Grace Albritton and Galen Canham of Todd Fox Gardens (photo by Ash Daniel)
Todd Fox Gardens operates under one simple belief: “Everyone deserves a garden they can be proud of,” says president Grace Albritton. Formed about a year ago as two separate entities — a for-profit landscape company and a nonprofit that provides pro-bono gardening services — Todd Fox Gardens has set out to beautify Richmond, one small space at a time.
Albritton, who studied English at Virginia Commonwealth University, grew up in a family of avid gardeners. When a neighbor in Church Hill bemoaned the lack of affordable landscapers, Albritton offered to do the work herself. She enjoyed it and began doing research to see if it was feasible to launch a landscape business catering to people who would not normally hire landscapers — people with smaller yards in Church Hill and the Fan. She also was interested in providing services to those who could not afford it. Today, the money raised through Todd Fox LLC underwrites the work of its 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm.
Named after a Beatrix Potter character, Todd Fox Gardens focuses on native species and food-productive gardening. “Just because it supplies food does not mean that a garden cannot be aesthetically pleasing, “Albritton says. Todd Fox also provides more traditional services — from lawn maintenance and mulching to general clean-up.
Their pro-bono clients range from senior citizens who can no longer maintain their yards on their own, to families who live in public housing and want help growing healthy food. This summer, they hope to begin working with the refugee community. “Anyone can garden, but the start-up costs can be prohibitive,” Albritton says.
In addition to Albritton and her business partner, Galen Canham, Todd Fox employs one other full-time employee. “Every little yard that looks more polished is a step in the right direction,” Albritton says
