pollinating our food crops. But systemic insecticides are indiscriminate: They can kill any insect, friend or foe, that happens to feed on the treated plant. These insecticides’ ease of use — just sprinkle them on and forget it — comes at a cost.

3. Plant more natives. Choosing native plants for your garden is good for a number of reasons. Since they evolved together, our native plants and native insects, birds and other creatures benefit one another, with one group providing food and shelter and the other providing pollination services and dispersing the species. Native plants are also well adapted to our climate in a way that many nonnative plants are not. Last, native plants are beautiful.

4. Think “more garden, less turf.” Though many of us love a well-tended lawn, it can take a lot of resources to maintain — water, fertilizers, pesticide, fuel for our mowers. Traditional turf also is a desert for most animal species. Adding bed space to your garden will create opportunities to grow plants that may provide wildlife food and habitat. Increased bed space could be used for growing your own food, too. Also, garden beds typically take fewer resources than turf, especially if you are following Resolution 1 (right plant, right place).

5. Embrace the chaos. For too long the aesthetic for a “good” garden has been clean beds full of neatly clipped evergreens, with maybe the occasional flower thrown in. You can thank King Louis XIV and the gardeners at Versailles for that. But these gardens are sterile, offering little benefit to wildlife.

So plant a diversity of plants, a mix of trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and ground covers. This will turn your garden into an oasis for the local fauna, including beneficial insects who help balance the bad ones, making it easier for you to follow Resolution 2 (skip the systemic insecticides).

Also, don’t be so quick to keep it perfectly clean, especially in the colder months. Fallen leaves and bare stalks provide shelter for overwintering organisms, and many spent seed heads provide food for birds. Save your cleanup for warmer weather in spring.

Wild Green Yonder is a recurring monthly feature from the staff of the Norfolk Botanical Garden, where Les Parks is director of horticulture. If you have any questions, please send them to askaplantquestion@nbgs.org.

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One of these unusual hollies is the winterberry (I. verticillata), whose deciduous foliage never hurt anyone’s bare feet.

Native just about everywhere east of the Mississippi, winterberry is found growing naturally next to streams, lakes and rivers, and in swamps and other freshwater wetlands. They can reach 10 to 15 feet tall and have a shrubby, multi-stemmed habit. Winterberry is dioecious, meaning it has separate male and female plants — important to remember if you want one for your garden. The flowers, which are spring-blooming and pale yellow to greenish white, are not terribly showy, but like many other hollies’ they attract numerous beneficial pollinators.

While the flowers may lack a wow factor, the fruit certainly does not. In mid-fall the berries begin to ripen and turn a beautiful glossy red, held in thick clusters along the stems. The leaves often turn a beautiful golden yellow before they fall, nicely complementing the red berries. The fruit appears only on female plants, and only if pollination has taken place from a nearby male. Once the leaves fall, that showy fruit really stands out on the plant’s dark, bare branches, which will appear to drip with red. Add a dusting of snow and you have an instant social media moment, or a magazine-worthy photo op. The fruit typically persists into the new year, and by then many bird species will have found them, relishing a great winter food source.

Winterberry is not a difficult plant to grow, it thrives in our climate, and it is not typically bothered by pests or diseases. Even deer and rabbits tend to ignore them. They do well in full sun to partial shade, though too much shade will reduce flowering and thus fruiting. They will also do well in the wetter areas of your garden and don’t mind the poor drainage that is detrimental to so many other plants. Once they are established, they can even take a bit of drought.

Several selections of winterberry are available, including some with orange or yellow fruit for the non-traditionalist. The ultimate size of the plant will vary by selection, but several dwarf selections are available if space is an issue.

The most important factor in choosing varieties is pollination. To produce that showy fruit, the females must have a male plant within 50 feet for pollination, and just as in the human world, not all males and females are compatible. If the flowers on each sex are not open at the same time, pollination will not occur. When you shop, make sure the garden center has the specific male and female plants that are compatible with each other.

Winterberry has a lot going for it. It is native; attracts pollinators; feeds the birds; is easy to grow; and is a beautiful addition to the landscape, especially in winter, when we need bright color. On top of all that, you could make a little money from them. Just in time for the holidays, cut winterberry branches are sold at the florist for about $15 to $20 apiece! At that price, a few stems will more than pay for the cost of the plant — not that you should need any additional incentive to plant this holly that’s like few others.

