Manager of Operations

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

Katie was a professional gardener with her own business for years before her two children came along. She grew up outside of Boston, but has lived in this area for over 30 years and has her BA in Environmental Science from Mary Washington College. Katie has attended Master Gardener lectures and is active in the Piedmont Landscape Association. She and her husband Tom run Precision Builders and she is also a professional bartender. So many hats, but when she is with AG she is all in and an extremely valued member of the team! Her favorite plant changes weekly, but she always loves to see double pink impatiens for being low-maintenance and tidy, and peonies- because, well, they are just amazing!

Lead Gardener

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!

Lead Gardener

Born and raised in Nelson County, Sylvia has always had a calling to be outdoors. She got her first taste of the horticultural industry at Drumheller’s Orchard, where she pruned fruit trees. Throughout high school she became even more interested in the field, and took all the floriculture and horticulture classes that were offered. She joined our team after working as Assistant Manager at a local nursery. Her favorite plant is an oxeye daisy- it’s pure simplicity brings her joy. When Sylvia isn’t working, you might find her fishing, exploring nature with her beloved animals, and spending time with friends and family.

Training Manager

Andy was born and raised in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he received a BS in psychology and sociology. Andy grew up hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains and has always found peace and serenity in nature. His love for gardening was inspired by his mother, who tirelessly tends to her flower and vegetable gardens. Someday Andy hopes to explore the therapeutic connection between gardening and emotional wellbeing. His favorite plants are large trees due to their wisdom, resiliency, and the protection they provide. When Andy isn't working, he loves to read, make music with friends, and ride his bike.

Gardener

Nathan was born in New Jersey and has always had a passion for nature. He has spent much of his time outdoors hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, and camping. This passion for nature led him to get a degree in Environmental and Sustainability Studies at Rowan University. Following his college education, he worked at a county park where he gained knowledge on native plants. From there his passion for plants grew and sparked his interest in horticulture. To him there is nothing more rewarding than a hard day’s work outside. His favorite plants are ferns because they are ancient plants that have been around for over 300 million years.

Gardener

Having grown up in Hanover, Virginia, on a small farm, Naomi got to enjoy being outside everyday. Gardening professionally is relatively new endeavor for her, joining us after having been in the world of EMS for 14 years working as a paramedic both in hospital and in transport. Nature is Naomi’s happy place and she is glad to enter into a profession that immerses her so fully in it. Particularly, the melding of art and nature bring her a lot of joy. Naomi’s favorite plants are all kinds of ferns with their full and feathery appearance. When not working, she enjoys LARPing, rock climbing, scuba diving, and hanging out with her cats.