Meet the Owners
We are Vernon and Stephanie Cumberbatch. We met more than 30 years ago after moving to the DMV from the Caribbean. While building our careers in technology, we always shared a love of creating, working with our hands, and the idea of having a little more land and a stronger connection to nature.
There are some places you choose, and then there are places that seem to choose you.
For us, Wollam Gardens was the latter.
Our story began unexpectedly, with a business card that sat untouched for months before eventually leading us to the farm. What started as curiosity quickly became something more. We fell in love with the land, the flowers, the history, and the possibilities of this very special place.
We still have careers in technology, so taking on a flower farm might seem like an unexpected next chapter. That's part of what makes it exciting. Wollam Gardens is a passion project fueled by our love of creating, our willingness to work hard, and our excitement about taking on something completely new.
We have also discovered that many lessons from our years in business and technology translate surprisingly well: have a vision, solve problems, keep learning, build strong systems, and surround yourself with talented people.
We feel incredibly fortunate to be the current stewards of Wollam Gardens and to honor what has been built here while imagining what comes next.
Stephanie Cumberbatch
Stephanie's love of flowers and gardening began long before Wollam Gardens. Growing up, her mother had an extraordinary natural gift for growing things. Her gardens and greenhouse, overflowing with flowers, plants, and herbs, were the talk of the neighborhood.
Years later, Stephanie discovered that she had inherited much of that same instinct. Her own gardens became known around her neighborhood too, filled with an ever-growing variety of flowers and plants.
“My mother just had a natural knack for making things grow, and somehow she passed that on to me. Being at Wollam Gardens, surrounded by so many different varieties of flowers, brings back memories of her gardens and greenhouse and reminds me where my love for all of this began.”
Stephanie's vision for Wollam Gardens is centered on fostering human connections through nature’s beauty. She wants the farm to be a place where people feel comfortable lingering, creating, celebrating, and gathering together, with the warmth and familiarity of being welcomed into someone's home.
Vernon Cumberbatch
A proud military veteran, Vernon brings years of experience in business and technology, but his talents extend well beyond his professional career. A true jack of all trades, he has a natural ability to build, fix, troubleshoot, and figure things out.
At Wollam Gardens, that versatility comes in handy. On any given day, Vernon might be repairing equipment, tackling a construction project, improving something around the property, solving an operational challenge, or helping turn one of Stephanie's latest ideas into reality.
“What excites me most about Wollam Gardens is the opportunity to build something that can outlast us. I want this to be a place our family is proud of, where our children and grandchildren can look back and see what we created together. We have the chance to take something that already has a wonderful history, care for it, make it even better, and hopefully leave something meaningful for the next generation.”
Meet the Team
Wollam Gardens is a labor of love, but certainly not one we do alone. Behind the flowers, events, markets, and everyday workings of the farm is a talented group of people who bring their own creativity, knowledge, energy, and plenty of hard work to this special place.
We are incredibly grateful for the people who help us make Wollam Gardens bloom.
About Wollam Gardens
Fresh flowers, right from the farm.
Our mission is simple: Preserve the beauty and history of Wollam Gardens, care for the land, and create meaningful experiences that bring people together.
Since 1988, Wollam Gardens has brightened the community with locally and sustainably grown flowers, cultivated with care and surrounded by thoughtfully landscaped gardens.
Honoring What Came Before
The magic of Wollam Gardens began long before we came along.
For decades, Bob Wollam poured his knowledge, passion, and extraordinary talent into this land, cultivating not only an incredible flower farm, but a reputation that reached far beyond Virginia. The remarkable collection of flowers, trees, shrubs, and perennials he nurtured here is an important part of the legacy we have been entrusted to carry forward.
We also recognize how remarkable our own place in that story is. Two immigrants who came to this country from the Caribbean, built careers in an entirely different industry, and more than 30 years later found themselves becoming stewards of a flower farm tucked into the Virginia countryside. It isn't a chapter we could have imagined when we first arrived in the DMV, which perhaps makes it even more meaningful.
Our vision is not to erase what came before us, but to honor it, learn from it, and add something of our own so that Wollam Gardens continues to grow and mean something to the community for generations to come.
A Reputation for Excellence
The farm grows a distinctive collection of annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs, including lush plantings of peonies, viburnum, hydrangeas, and countless seasonal varieties. Our locally grown flowers serve designers, florists, retailers, farmers markets, weddings, special events, and flower lovers throughout the Washington, D.C. region.
At the farmers market, some of our favorite compliments are the ones we hear again and again: customers love the unusual varieties we bring, the loose, “just gathered from the field” style of our arrangements, and how beautifully the flowers last.
“We love hearing customers tell us that their flowers are still vibrant when they come back to see us the following Sunday. To us, that says everything. Our flowers are always a little unexpected, full of variety, and grown and gathered with care.”
We are proud to carry forward Wollam Gardens' reputation for vibrant, beautiful, long-lasting flowers and the high standards established over decades of growing.
trays of plants ready for planting
beautiful bouquet with various colorful flowers
Farmers market
Beautiful white flowers in a brown paper vase holder with handles
Community Meets Countryside
Wollam Gardens is more than a flower farm. Across its 11 acres are a greenhouse, arboretum, historic farmhouse, flower fields, gardens, and pavilion that provide the backdrop for weddings, workshops, festivals, live music, yoga, educational programs, and community gatherings.
“For us, opening the farm to the community is about sharing what makes this place so special. There is something about being surrounded by flowers and nature that encourages people to slow down, connect, and simply enjoy being together. We want Wollam Gardens to be a place where people make memories and always feel welcome to return.”
— Stephanie & Vernon Cumberbatch
Wollam Gardens is also a Level I accredited arboretum, recognizing the farm's collection of more than 25 different species of trees. As you explore the property, you'll notice identification tags on many of our trees. Simply scan the QR code on the tag to learn more about the species you're standing beneath and the diverse collection growing across the farm.
The result is a place where flowers, trees, history, and community all come together—somewhere to wander, learn, celebrate, or simply enjoy a little time in the countryside.
As a family-owned small business, Wollam Gardens will remain a safe, welcoming, and inclusive place for everyone. We are committed to caring responsibly for these 11 acres of Virginia land and the plants, pollinators, wildlife, and other species that call it home.
We invite you to be part of what comes next: cut flowers, celebrate milestones, learn something new, spend an afternoon in the gardens, or simply enjoy a beautiful place in the countryside.
We look forward to welcoming you.
Wollam Gardens
5167 Jeffersonton Road
Jeffersonton, VA 22724
540.937.3222
A scenic peaceful drive approximately 60 miles west of Washington, D.C.
