A dozen volunteers built a new garden behind the Hilton Garden Inn Suffolk Riverfront on Tuesday with a diverse collection of plants for children, kitchen staff and the rest of the community.

The weather was overcast with spring heat, but the group managed to finish the project before the evening downpours.

“We get the water without having to do anything,” said Shelley Barlow, Suffolk farmer and garden coordinator for Healthy Suffolk.

The Healthy Suffolk Digs community garden was done in collaboration with the Nansemond River Preservation Alliance, Parks and Recreation and Suffolk Business Women, with assistance from Councilman Roger Fawcett, Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth and Johnson’s Gardens.

A truckload of compost provided by Commonwealth Gin in Windsor was packed into 10 different metal garden bed squares, each about 3.5 feet in diameter and divided into grids for the vegetables and herbs. The raised beds will make surrounding lawn maintenance easier and protect the garden itself.

“I’m very excited about the metal beds, because the wooden beds can rot,” Barlow said. “I’m hoping these will last longer.”

Children will enjoy learning about gardening within walking distance of the new ForKids Center for Children and Families on West Constance Road that’s expected to open by the end of June. They’ll learn about plant life cycles and nutrition thanks to the colorful greenery.

“It’s a great opportunity for kids to come out and do something with their hands,” said Angela Graciani, ForKids Director of Education.

Red celosia, bright Inca yellows and numerous other eye-catching flowers line the beds, along with herbs like rosemary, leek, catnip and garden sage. The cooking staff at the Hilton Garden Inn will be able to use the garden for their menu, according to General Manager Brian Williams.

“We’re really excited about it,” Williams said. “We’ll be able to use some of these ingredients, and the chefs will be able to share their expertise with the kids that come through.”

Executive Chef JoAnna McGinnis donated her time and sweat along with cook Ashleigh Meyer, an avid gardener herself.

“I have a garden at home with all kinds of stuff,” Meyer said.

Suffolk Business Women President Robin Decker was joined by Commissioner of the Revenue Susan Draper and other local women with green thumbs for multiple hours of shoveling, raking and seed tossing.

In addition to raising awareness about healthier food choices and promoting the environment, Decker was excited to think about all of the children that will learn to garden by the Nansemond River.

“We’re all about giving them skills that they can use for a lifetime,” she said.