Peggy Singlemann’s awareness and love of plants started at a young age, 5 to be exact. She can remember her father giving her a plot to grow beets in hopes she would like them if she grew them. Instead of falling in love with eating them, she fell in love with growing them. During this same time, she remembers her neighbor had beautiful flower beds. When she closes her eyes, she can still name all
the flowers in his yard and the encouragement he gave her to explore those beautiful gardens. Peggy’s curiosity for the living, growing world around her only grew with her. they often had to pull her from a new flower or specimen she had never seen before. To this day, her family still pulls her along a path as she gasps or stops to examine an unexpected or rare find. A few years after graduating from State University of New York at Cobleskill for Horticulture Peggy Singlemann came to Virginia and within the year started working at Maymont. As a certified horticulturist and arborist, eventually becoming Director of Park Operations and Horticulture, Maymont’s gardens, grounds, arboretum and buildings became Peggy’s career focus. Now as Director of Horticulture Emeritus she grew the gardens and programs surrounding them into what we know today. Through painstaking work pouring through historic records, newspapers and old photographs Peggy was able to reconstruct many of the Dooley’s original gardens, even discovering some of the original cultivars. She also expanded gardens to other areas of the park and helped organize events such as the Maymont Flower and Garden Show, Herbs Galore and More, Garden Glow, and countless other presentations, classes and tours. During 38 years of working at Maymont, Peggy oversaw major projects, renovations and additions to not only the gardens, but the construction of the new Maymont Foundation headquarters, the renovation of the Robins Nature Center Gallery, and much more. Outside of Maymont, Peggy Singlemann is well known as a host and co-producer of Virginia Home Grown on VPM/ PBS, Virginia’s only local gardening show. She was the recipient of the 2020 Telly Award, silver, in nature/wildlife category for the Pond Plants segment of Virginia Home Grown and the 2022 Telly Award, bronze, in the nature/wildlife category for the Crow’s Nest Nature Preserve segment. In the television/series- nature-wildlife category Virginia Home Grown won the bronze 2022 Telly Award for the entire 2021 season. Singlemann has been published in local and national periodicals and contributed to two books. She has spoken at a plethora of conferences and local speaking engagements. She is a member of several organizations such as the International Society of Arboriculture, the Virginia Society of Landscape Designers and is on the board of the Southern Garden History Society. When she isn’t working, Peggy enjoys identifying native flora and bird watching while hiking and kayaking with her family. She is an active member of her church, she is on the Henrico Christmas Mother Council and of course, enjoys gardening at home. Education and Certifications:
• State University of New York at Cobleskill- Horticulture/Floriculture, 1978
• American Public Garden Association- North American Certificate in Horticulture, 1989
• Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association- Certified Horticulturist, since 1993
• Virginia Society of Landscape Design- Certified Landscape Designer, since 2000
• International Society of Arboriculture- Certified Arborist, since 2014
• Victorian Society of America Newport Summer School, 2015
• Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional, since 2017
• Virginia Licensed Pesticide Applicator, Class 3A and 3B
Achievements:
• Retired, Director of Horticulture and Park Operations, Maymont Foundation, 2022
- Recipient of the 2023 Telly Award, silver, in the television/series-nature-wildlife category for the entire 2022 season of Virginia Home Grown Clippings
• Recipient of the 2022 Telly Award, bronze, in the nature/wildlife category for the Crow’s Nest Nature Preserve segment.
• Recipient of the 2022 Telly Award, bronze, in the television/series- nature-wildlife category for the entire 2021 season of Virginia Home Grown.
• Recognized by the Maymont Foundation Board, 2022
• Recipient of the distinguished Benevolent Society Award by the Maymont Council, 2022
• Honored by the Central Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association with a Legacy Membership, 2022
• Recipient of the 2020 Telly Award, silver, in the nature/wildlife category for the Pond Plants segment featured on Virginia Home Grown.
• Recognized as The Professional of the Year by the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association, 2016
• Honored by Old Dominion Herb Society with a Life-long Membership, 2016
• Recognized by the Central Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association with an annual scholarship named in her honor, 2013
• Initiated and assisted with Garden Glow, 2018
• Initiated and assisted with the Maymont Flower and Garden Show for 20 years
• Presently serves on the boards for the Southern Garden History Society and the Virginia Society of Landscape Designers
• Past Advisory Committee member for the Horticulture Dept. at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, 20 years
• Past board member of Trees Virginia, Department of Forestry for 10 years
• Past member of VADACS Boxwood Blight Commission- developed BMP’s
Affiliations:
• Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association, past member of the Beautiful Plants Program advisory group
• Central Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association- past board member
• Virginia Society of Landscape Designers- current board member
• Southern Garden History Society- current board member
• International Society of Arboriculture
• Virginia Native Plant Society, Pocahontas Chapter
