Greetings!
Now is the most glorious time of the year for the Garden Club of Virginia—and the most hectic. Historic Garden Week in Virginia is in full bloom! As I travel the state and visit spectacular homes and gardens, I am struck by the hospitality and graciousness with which I am greeted. You all hide the hard work leading up to your tours behind wide smiles and warm welcomes.
My quote for this month comes from a chance meeting I had with a hostess from the Rivanna Garden Club. She spoke fondly of her grandfather’s favorite saying. We talked about sharing, about giving away to others what you can. And through that action, we are able to keep beauty, and kindness and grace alive and growing.
My heart is full of thanks for all of you who have given your time, who have opened your homes and gardens, and who have worked so hard to share the tradition of Virginia hospitality during this very special week.
Happy touring!
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Nina Mustard
The Williamsburg Garden Club
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You only get to keep what you give away.
~Dugald Richard McMillan III
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Saturday, April 27 - Saturday, May 4
Historic Garden Week
Tuesday, May 7 Portsmouth
GCV Board of Directors Meeting
Wed - Thur, May 8-9 Portsmouth
GCV Annual Meeting
Tuesday, May 14 KVH 10:30
Centennial Celebratory Committee
Monday, May 20 KVH 10:30
Artistic Design
Wed - Thur, May 22-23 Orange
Horticulture Field Day
Wednesday, May 29 KVH
HGW State Committee 9:30
Strategic Planning 12 noon
Saturday, June 1
Conservation Educator and Dugdale Award Deadlines
Monday, June 3 KVH 10:30
Presidents Day
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Horticulture Field Day May 22-23
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Horticulture Field Day in Orange County begins Wednesday afternoon, May 22 with a tour of the European inspired gardens of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Seilheimer at Mount Sharon Farm.
Continue on Thursday at Grelen Nursery for a fun-filled day that includes workshops on container gardening and pruning techniques.
Take a break for lunch and shopping at the Market at Grelen, then head to Montpelier's Dupont Garden. Conclude the afternoon at the private gardens of Mr. and Mrs. Steven Brooks at Gaston Hall.
Horticulture Field Day $50 fee includes all tours, lectures and lunch on Thursday at the Market at Grelen.
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The Garden Club of Virginia will celebrate Lilies on Tuesday, June 18 with horticulture and floral design at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Richmond. The horticulture show will offer a comprehensive North American Lily Society (NALS) schedule, open to amateur growers, and will include GCV members only horticulture trophy classes.
Two GCV Inter Club classes of artistic design will be displayed in the historic church.
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Back to Nature at Natural Bridge September 24-25
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Plan to join us at
Natural Bridge September 24-25
for two days of activities that include a native plant horticulture show, hiking, geocaching, guided walks, and our 61st Annual Conservation Forum "Trees: Canopy of Conservation."
Celebrate our work at Natural Bridge with a tree planting ceremony. Enjoy horticulture exhibits during "Sip and See." Hear four speakers providing a broad perspective of trees in our environment.
Plan to exhibit, visit and learn.
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The 2019 Daffodil Collection includes samples of Divisions 6-11 daffodils.
Click Here
for special characteristics and a photo of each variety. Visit the American Daffodil Society’s site
www.DaffSeek.org
for more photos and information about each.
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The Restoration Committee met March 20-21 to visit Maymont, Wilton House, the Executive Mansion, and the Poe Museum. Work continues at Point of Honor, the Poe Museum, Poplar Forest, Stratford Hall, and the William & Mary Reveley Garden. At our meeting, new funding for the following projects was approved:
- Additional liriope and three new hawthorn trees in the Beale Garden at Hollins University
- New plantings for the Kent-Valentine House, as well as pruning and an improved pathway
- Address drainage issues at the Mary Washington House and plant additional vinca
- Replace two dead trees in the garden of the President’s House at Sweet Briar College
A dogwood tree has been planted at the Kent-Valentine House in memory of Margaret Bemiss, longtime GCV member and author of
Historic Gardens of Virginia
. The tree, shown at right bloomed during Historic Garden Week.
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Member Club Community Projects
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The Garden Club of Fairfax
Calling All Pollinators! At their March meeting as a pollinator project the members of The Garden Club of Fairfax tied on their aprons, put on their garden gloves, sang a planting song to the tune of Patty Cake and made wild flower seed bombs. Potting soil, red clay powder, compost, and a little bit of water were mixed together. The mixture was patted into dime size patties then wild flower seeds were pressed into the surface and rolled into little balls. All members made about a dozen balls, took them home, stored them and will either plant them in late April or early May in a sunny location or give them away to members in their community to toss into open areas and wait for the pollinators to arrive.
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Fauquier and Loudoun
Libby Devlin
Middle Peninsula
Cynthia Carter
Susan Fleet
Margaret Hodges
Brenda Knupp
Stacy Richardson
Betsy Shuford
Three Chopt
Martha Chapman
Sarah Innes
Leland Klim
Megan Marriott
Anne Munson
Brooke Schubmehl
Brenda Snead
Warrenton
Heather McDaniel-Neff
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Kathie Avery, GCV Accountant/Bookkeeper
Kathie, a Richmond native, holds a business degree from Mary Baldwin. She has been a small business owner, a self-employed accountant and the sole accountant at a large construction company. After being retired for about six months, she realized she missed working and sought out a part-time position that would allow her to continue her life-long volunteerism. Kathie has many interests and has volunteered for Historic Garden Week. She loves gardening and is looking forward to being the only one on her block with Green Arrow daffodils blooming next spring.
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