Faces of Green Spring
by Ivy Sinaiko
Susan Eggerton. (Photo credit: Fred Blott) When I first approached Susan Eggerton in December about an interview, she was getting a busload of excited tour participants off to Lewis Ginter Garden in Richmond to see their holiday light displays. In the meantime, her Green Spring office had flooded because of construction on the roof. Accustomed as she is to juggling many balls at one time, she appeared unperturbed and much more cheerful than I would have been in those circumstances!
Susan moves fast, so it took me a couple of months to slow her down enough to chat about her position as Visitor Services Manager of Green Spring Gardens. She oversees several areas, including the information desk, educational programs, art shows, and rentals—quite a portfolio. She began her life at Green Spring as a volunteer at the information desk in 2001. She also became a propagation volunteer and then graduated from the Green Spring Extension Master Gardener program. Joining staff as a part-time Education Program Assistant in 2007, she became Green Spring’s Senior Interpreter in 2012 and was promoted to her current position in 2019.
Susan describes herself as “an Army brat.” Born in Georgia, she also lived in Oklahoma, Germany, Florida, New York, Maryland, and Colorado while growing up. She credits her love for horticulture to early days of helping her grandfather in his garden— her main job being deadheading his petunias. She also helped her mother garden. Her mother planted the gardens (the fun part), and then Susan’s job was to water them and keep them alive (the not so fun part but good training.)
In her spare time, Susan enjoys baking. Her specialty is bourbon pecan pie (and I am going to be looking for that at the next FROGS bake sale.) She is an enthusiastic hiker and in recent years has been coordinator of and flower arranger for numerous family weddings.
Susan thinks of her coworkers at Green Spring as family and the many volunteers she comes in contact with as extended family. Interacting with all these folks is what she likes most about her job.
In the future, she would like to see more exhibits and artwork displayed outside in the gardens.
Whoops, our time was up. Susan was called away to another meeting.
Thanks, Susan, for all the great work you do at Green Spring. And don’t forget about the bourbon pecan pie!
