Sleepy Hole Park Arboretum

The Sleepy Hole Park Arboretum is located in a public park on the Nansemond River in Suffolk, Virginia. It currently contains 34 varieties of native plants including woody plants and perennials. Each plant is labeled, so the public can obtain first-hand knowledge of how native plants look and perform in our region. Some of the native trees in the collection include American Holly, American Beech, Longleaf Pine, Hackberry, Silky Dogwood, Paw Paw, and Sweetbay Magnolia.

The City of Suffolk works closely with the Nansemond River Preservation Alliance (NRPA) to maintain the arboretum and provide educational programs. NRPA hosts a native plant walk that discusses benefits of native trees including wildlife habitat, storm resilience, and flood resilience. They are currently planning an expansion to the arboretum in fall of 2025 with 21 new trees including Witch Hazel, Toothache Tree, and Smooth Sumac.