THE GARDEN CLUB OF VIRGINIA
Journal VOL LV, NO. 2, JUNE 2010
The Garden Club of Virginia exists to celebrate the beauty of the land, to conserve the gifts of nature and to challenge future generations to build on this heritage.
F ROM T HE E DITOR I admit to having had an obsession with pirate maps as a child. I was convinced that there was buried treasure, marked and waiting for me to find it. Let the Journal be your map for the treasure of the GCV. You will learn about fertilizing roses, see award winning flower arrangements, glean insight into the Restoration Committee’s work and the Lily Committee’s silver goblet rescue. All Common Wealth award finalists have inspiring projects. Uncover what makes our organization precious. Dig into this issue of the Journal that recognizes many of the GCV members whose talents have enriched our organization. Read about them and their successes, treasures indeed.
Journal Editorial Board 2009-2010
Editor and Chairman: Jeanette Cadwallender, The Rappahannock Valley Garden Club ExOfficio Members The GCV President , Kimbrough Nash, The Warrenton Garden Club The GCV Corresponding Secretary, Nina Mustard, The Williamsburg Garden Club The GCV Photographer, Casey Rice, Harborfront Garden Club Journal Business Chairman, Fleet Davis, The Garden Club of the Eastern Shore Journal Advertising Chairman, Katya Spicuzza, Albemarle Garden Club Members Mason Beazley, The James River Garden Club, The Garden Club of the Northern Neck Betty Delk, The Nansemond River Garden Club Julie Grover, The Blue Ridge Garden Club, The James River Garden Club Mary Ann Johnson, Roanoke Valley Garden Club Jeanette McKittrick, Three Chopt Garden Club Sarah Pierson, The Rappahannock Valley Garden Club Laurie Starke, The Warrenton Garden Club
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The Garden Club of Virginia Journal The Garden Club of Virginia Journal (USPS 574-520, ISSN 0431-0233) is published four times a year for members by the GCV, 12 East Franklin St., Richmond, VA 23219. Periodical postage paid in Richmond, VA. Single issue price, $5.00. Copy and ad deadlines are: January 15 for the March issue April 15 for the June issue July 15 for the September issue October 15 for the December issue Email copy to the Editor and advertising to the Ad Chairman President of the Garden Club of Virginia: Kimbrough Nash Journal Editor: Jeanette Cadwallender P.O. Box 7696 Fredericksburg, VA 22404 Phone: (540) 373-7210 Email: journal@gcvirginia.org Journal Advertising Chairman: Katya Spicuzza 1049 Autumn Hill Court Crozet, VA 22932 Email: ksspicuzza@yahoo.com Journal Business Chairman: Fleet Davis skipandfleet@verizon.net Vol. LV, No. 2 Printed on recycled paper by Carter Printing Company Richmond, VA
ON THE COVER... The Journal honors the Petersburg Garden Club, host of the 68th Garden Club of Virginia Lily Show. The Petersburg Garden Club has brought our attention to the watercolors by Bessie Niemeyer Marshall showing the varied flora of Lee Park, Petersburg in the 1930s. The Turk’s-cap lily is a reproduction of one of her works. Design work by Studio Ammons.
IN THIS ISSUE... Massie Medal Award. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 de Lacy Gray Memorial Medal . . . . . . . . . . 3 New Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Bessie Bocock Carter Award . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Ker Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Obituary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Inter Club Artistic Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Honorary Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 2010 Horticulture Award of Merit . . . . . . 10 Lily Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Flower Arranging School . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 68th Annual Lily Show. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 76th Annual Daffodil Show . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Daffodil Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Rose Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Club Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 GCV Journal 2010 Workshop . . . . . . . . . 22 Ex Libris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 The Common Wealth Award Nominations . . . 24 Fine Arts & Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Symposium 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Poet’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
OTHER REFERENCES... Kent-Valentine House Phone: (804) 643-4137 Fax: (804) 644-7778 Email: director@gcvirginia.org Historic Garden Week Office Phone: (804) 644-7776 Fax: (804) 644-7778 Email: gdnweek@verizon.net www.VAGardenWeek.org POSTMASTER send address changes to: Executive Director 12 East Franklin Street Richmond, VA 23219
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The Massie Medal for Distinguished Achievement By Mary Bruce H. Glaize Massie Medal for Distinguished Achievement Chairman The Little Garden Club of Winchester ina Walker Wood was awarded the 2010 Massie Medal for Distinguished Achievement at the Garden Club of Virginia Annual Meeting held at the Jefferson Hotel. She has served her garden club, her community and the Garden Club of Virginia with loyalty, diligence and creativity. A native of Lynchburg and a graduate of Sweet Briar College, Mina has been a member of the Lynchburg Garden Club since 1968. As president Mina Walker Wood of her club from 1982-84, she started the Lynchburg Garden Club Endowment Fund, a model and catalyst for other club endowments. She has been successful in furthering environmental and conservation issues that the club has undertaken. She was an active participant in raising money and awareness to beautify the Lynchburg Expressway entrances. Many other organizations have benefited from her interests including Lynchburg Historical Foundation, the Southern Memorial Association and the Point of Honor Board of Managers. Mina’s skill and talent as a landscape designer are evident at Cabell Street Park in Lynchburg. She worked on the Miller-Claytor House front garden, designed to complement the one in the rear created by Charles Gillette. The GCV has benefited from her tremendous energy and gifts of diplomacy and vision. She has held most board positions and major positions on committees of the GCV. She organized and expanded the library at the Kent-Valentine house, served on the Journal committee and as Restoration Chairman. As president from 2000-02, Mina traveled extensively with her presentation, Landscape Architects of the Garden Club of Virginia including a speech delivered to the Southern Garden History Society. Most recently she was instrumental in launching the successful new Symposia in response to the Strategic Plan. Her vision, helpful nature and generous disposition brought a concept into reality. The GCV has given its most prestigious award to Mina for her effective and unselfish dedication.
