Frequently Asked Questions

The garden is located at 412 Bank Street near Scope Arena, Chrysler Hall, and Virginia Arts Festival.
20% of our gardeners are first time gardeners. We offer virtual training materials and host for Norfolk Master Gardeners on-site to provide guidance and mentorship.
The open compost bins at the garden are ONLY for garden materials generated at the garden. Please do not place bagged and/or unbagged materials in this area. If you’d like to bring food waste items, you must subscribe to the Tidewater Compost drop-off kiosk service.
As a mixed-income, allotment garden, each plot owner determines where the produce goes. Many individuals and families produce for their own consumption. Organizations and schools typically produce for donation and distribute the produce through the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore and / or community refrigerators located throughout the city.

The best resources is the City of Norfolk Street Sheet by the Community Service Board.
Yes – our award winning, garden model is fully exportable, and we love to share it. Please email us at
downtownnorfolkcommunitygarden@gmail.com.

To join, please fill out the interest survey and we will contact you regarding bed availability, volunteering, and/or donating.
Annual membership runs February to February and costs $40 per year. If this amount does not meet your budget, we offer beds at reduced rates or free of charge through our “zero questions asked” policy.
No – we recognize that the garden is just one part of people’s very busy lives. We also recognize that many of our gardeners work several different shifts across multiple jobs. As such, we ask individuals and families to support the garden whenever they can through published task lists.
We have a significant waitlist as demand exceeds our space available. Typically, individuals and families wait 1-2 seasons (3-6 months) before receiving a bed. We prioritize individuals who join the garden community and participate in volunteer events and supporting activities. Additionally, we prioritize individuals and families who are in the Downtown Norfolk and St. Paul’s communities.

Yes – we operate an independent account under Freemason Street Baptist Church. Churches that meet the requirements of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code are automatically considered tax exempt. Donors are allowed to claim a charitable deduction for donations to a church that meets the section 501(c)(3) requirements even though the church has neither sought nor received IRS recognition that it is tax exempt.
Yes – we host volunteer events for larger groups and organizations. We offer recurring opportunities for sustained impact and one-off events for organizations. Please email us if interested at downtownnorfolkcommunitygarden@gmail.com.
Garden apparel can be purchased through our Bonfire store. All proceeds will be utilized to purchase a sign for the garden.