Bethany Phillips, MBA, ABR, EcoBroker

Thanks to my friend for Michelle for suggesting a walk through the Norfolk Botanical Garden. As a member, I go to the gardens regularly but hadn't been in about a month. It was time to see something new -- that happens to me every time I go to the gardens. Either a new flower is blooming, I see a sculpture I hadn't noticed previously, or there is a new feature to see. Here are things I noticed this time!

The ticket booth at the Norfolk Botanical Garden is a Green Roof. Designed to reduce runoff of rainwater and to naturally cool the interior, a green roof is an excellent addition to this structure. It is lovely to see, has interesting plants, is at a reasonable eye-level.

This is something I would like to do on my kitchen roof. My home's kitchen was an addition. It has a flat roof and would be perfect for this.

I will add it to the list of projects! :-)

This a detail of one of the medallions on the waterfountain. To see this, when you enter the main visitor center, go left. Walk through the Japanese garden and Past the GREEN ROOF on the ticket booth (see above!) and you will come to the annual / perennial garden with water features. Very nice place to relax.

I have also noticed this is a popular spot for wedding and engagement photos!

Whatever you do today... Enjoy! remember, it is a Sunday - great day to check out the open houses. If you are looking for a home in our Hampton Roads area or need to list your home for sale, I can help!

I had a lovely walk around Ghent on Thursday. The houses, churchs, and street scenes were captured on camera! See below! Lots of houses and condos for sale in this part of Norfolk.

Hampton Roads Real Estate

Just a short note to say THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY CURRENT, PAST, and FUTURE clients during this thanksgiving weekend! Enjoy your day, be safe whereever you are, and give thanks for all you have in life!

Norfolk and Hampton Roads Real Estate

Blogs about Norfolk and Hampton Roads

For something fun to do with family and friends on Thanksgiving... Try MacArthur on Ice! Go Skating!

There are many historic neighborhoods in the tidewater, Hampton Roads area of Virginia. One that I particularly like in Port Norfolk in Portsmouth. Here are some of my reasons:

1. Affordable living - home prices are in a great range for our market - I showed a property to a young couple this week that is about $215,000, almost 3,000 square feet, can be a duplex or single family. Wow! what a great price. And potential for historic district tax credits!

2. Character - the homes in this historic district are mostly turn of the century or early-mid 1990s. Very cool construction and architectural features - wood floors, picture rails, front porches, claw-foot tubs,the list goes on!

3. Neighborhood- This waterfront community is great for dog walking, There are playgrounds, schools, and shops in the area. And it is a great location - Just 5 minutes to downtown Norfolk (granted this changes with traffic in the mid-town tunnel) and easy access to highways. Walk or ride your bike to the Portsmouth Naval Hospital...

So, overall, check out the www.portnorfolk.org for more information. Don't miss this:

The 2008 Holiday Tour of Homes, in Historic Port Norfolk, is coming December 7, 2008 from 3-7p.m.

TO search all homes in Hampton Roads including Portsmouth, Norfolk Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Beyond!

I signed up to plant wetlands with grasses this morning. Yesterday I thought the organizers were crazy! It would be freezing! And they wanted us at the waters edge putting plants in the ground???

It turned out to be a gorgeous morning. Yes there was a definite chill in the air -- about 40 degrees F. But the sun was shining and the people were friendly, and the coffee was hot at 8am!

Here is a similar group from a previous outing, but imagine our volunteers in winter coats, hats, and gloves. We spent a bit of time helping rescue boots from the mud too!

Thanks to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for funding. Project partners include The Virginia Zoo, Bay Environmental, NOAA Restoration Center, The City of Norfolk Bureau of Environmental Services, Keep Norfolk Beautiful, Elizabeth River Project, Lafayette Wetlands Partnership, and Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

It was great to meet so many neighbors trying to preserve the rivers. I got to talk to a couple of really interesting folks who are concerned about the area and volunteer time not only with CBF, but the Lafayette Wetlands Partnership (thanks John), the Zoo (thanks Mark) and Elizabeth River Project (thanks Pam). Also, it was good to meet Todd who has started his own business advising homeowners on how to care for their wetlands -- isn't not as simple as just putting up a bulkhead!

For information on homes in our vast area -- wetlands optional -- I can help. Search here !