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The 2009 de Lacy Gray Memorial Medal for Conservation By Julie Grover, GCV Director-at-Large The Blue Ridge Garden Club he mother-daughter team of Mary Stuart Gilliam and Catharine Gilliam, members of the Blue Ridge Garden Club, was awarded the de Lacy Gray Memorial Medal for Conservation at the Garden Club of Virginia’s Annual Meeting in Richmond. The Gilliam family is synonymous with conservation in Rockbridge County. When Col. Bates McCluer “Mac” Gilliam, Mary Stuart’s husband, died recently, the Rockbridge Area Conservation Council paid tribute to him as an early member and past president. Mary Stuart has worked behind the scenes to promote the conservation and wise development of the natural resources of her beloved Rockbridge Mary Stuart and Catharine Gilliam County. Son Jay currently serves as the chair of with Cabell West and Anne Doyle the Natural Bridge Soil and Water Conservation District board of directors. Catharine, with two GCV colleagues, received a 2008 award from the Virginia Conservation Network for her volunteer excellence in preserving Virginia’s environmental citizen boards. As the Virginia Senior Program Manager of the National Parks Conservation Association, Catharine worked tirelessly for the commonwealth as a conservation advocate on such issues as threats from adjacent development, conservation planning, air quality, community partnerships and planning, climate change, mercury pollution and energy policy. She has taken on such giants as Wal-mart and has appeared on or been quoted in CNN, NPR, The Washington Post, as well as local newspapers and radio stations. In February 2009 the Boy Scouts of America announced their plans to move the National Scout Jamboree, with its more than 240,000 scouts, to Goshen in Rockbridge County. At risk was Goshen Pass, a Virginia State Natural Area Preserve treasured for its scenic beauty, rare plants and wildlife, recreational adventures and history. The Gilliams helped activate the Friends of the Maury River, a grassroots group opposed to the Boy Scout proposal. At a called meeting of the Blue Ridge Garden Club, Mary Stuart outlined past threats to Goshen Pass, the history of the involvement of our club, and the immediate need for our club to adopt a resolution to oppose the National Jamboree proposal. The Garden Club of Virginia, with its long history of preserving Goshen Pass, adopted its own resolution and wrote the governor, asking for adequate analysis of the environmental impact. “Save Goshen Pass” – the battle cry and Web site were largely the brainchild of the Gilliams. In a mere five months, the Gilliams helped to galvanize citizens of Rockbridge County and the Commonwealth of Virginia to stop the proposed scout jamboree in Goshen. Catharine’s conservation expertise and network and her legal skills as an attorney were invaluable. Mary Stuart was behind her daughter every step of the way, attending community meetings and designing T-shirts. Thanks to the Gilliams’ leadership, the Garden Club of Virginia has protected Goshen Pass yet again.
