Greetings!
Spring fever is here. And nothing says spring more than daffodils. March of the Trumpets was spectacular at Lewis Ginter, and I thank the 120 volunteers who worked together to make the 85
th
Annual Daffodil Show a resounding success.
As spring arrives with hyacinths, tulips, dogwood, yoshinos, and so much more, we turn our thoughts to Historic Garden Week in Virginia. Your talents, combined with our Virginia homes, gardens and landscapes, will once again produce a house and garden tour like no other. Your efforts will fund our support of restoration sites, our centennial gift to Virginia State Parks, and our research fellowships. Thanks to our work together, visitors from all over the country will experience the magnificent beauty of our commonwealth.
I hope you will take time during this busy month to pick some flowers, smell the fragrances, dig in the dirt, listen to the birds, and enjoy all that spring has to offer. See you on tour!
Warm regards,
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Molly Carey
The Boxwood Garden Club
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Tuesday, April 2
Centennial Liaisons, KVH 10:3o
Wednesday, April 3
Common Wealth, KVH 10:30
Thursday, April 4
Executive Committee, KVH 10:30
Monday, April 8
Development, KVH 10:30
Wednesday, April 10
Conservation, KVH 1:30
Wednesday, April 17
Finance, KVH 10:30
Journal. KVH 10:30
Saturday, April 27 - Saturday, May 4
Historic Garden Week
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In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.
~Margaret Atwood
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Bessie Bocock Carter Award
This award provides funding to member club
conservation
or
environmental protection
projects that will serve as a catalyst for community action within the commonwealth.
Member clubs will vote prior to
April 30
on the two nominees presented below and the winner will be announced at the GCV Annual Meeting in May.
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Our centennial daffodil, Green Arrow, grown by former GCV President Jeanette Cadwallender of the Rappahannock Valley Garden Club, had its debut at Daffodil Day. And what a debut it was, winning Best in Show!
Thank you to all who planted the bulb this fall. As they emerge in your gardens, please fill out the grower's report provided with your bulbs.
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Historic Garden Week April 27 - May 4
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Historic Garden Week is a great time to visit restoration sites around the state. Many properties hold special events throughout the week. As you travel to different areas, be sure to check the guidebook map on pages 8 and 9 to locate the sites near your tour.
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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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There are few things in the garden that scream MAY louder than peonies. And yet, after waiting all spring for them, their bloom time seems over in a flash. Did you know there is a way to continue enjoying them weeks and even months after they have finished blooming in the garden? There is!
Saving peonies for later blooms is easy and so rewarding. This method works for any herbaceous peony. When the peonies are starting to bloom you will want to gather the buds you are saving early in the morning while the stems are still turgid. The perfect bud will be one that is just beginning to show color and it will feel soft like a marshmallow if you squeeze it gently. You will want to cut the stem as long as possible and remove all of the leaves below the bud. Place these buds in a large or jumbo zip lock bag. You can often place up to 10 buds in a single bag staggering them left to right. When you close the bag leave enough space to insert a straw and suck out as much air as possible before sealing the bag completely. These bags can then be stacked and stored in your refrigerator for up to 10 weeks. When you are ready to use your stored peonies, just remove the bags from the refrigerator, re-cut the stems and place them in room-temperature water. In 8 to 24 hours your peonies should be open and ready to use for arranging.
It is remarkable that something this easy can produce such beautiful results. Enjoy!
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Conservation and Horticulture at Natural Bridge
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Plan to join us at
Natural Bridge September 24-25
for two days of activities that include a full scale 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. Event details and Conservation Forum registration will be available soon.
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Albemarle
Linda Ford
Dolley Madison
Ann Thornton
Elizabeth River
Sue Knowles
Mary Kay Nunley
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Roanoke Valley
Ann Blair Miller
Kate Ericsson
Lisa Turner
Hillside
Mary Brockman
Spotswood
Kay Green
Leesburg
Alexandra Patton
Huntington
Julie Bradbury
Rappahannock Valley
Ann Hall Kendall
Kathy Wirtala
Williamsburg
Ann Giknis
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