Manager of Operations

Joined 2021

Sarah joined us after years of experience with sustainable farms, flower gardens, and various vineyards. Her degree in Environmental Science and Economics makes her a valuable and well-rounded addition to our team. As manager, she keeps the pulse on all gardens, helps with paperwork, and is Abigail’s all around right-hand woman. In her free time she loves to find new ways to turn her lawn into gardens, hike, and kayak. Sarah’s favorite plants are bulbs because they wake her up from winter by signaling the start of spring!

Lead Gardener

Joined 2021

Lydia came to us from the world of art, photography and retail, having worked at Scarpa as an Inventory Manager and at Plow & Hearth Headquarters in Madison as a Photo Stylist. Lydia has a BS in Photography from James Madison University and if you want to check out her paintings, follow her at @lydiajacobsstudios on Instagram. Lydia’s horticulture experience is mostly home-grown, with a bit of time at The Market at Grelen thrown in. Her enthusiasm for gardening and her eye for detail make her a great team member. Her specialty is cut flowers, which she loves because they provide endless possibilities. They’re great for pollinators, come in interesting colors, and look just as good in your home as they do in the landscape!

Training Manager/Headquarters Manager

Joined 2024

Lauren grew up in Richmond, VA and from a young age wanted nothing more than to be running outside barefoot or climbing trees. She went on to get her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of Virginia, and then her Permaculture certification through the Shenandoah Permaculture Institute. After spending three years working on organic farms both locally and internationally, she devoted the next three years working as an arborist for a small local tree care company as a groundee and climber. Enchanted by the beauty and connection between people and their home gardens, she is excited to learn more about horticulture during her time at AG. When she’s not tending to her home garden, you can find her reading, seeking out live music, walking her dog Lila, or creating with paints or block prints. She finds foxglove to be absolutely magical, but nothing brings her more joy than goldenrod swaying in the autumn breeze.

Lead Gardener

Joined 2024

Elin's love of gardening began with a few backyard cherry tomato plants she grew with her mom as a child. She is born and raised right here in Crozet, Virginia. Over the years, she has explored her love of horticulture through more home gardening projects that include starting pots of basil from seed, creating hanging baskets full of colorful flowers, and most recently she began a raised bed garden space with plans for expansion over the next few years. Elin is new to gardening professionally, and joined the team after several years in the retail and restaurant industry. Currently she is pursuing a business degree at Piedmont Virginia Community College with plans to complete a Bachelor's degree in sustainable horticulture. Her favorite plant is a dahlia- they are elegant, colorful, and light up a bouquet. In her free time she enjoys cooking with local produce, arranging fresh cut flowers from the farmers market and hanging out with her pets, friends, and family.

Lead Gardener

Joined 2024

Ashley grew up in the Charlottesville area and has a background in fine dining. She joins us after relocating from Richmond VA, where she spent the last 3 years learning and exploring the world of horticulture as a gardener for a boutique landscaping firm. Ashley has always found comfort and adventure in nature and has a curiosity for the symbiotic relationships within an ecosystem. She is interested in learning more about creating habitats, native flora, and conservation. When not working she can be found reading books in shady places, camping, kayaking, and spending time with friends and family. One of her favorite flowers is bleeding hearts for their whimsy.

Gardener

Joined 2025

Jenni was born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley. Growing up helping in the garden, her hands have happily always been in the soil. After spending the past decade in Boston, these mountains were calling her back. Her background has been in the service and hospitality industry, and she was lucky to have the opportunity to switch careers aligning to work closer and more connected to the earth. Being able to watch landscapes explode with life, and bring beautiful ideas to fruition motivates her and gives her ideas for her own forever garden. Planting seeds and watching them grow has always been a favorite of hers. In her free time Jenni can be found in her own garden, kayaking a lake, walking a river fishing, or hiking and looking for beautiful moss. Oxalis is one of her favorite plants, they are so dramatic, reactive, and have personality. They are perfect indoors or in a landscape. 

Gardener

Joined 2025

Annie was born and raised in Albemarle County and graduated from UVA with a Bachelor in Psychology. As a child, she spent most of her free time exploring outside, whether it was on long walks with her grandpa in the woods or in the garden with her grandma and mom. Her love for flowers and gardening stems from those special moments in the garden as a kid, watching and learning with awe. She continued to explore her curiosity of plants when her 7th grade birthday wish of a vegetable garden came true. She’s spent her free time as an adult tending to her family’s property of 45 years - bringing old gardens back to life, removing invasive species, and creating new garden beds. Her specific interests are native plants and pollinator-friendly gardens. When she’s not outside gardening, she loves to hike, do yoga, and spend quality time with her family and dog. Annie is thrilled to join the Abigail Gardens team and for this amazing opportunity for her passion and profession to align!