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THE GARDEN CLUB OF VIRGINIA Officers 2010 - 2012 President:
Kimbrough Nash The Warrenton Garden Club
First Vice President:
Ann Gordon Evans The Huntington Garden Club
Second Vice President:
Meg Clement Three Chopt Garden Club
Treasurer:
Anne Baldwin The Garden Club of Alexandria
Recording Secretary:
Jeanette Cadwallender The Rappahannock Valley Garden Club
Corresponding Secretary:
Nina Mustard The Williamsburg Garden Club
Directors-at-large 2009-2011
2010-2012
Charlotte S. Benjamin The Garden Club of Fairfax
Missy Buckingham The Boxwood Garden Club
Julie G. Grover The Blue Ridge Garden Club and The James River Garden Club
Donna Lawhon The Garden Study Club
Louise F. Tayloe Rivanna Garden Club
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Dianne Spence The Williamsburg Garden Club
THE GARDEN CLUB OF VIRGINIA
The First Winner of the Bessie Bocock Carter Conservation Award By Anne Doyle, GCV Conservation Chairman The Garden Club of Norfolk he four Richmond Garden Club of Virginia clubs have received the Bessie Bocock Carter Conservation Award for their project to restore the urban forest in Richmond. Jack Carter presented the award at the Annual Meeting. As a new recruit to the James River Garden Club in the 1950s, Bessie took shovel in hand to plant trees along the old Richmond-to-Petersburg Turnpike, now Interstate 95. Bessie would be pleased with the winner of the first award in her name. Richmond’s tree canopy has seriously eroded in recent years, resulting in 500 empty tree wells downtown. Trees are enormously beneficial environmental filters of both air and water. One large shade tree is capable of capturing over 100 gallons of water during a storm event, thereby reducing run-off into the James River and downstream to the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, studies have shown that areas offering tree canopy attract more pedestrians and capital investment. BBCCA winners Boxwood, James River, Three Chopt and Tuckahoe Garden Clubs have collaborated and made a detailed plan to work in concert with the City of Richmond’s Department of Planning and Development Review. Within the next two years, the four GCV clubs will restore a very visible pedestrian gateway to downtown Richmond. Their project will serve as a model for community action to restore urban forests. In addition, the project has the potential to be used statewide as a prototype, drawing in such organizations as Friends of Urban Forestry, state universities and the Urban Forestry Commission to make sustainable improvements to Virginia’s cities.
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What a fitting tribute to Bessie!
Presidents of the four Richmond GCV clubs JUNE 2010
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Ker Place By Judy Perry, GCV Restoration Committee The Elizabeth River Garden Club er Place, in Onancock on the Eastern Shore, was built from 1799-1803 for John Shepherd Ker and his wife Agnes Corbin Ker. A prosperous merchantfarmer, he located his home near the river. This elegant Federal house required an impressive gate and fence to greet visitors in grand style. But perhaps the greater purpose was to prevent animals, both domestic and wild, from wandering onto the grounds. The fence was thus an important practical element in the landscape. With this in mind, William D. Rieley, landscape architect for the Garden Club of Virginia, researched photos and descriptions in books and records of other Eastern Shore properties. Mr. Rieley also combed the area for fences remaining from that period. While there is no record of the specific fence that John Ker built, his research led Rieley to design a fence that reflects the aesthetic form of the Federal period, the regional distinctiveness of the Eastern Shore, as well as specific Adam-style details from the house at Ker Place. This 2010 interpretation replicates the high-low picket design, where sections of lower pickets are close together to keep small animals out. Samples of this style may be seen at nearby Kendall Grove and Eyre Hall. The horizontal members are sloped and also beaded, a sophisticated design typical of the period. The slope is attractive as well as functional, in that it keeps rainwater from collecting at the join, thus eliminating a potential area of deterioration. Two substantial posts are topped with urn shapes copied from a frieze found in the house interior. This fence with its double-swing gate spans the entire front of the property and frames the view of the house to complement its stateliness. The fence that continues down each side of the property is different but also characteristic of the period. It is a five-board fence with 1� x 6� boards placed horizontally. The lower first and second boards are closer together; the third and fourth continue with a wider gap. There is a running cap on top of the fifth board. It is simple but, again, practical in that the lower boards keep small animals out. Coats of white paint highlight the fence and gate and preserve their beauty. The Garden Club of Virginia can be proud that this fence and gate project enhances another historic restoration in Virginia. A visit to Ker Place will take you back in time.