Wild Green Yonder is a monthly feature of the staff at Norfolk Botanical Garden, where Les Parks is the director of horticulture.

Hyacinth Bean (Lablab purpureus)

Beautiful clusters of purple-pink flowers will bloom all summer, but they are not the only colorful part of this vigorous 10- to 20-foot climber. The stems and seed pods are a striking dark purple, and the beans themselves are a handsome black and white. However, if you are looking for something good to eat, there are much better choices. This bean should only be considered ornamental.

Spanish Flag (Ipomoea lobata)

If you know anything about vexillology — the study of flags — you can see where this vine gets its common name. Or maybe you would rather use its other name, firecracker vine. Either way, its 10-foot-plus stems are covered late in the season with beautiful tubular flowers of yellow, orange and red, attracting hummingbirds.

“Heavenly Blue” Morning Glory (Ipomoea tricolor)

There are many colors of morning glory available, but if you are looking for that deep sky-blue color , then the 10-foot-tall “Heavenly Blue” will work for you. However, if you leave for work early in the morning, you may need to wait for your day off to appreciate the show. As their name might imply, morning glories only open early in the day.

Malabar Spinach (Basella alba)

Traditional spinach hates hot weather, but Malabar spinach thrives in it — the hotter the better. The leaves can be used fresh in salads or can be cooked in stews or stir-fries. However, they are mucilaginous, like okra. It grows 6 to 10 feet or more. Late in the season, it has delicate pale, pink flowers, complementing the red stems, followed by dark, red-black fruit.

Ornamental Gourds (Cucurbita pepo)

There are many varieties of gourd in different sizes to choose from. Some are very practical and can be made into utilitarian objects, such as birdhouses. Others are strictly pretty to look at and can be grown to decorate your fall home or table. Early in the season, their large leaves and yellow flowers are ornamental in their own right.

Scarlet Runner Bean (Phaseolus coccineus)

Although it is sold as an annual, this vine can be perennial, dying to the ground at the first freeze and returning in late spring if the winter has been mild enough. Showy, bright scarlet orange flowers bloom when the worst of the summer heat is over, and they can be eaten fresh in salads. Though the young pods can be eaten like string beans, they must be cooked first and should not be eaten raw.

Have a plant question? Reach us at askaplantquestion@nbgs.org

Les Parks is the director of horticulture at Norfolk Botanical Garden.

So, what will you plant this spring: annuals, shrubs, pollinator-friendly plants, natives? Not sure what to plant? Norfolk Botanical Garden staff can help. Join us for our plant sale April 23 (exclusive early NBG member shopping and 10% discount). Open to the public April 24 and 25. To support good social distancing, this year, it’s offered online, allowing you to shop from the convenience and safety of your home. Ask our horticulture staff your plant questions by sending an email to askaplantquestion@nbgs.org.

Our annual sale has long been known throughout the region as one of the best places to pick up unusual plants at great prices. This year’s theme is “Plants Are Our Best Buds.” You will find a wide variety of plants, from the rare and unusual to your favorites that thrive in the coastal Virginia region. Funds from this sale help the garden fulfill our mission: to immerse visitors in a world of beauty, lead through environmental action and inspire through education and connection to nature.

Did you know that plants benefit the environment? Plants help clean the air by removing carbon dioxide, provide shade, help filter rainwater, and provide shelter and nourishment to our pollinator friends. This includes bees, butterflies, birds and other wildlife. Together, we can plant a better world.

More information about the plant sale, including the plant list and staff favorites beyond those listed here, can be found at www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org/online-spring-plant-sale/

PLANTS ARE OUR BEST BUDS: STAFF FAVORITES

Arkansas Bluestar (Amsonia hubrechtii)

Les likes this rare-in-the-wild Arkansas native, not for its flowers but for its foliage. By midsummer the plant looks like a large, fluffy fern, and in the fall it is one of the few perennials with colorful fall foliage. It turns a nice golden yellow. The spring flowers are an indecisive skim milk blue. — Les Parks, director of horticulture

Hordival Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis “Valentine”)

Bleeding heart is a great plant for shady gardens, and “Valentine” offers a new twist with red flowers instead of the traditional pink. The flowers are uniquely heart-shaped, which kids find fascinating, and they bring back childhood memories of spending time with a grandmother in the garden. — Michelle Baudanza, curator of herbaceous plants

Raydon’s Favorite Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium)

