Meet Scott Shephard

Scott was born in Newport, Rhode Island and lived in various places until settling in Maryland at age seven where he stayed through college. The Navy brought Scott and his wife to Virginia Beach in 1978. They moved to Norfolk in 2000 to be closer to work. Scott shares that he wishes they had moved to Norfolk sooner!

Scott went to school in Maryland near Fort Meade and met his wife Monica during his senior year in high school. He went to the Naval Academy while Monica went to the University of Maryland, and they were married there three days after graduation.

Scott retired from the Navy and then retired from the Civil Service four years ago, working for the Department of Defense.

Scott always enjoyed gardening, albeit on a small scale. He and his wife did all the landscaping work at their home so he knew some of the basics. Four years ago Scott and Monica took over the Fred Heutte Center in the middle of Ghent Square. The center contains five separate garden areas covering nearly two acres, so Scott felt that he needed to know more about gardening. Plus, Monica became a Master Gardener in the class of 2022 so the pressure was on for him to join a class.

Scott thought the classes were great. They exposed him to a great deal of information that he had no chance of remembering at first blush, but gave him the references to find everything when needed. He has enjoyed meeting many of the Norfolk Master Gardeners, and building relationships with classmates.

The great majority of Scott’s fifty hours were spent at the Fred Heutte Center, working closely with Monica and Vickie Reid at the Native Plant and Pollinator Garden, and he will continue to work on getting those gardens up to speed. He also enjoyed working at the Weyanoke Bird and Wildflower Sanctuary and will continue participating in that project. Scott plans to start visiting other projects, and since he is a huge Lepidoptera fan, is particularly looking forward to working in the Butterfly House at Norfolk Botanical Garden.

Scott and Monica work at the Fred Heutte Center almost every morning, as there is a large formal garden, quite a lot of planting and irrigation work to do, and additional work in the Pollinator Garden (beyond the scheduled volunteer days). The afternoons are reserved for pickleball, to which he has become totally addicted.

Scott and Monica have two adorable cats which Scott shares “has them well trained!”

When you see Scott, be sure to introduce yourself and welcome him to the NMGV.