Henrico Small Business Spotlight: Birdsong’s Secret Garden

Birdsong’s Secret Garden is more than a business to Tonya Birdsong Chavis. It’s a “healing journey” – one she strives to share with the community. 

Chavis, like all of us, is made of multitudes. She is an artist, a giver and a business and marketing teacher at John Marshall High School. But Chavis is also a domestic violence survivor. She first opened Birdsong's Secret Garden in 2022 as a way to find solace and joy after her trauma.

“When I was working towards my healing and mental health, painting and art and writing was my go-to,” Chavis said. “So, because I like to entertain and I'm always having something at my home, I just said, ‘You know what? I do this for free. Why not just make it a business?’”

With mental health as her focal point, Chavis started Birdsong’s Secret Garden – a company dedicated to creating a safe space for customers to “escape from [their] daily stresses” and “reconnect with themselves and the natural world.”

Her services include small paint and sip or vision board creating classes, as well as camping retreats that incorporate arts and crafts – both of which take place in the “secret garden” that sits behind her Eastern Henrico home.

Once you enter the “intimate, earthy space” of Chavis’ backyard, you’ll notice a patio, natural landscaping, gardens and a bird fountain. Bunnies and birds are common guests on the two-acre property, and – depending on the season – you’ll see blueberries, raspberries, grapes, strawberries, lilies, marigolds and roses.

“You don't have to travel far to experience the restorative power of nature, whether you're holding a paintbrush or simply sharing laughter with friends,” Chavis said.

Chavis also allows people to rent out her backyard for things like intimate weddings and family reunions, and she’ll even travel to customers’ homes who want her to throw a paint and sip night at their own place. No matter the service she’s providing, Chavis wants to nurture others – especially women and members of the Black community.

“As a Black woman, we don't have a lot of places where we can share some of the experiences, things that we go through,” Chavis said. “So, I try to offer that where you know we're doing crafts or art but also, since there’s nature. . . it brings along some peace.”

Sharing her “secret garden” is also a way for Chavis to create a “safe space” for the people of Eastern Henrico.

“Most of the time, we get a bad rep on this side of town,” she said. “I want this business to be the positive of Eastern Henrico. . . We're talking about assisting people who’re going through stress or need another outlet or another activity for their mental health and their well-being.”

Hosting painting classes and encouraging people to create in nature is just the start for Chavis. She has big goals for the rest of 2025 and wants to bring people on to her team to offer yoga and sound healing classes. In addition, she’s hoping to add glam camps – otherwise known as ‘glamping’ sites – to her property so people don’t have to bring their own tents for camping excursions.

“I'm planning a major revitalization, a true blossoming of Birdsong's Secret Garden into the oasis I know it can be,” Chavis said.

If you’re on the fence about checking out Birdsong’s Secret Garden, Chavis has one piece of advice: “Give it a try.”

“If you want to go camping somewhere and you don't want to go far, give me a call,” she said. “If you want to sip and paint, but you don't want that large group. . . you want an intimate setting, I'm that person for you.”

For details, visit the Birdsong’s Secret Garden website or email Chavis at birdsongssecretgarden@gmail.com to learn more about the company and its services.

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