The late-season flowers attract beneficial insects, pollinators and butterflies, including Monarch butterflies, who stop for nutrition on their migration south. On top of that, it is reliable and easy to grow, and looks good. — Tom Houser, senior horticulturist

Hummingbird Bush (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii)

This Southwest native has a fine texture and bright bold color; it is drought tolerant, pollinator friendly and a magnet for hummingbirds. On top of that, it will make your neighbors envious that you are growing something so hard to find. — Meredith Simmons, greenhouse technician

Lynnhaven Carpet Robin’s Plantain (Erigeron pulchellus)

If you like plants with a local connection, try this nearly foolproof plant; it was found in a garden next to the Lynnhaven River in Virginia Beach. It has semi-evergreen foliage and delicate, pale pink spring blooms which make long-lasting cut flowers. Best of all, a patch of them creates “green mulch,” growing so thickly that no weeds can grow. — Linda Saunders, senior horticulturist

The activity of gardening is particularly beneficial, not only to the mind, but also to the body. The Centers for Disease Control promotes gardening as an excellent way to get physical activity. According to the CDC, people who engage in at least 2.5 hours of physical activity per week are less likely to suffer from obesity, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, and are less at risk for stroke, depression, colon cancer and premature death. I know when I get “lost” in my garden, 2.5 hours goes by very quickly.

Vegetable gardening is great way to spend time outdoors, and it has especially tangible results — fresh healthy food — food whose source is not a mystery, nor is the way the food was raised. Growing vegetables is also a great way to introduce children to gardening and to the magic of seeds and soil. Let them choose some seed packets of their own, help them plant, tend and harvest. Perhaps this small investment of time will lead to an expanded palate and a lifetime of healthy eating. Don’t worry too much about your children’s hands getting dirty. A growing body of evidence indicates that contact with healthy soil high in natural microbes has a positive effect on our immune systems, lowering our risk of cancer, depression, asthma and allergies.

Some benefits of gardening are a lot less tangible. Connections are established with other people as we seek advice, compare notes, share our successes, as well as commiserate over our failures. Gardening also connects us to the cycle of nature, and keeps us in tune with the seasons. Being connected to something larger than ourselves tends to put whatever problems we might be having, and whatever stresses the year is bringing, into perspective. This is one of the biggest benefits I get from gardening, and from spending any amount of time in nature. Gardening is also an act of hope. Hope that those little seeds you put in the ground will bear fruit one day. Hope that those who come after you will enjoy a bit of shade from that sapling you planted. And who couldn’t use a little hope right now?

Wild Green Yonder is a recurring column provided by Norfolk Botanical Garden. Les Parks is director of horticulture at Norfolk Botanical Garden.

Approximately 50 million acres are planted in turf, with only a very small percentage being golf courses, parks and public spaces. The majority of that number is almost entirely residential acres.

Lawns have surpassed corn to become the nation’s No.1 irrigated crop. According to the EPA, we consume 26 billion gallons of water daily, and 30% of that daily total is for outdoor use, mainly to irrigate our lawns.

In addition to water, we also apply 80 million pounds of pesticides to our lawns and use 1.2 billion gallons of gasoline in our mowers, spilling 17 million of that in the process as we refuel, more than was spilled in the Exxon Valdez tanker accident of 1989. On top of that, the average lawn mower creates as much pollution in one hour as do 11 cars driven for the same amount of time.

Americans are not about to give up their lawns. However, some changes can make our lawns kinder to our environment and natural resources.

The simplest is to just reduce the size of our lawns, perhaps replacing some of that space with a mix of native trees, shrubs and perennials that are more beneficial to pollinators and other wildlife.

We can also quit applying as much herbicide in our quest for the perfect lawn, especially since not all “weeds” are bad. Advertising leads us to believe that dandelions are the worst thing ever, when actually they are a great food source for pollinators. And that white clover we are told to eliminate actually pulls nitrogen from the air and puts it in the soil, fertilizing in the process.

When shopping for fertilizer, look for organic slow release formulas, or use compost. You also want to make sure fertilizer is only applied at the right time of year, and only in the recommended amounts.

Turfgrass falls into two basic types, warm season and cool season, and both differ as to when you fertilize and how much you need to water. In coastal Virginia the more environmentally friendly choices are warm season grasses like Bermuda, St. Augustine, zoysia and centipede. Once established they are all very well-adapted to our heat and humidity and require less water. They also knit together thickly enough to keep most weeds from establishing. The drawback for most homeowners is that they are not green in the winter, but they can be over-seeded with winter rye.

