2026 Jean Iseli Memorial grant awarded

We are excited that Norfolk Botanical Garden is the recipient of the Jean Iseli Memorial Grant for 2026. We look forward to seeing the new additions in the garden and highlights form the new plantings in s future CQ article.

Norfolk Botanical Garden immerses visitors in a world of beauty, leads through environmental action and inspires through education and connection to nature. Established in 1938 by a Works Progress Administration grant and officially incorporated by the Virginia State Corporation Commission in 1940, Norfolk Botanical Garden (NBG) has grown to be Virginia’s largest botanical garden, with 65 themed gardens, and encompassing 175 acres of gardens and natural areas. NBG is owned by the city of Norfolk and managed by the not-for-profit 501(c) (3) Norfolk Botanical Garden, Inc. which is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Virginia General Assembly designated Norfolk Botanical Garden a State Botanical Garden in 1995 and the organization is also listed as a Virginia Historic Landmark and recorded in the National Register of Historic Places. NBG also has the distinction of being one of only 3% of botanical gardens in the country to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest standard in its industry, and was re-accredited in 2022. NBG welcomes over 500,000 visitors per year and has a membership of over 15,000 households. Award Winning and Accredited Gardens & Collections: • Camellia Collection, Hydrangea Collection, and Lagerstroemia (crape myrtle) Collection, certified a Nationally Accredited Plant Collection™ by the Plant Collections Network. • Big Tree Program state champion trees; 61 trees recognized • Holly Garden, officially recognized by The Holly Society of America • Conifer Garden, designated by the American Conifer Society as a Conifer Reference Garden

Debbie Merriam,
Executive Director
Mary May Binney Wakefield Arboretum

We're especially excited about including our student interns in the process of installing the new trees this spring. Additional conifers will be included in a new planting along a hillside in our garden, where they will replace large white pine trees, Pinus strobus, that were recently removed due to Cytospora canker. Because dwarf conifers are less susceptible to this disease, they will provide an excellent demonstration of how to replant the space. As a public botanical garden on the campus of a land grant university, this grant provides us with an exciting opportunity to support our mission and highlight dwarf conifers for our campus and state-wide communities.

The ACS NewBroom Award includes:

• Registration for the 2024 ACS National Conference in Cincinnati, June 13-15, 2024.
• Lodging at the conference hotel.
• Included meals and excursions during the conference.
• Reimbursement of mileage expenses up to $100.

Recipients of the award will have exclusive access to speakers and events at the conference, networking opportunities within the ACS membership base, and may be invited to assist with conference activities.

Apply here. You will need to log in or create a Google account to submit your application.