The forgotten about side of Botanical Gardens holds Mirror Lake and the Works Progress Administration garden. When you pull into the gardens park in the first parking lot and head across the street to Mirror Lake.
The Botanical Gardens was founded through the Norfolk City Manager and hortoculturalist Frederic Heutte. A year later the Works Progress Administration gave the gardens a grant and 200 African American women and 20 African American men cleared the site around Mirror Lake. By March 1939 they had planted 4,000 azaleas, 2,000 rhododendrons, 100 bushels of daffodils, and thousands of bushes and trees had been planted. Due to their success, the gardens were given another grant to expand.
What I love about this section is that there is a paved path around the lake, and then several "tricky way" dirt paths that take you through the trees. We love walking through these areas because they are shady and cooler. Don't forget about this side of the gardens!