Fescue, on the other hand, is a cool season grass, which does stay green in the winter, but requires copious amounts of water to do well in our summers.

No matter what type of grass you have, it will be healthier if you allow it to grow a little taller before cutting, about 3 inches. Also, make sure your mower blade is kept sharp; a ragged cut from a dull blade will make the grass lose moisture quicker. When you do have to water your lawn, do so in the morning so the grass has a chance to dry before night. Wet grass at night can lead to fungus. It is also better to have less frequent but longer periods of watering to promote deep, healthy roots.

Les Parks is the Director of Horticulture at Norfolk Botanical Garden.

Wild Green Yonder is a recurring monthly feature from the staff of the Norfolk Botanical Garden.

One of the easiest of these winter bloomers is Mahonia, which is often called grape holly, and the best of them in my opinion is “Winter Sun.” The flower clusters are a bright yellow and typically begin blooming in late December carrying on through January, and they are nicely fragrant. Later, clusters of dusky blue fruit will ripen, vaguely resembling small grapes, but these don’t last long as birds make a quick meal of them.

Winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) is another easy-to-grow shrub. It has little resemblance to its vinier ill-behaved cousins. While the small, white mid-winter flowers are not terribly showy, they smell exactly like a bowl of Fruit Loops.

The only tree on my list, the Japanese flowering apricot (Prunus mume), is one of the most dramatic winter-blooming plants due to its size, up to 20 feet tall. They come in many varieties in several shades of pink, red and white, and, depending on the weather, they can start blooming in December, January or February. They do produce a fruit, but it is not sweet and is used mostly for pickles.

Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) rolls the dice when it comes to flowering. Always a winter-bloomer, it opens during mild spells, but if these are followed by severe cold, the yellow flowers can be ruined. However, they are worth the effort for their spicy fragrance.

One plant that has a built-in defense against the cold’s effects is witch hazel (Hammamelis species and hybrids). Its flower clusters are composed of tassel-like petals, and during the coldest weather these coil up for protection, only to extend out when the weather moderates. The showiest witch hazels are hybrids that come in shades of red, orange and yellow, all of which also have stunning fall foliage.

For many gardeners, one of the most frustrating plants to grow is winter daphne (Daphne odora), but it is worth any trouble. Winter daphne has a well-deserved reputation for being fussy. It does not want full sun, nor does it want full shade. It likes evenly moist soil, but it must have good drainage, for a soggy daphne will soon be a dead daphne. Even in ideal situations they can sometimes just die for no apparent reason, even for the most experienced horticulturists. There is even a name for this, Sudden Daphne Death Syndrome. However, one plant in full bloom will perfume your entire garden with most delicious fragrance, and one cut blossom brought inside will do the same for your entire house, filling it with a combination of lemon and vanilla.

I have saved my favorite for last, Edgeworthia (Edgeworthia chrysantha). Although it is in the same family as winter daphne, and likes the same conditions, it is much easier to grow. In December the flower buds appear on bare branches hanging upside down like so many silver bells. As February nears, the buds begin opening, revealing clusters of small yellow flowers smelling of sweet daffodils. As the flowers age the clusters change from upside-down bells into larger golden pompoms. It not only smells good, it is also very showy, and I think there should be one in every garden.

Les Parks is the director of horticulture at Norfolk Botanical Garden.

The planning for this year’s sale began a year ago, the day after last year’s sale ended. At that time we reviewed what sold well, what didn’t, what plants people were asking for, and what can we do to make the next plant sale better. Throughout last summer, we began selecting the plants we wanted to offer.

When making our selections we look for plants that do well for us at the Garden, and that we know our customers will have success with. We also like to offer newer plants, plants that people may not be so familiar with, and, of course, anything with beautiful flowers or handsome foliage.

One of our primary concerns is to make sure that a good number of the plants we offer are not only attractive to people, but may also attract birds, butterflies, bees, and other native pollinators. Many times these plants tend to be some of our best natives, but we also offer plants that are more exotic in origin.

Each year, we create a theme, or select a signature plant(s). When the horticulture team heard that the LanternAsia exhibition was returning this year, we knew we wanted our theme to center around this event. So we decided that 2018 would be the year that East meets West, the best plants of Asia and North America.

