NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Norfolk Botanical Garden celebrated the groundbreaking of its new Garden of Tomorrow expansion on Wednesday.

The Garden of Tomorrow will “create more opportunities and more accessibility while becoming greener and even more beautiful,” Norfolk Botanical Garden wrote in a release.

The expansion construction will start in early 2022 and includes the Brock Parking Garden, Brock Entry Pavilion, Perry Conservatory and the Hall Water Education & Rowing Center.

It’ll be the largest project in the garden’s history.

The garden says the project means guests no longer will sit in lines for the tollbooth. Instead, during that time they’ll be “immersed in the garden” from the moment they leave their cars.

The Garden of Tomorrow was designed by Virginia Beach-based Dills Architects.

“While our building footprint expands significantly, so will planted green space,” said Michael P. Desplaines, Norfolk Botanical Garden president and CEO. “We will have a much greener footprint – we’ll be even greener than before.”

Four honorees — Vice Mayor Martin A. Thomas, major gift donor Joan Brock, NBG Board Chair Clenise Platt, and a specially-selected NBG staff member — lead the ceremony.

Robert Gray, Chief of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe was also scheduled to attend and lead the ceremony with a blessing.

To learn more about this monumental project, please visit: www.gardenoftomorrow.org.

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