Some of our Asian offerings are beautiful peonies (Paeonia cultivars), and we have picked those that are better suited to Southern climates. We will have several bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla), which will add color to shaded gardens, and for those with sunnier gardens, we will have a number of panicled hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata). Hostas are another great plant for shaded gardens, and we will have three newer varieties, including ‘Fire Island’ with its golden chartreuse foliage and unusual red stems. ‘Murakumo Nishiki’ Japanese aralia (Fatsia japonica ‘Murakumo Nishiki’) will add a tropical look to your garden with its bold foliage, but it is perfectly at home in our temperate climate. We will also have a limited number of elegant Japanese maples (Acer palmatum), some of which are seedlings from our very own trees.

From North America we will have a number of native azalea varieties (Rhododendron species and hybrids), many of them with delightfully fragrant flowers. We will have a selection of our native wisteria (Wisteria frutescens ‘Amethyst Falls’), which will not eat your house, or strangle your trees. We will have two varieties of our own coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens). Both are hummingbird magnets, and a much better alternative to the invasive Japanese honeysuckle.

North America is also well represented in our hydrangea department as we will have several varieties of our native oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) and smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens).

Perhaps our greatest selection of plants will be in the perennial department, where some of our best natives have been selected to thrive in Coastal Virginia gardens.

if you go

Norfolk Botanical Garden Annual Plant Sale

Friday, May 4 through Sunday, May 6

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

(NBG members can begin shopping at 9 a.m.)

Free with garden admission

It is always a bit surprising just how many fragrant plants bloom in winter and early spring. Perhaps the flowers need to do whatever possible to advertise that they are open for business, especially when there are few pollinating insects active this early in the season. It also may be a bit surprising just how many of these plants come from Asia. However, when you consider that we share a similar climate – with relatively mild winters, hot and humid summers, and regular rainfall – it is no wonder that such seemingly exotic plants do well here.

They don’t just grow well here at Norfolk Botanical Garden; all would do well in your garden, and one whiff of their fragrant flowers can transport you someplace far away.

Revered in China and Japan,

flowering apricot

(Prunus mume) is one of the first trees to bloom, often in January or February. This small tree comes in several shades of pink, or white, and it has the sweetest aroma, smelling like spring on a cold winter day.

Wintersweet

(Chimonanthus praecox) is appropriately named, as it typically blooms in February with yellow flowers, and it has a very sweet aroma. This large, multistemmed shrub is easy to grow.

Gardeners and non-gardeners alike are familiar with the invasive but very fragrant vine,

Japanese honeysuckle

(Lonicera japonica). However, winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) is a well-behaved shrub, and its fragrant flowers smell like a bowl of Froot Loops cereal.

Winter daphne

(Daphne odora) is a notoriously fickle plant, which has frustrated many gardeners, including some of us here at Norfolk Botanical Garden. However, it is worth the effort to grow. In late February its blossoms perfume the air with the scent of lemons, vanilla and sugar.

Edgeworthia

, or paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha), is one winter’s showiest, and most fragrant shrubs. The silvery, woolly buds form in December, and swell through the winter, opening in February with rich golden-yellow blooms that smell of sweet daffodils.

In late March the pink buds of

Korean spice viburnum

(Viburnum carlesii) begin opening to clusters of white flowers. The fragrance is sweet and spicy.

Evergreen clematis

(Clematis armandii) is a vine and is often mistaken for something else, as most other members of its family shed their leaves in winter. Late in March, fragrant white flowers open, letting the world know that spring has begun.

To see more

Many of the late-winter/early spring fragrant blooms that can be enjoyed at Norfolk Botanical Garden hail from Asia and do well in our similar climate. By visiting the garden now, you also can take in LanternAsia, a lantern exhibition that has transformed the garden with captivating works of art.

Where: Norfolk Botanical Garden, 6700 Azalea Garden Road

When: through May 13, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Beginning April 1, closing hour on Fridays-Sundays will be 10 p.m.

Tickets: Garden members will be admitted free during daylight hours. After 4 p.m. in March, members will be charged $15 for adults and $5 for children 3-17. Beginning in April through May 13, those prices will be charged beginning at 5 p.m. Visitors who are not garden members will be charged $20 for adults and $10 for children 3-17.

More info: 757-441-5830; http://www.lanternasaia.org

Les Parks is the director of horticulture at Norfolk Botanical Garden