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Mary Frances Buchanan Flowers 1918-2010 By Jane Cowles The Boxwood Garden Club he Garden Club of Virginia has lost a close friend and visionary leader—Mary Frances Flowers, who died March 16, 2010, in Richmond at the age of 91. In 1957, at age 38, Mary Frances joined the Boxwood Garden Club and within six years became its president. She became president of the Garden Club of Virginia in 1970. During her presidency, Mary Frances led a reorganization, in which the GCV amended its constitution and bylaws, obtained tax-exempt status, purchased and began restoring the historic Kent-Valentine House as its headquarters, and established two endowments to support the yearly operating budget of the house and fund special projects. According to Lee Cochran, who followed Mary Frances as president, Mary Frances “led (or pushed), when necessary, the GCV through two of its most productive years. Almost single-handedly she engineered the purchase and restoration of the KentValentine House.” The Historic Garden Week office emerged from the basement of the Jefferson Hotel. GCV records came out from under the president’s bed. Dues and gifts became tax deductible. Membership grew. The purchase and restoration of the K-VH was a tremendous act of faith in the future of the GCV. With success not assured, Mary Frances remained committed beyond her GVC presidency. She became the first chairman of the K-VH. She hired personnel, welcomed guests, conducted tours and catered seated luncheons. She spent so much time at the K-VH that her young grandson thought she lived there. Under her leadership the GCV paid the loan in full in six years. In 1974 Mary Frances received the Massie Medal for serving as “the guiding spirit of the Kent-Valentine House.” Mary Frances was named Honorary President of the GCV in 1987. Mary Frances “believed deeply in what she was doing,” according the Rev. Ben Sparks. “She made you want to be a part of whatever her agenda was. She was a doer, an organizer, and faithful to the task. She never put herself forward. When she took leadership, it was for the common good, for the community to strengthen and inspire”. With Logan Johns, Mary Frances instructed an estimated 5,000 citizens about the value of conserving and beautifying the James River. For this work the GCV awarded them the de Lacy Gray Medal in 1970. As Restoration Chairman (19781980), Mary Frances arranged for Rudy Favretti, a nationally renowned landscape architect, to oversee the GVC’s restoration of historic gardens throughout Virginia. Mary Frances was active at Second Presbyterian Church, Sheltering Arms Hospital, the Junior League, the Woman’s Club, the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, Historic Richmond Foundation, National Society of Colonial Dames of America and she was a founding trustee of Westminster-Canterbury Richmond. Mary Frances accomplished all of this while caring for her husband, George Horace Flowers, Jr. who died in 1969, three sons George III, Bill and John and a daughter the late Mary Flowers Cadwallader. “She did it all,” recalled Lee Cochran. “It could have been her theme song.”
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Inter Club Artistic Award The winner of the Garden Club of Virginia Inter Club Artistic Award goes to the Roanoke Valley Garden Club. This award is given to the club earning the most points for ribbons in the Inter Club competition in the three GCV flower shows, Lily, Rose and Daffodil.
Katherine Knopf accepts the Inter Club artistic award from Cabell West and Betty Michelson
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New Honorary Members By Elizabeth (Boo) Compton, Chairman GCV Admissions Committee Gabriella Garden Club t the Annual Meeting, three new Honorary Members were announced to the Garden Club of Virginia membership. They are Peter Hatch, Director of Gardens and Grounds at Monticello, Dean Norton, Director of Horticulture at Mount Vernon and Charles G. McDaniel of the Hilldrup Companies. Each of these men has made significant contributions to the mission of our club for which we are grateful.
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President Cabell West gave the first President’s Award to Catherine Whitham at the 2010 GCV Annual meeting for her tireless work on the Development committee.
Peter Hatch, Dean Norton and Charles G. McDaniel
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2010 Horticulture Award of Merit By Mary Eades, GCV Horticulture Chairman, Rivanna Garden Club he Horticulture Award of Merit was established in 1960 for individual members of The Garden Club of Virginia who have achieved significant accomplishments in horticulture, both personally and in the community at-large. The awards are presented at the Annual Meeting.
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We are pleased to present this year’s winners. Mabel S. Baldwin, Three Chopt Garden Club Mabel’s garden in the west end of Richmond is a testament to her horticultural expertise. She designed and landscaped her property incorporating perennials, shrubs, trees and a variety of bulbs on a shady, steeply pitched lot. She has served on the GCV Horticulture Committee as well as multiple terms as Horticulture Chairman for Three Chopt Garden Club where she shares her knowledge in clever and enthusiastic ways. She always encourages “green practices.” Mabel has volunteered more than 1400 hours with Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden since 1986 and has been active as a Garden Guide since 1993, a job which requires intensive, ongoing training. She was Chairman of the Bloemendaal Council, the governing body of the volunteer corps, from 1992-94. For sixteen years she has been involved with the committee for the Gillette Forum on Landscape Design, serving as Chairman from 2004-2007. Donna Eure, The Virginia Beach Garden Club Donna has a true horticulture specimen garden containing hundreds of varieties of plants, which she graciously shares with her club members and the community. She makes her own compost and shares her knowledge by mentoring novice gardeners. Her garden has been open for Horticulture Field Day, as well as for the GCV Annual Meeting garden tours in 2009. Donna has taught plant grooming and propagation workshops for her club and for the Garden Club of Norfolk. Formerly the club Horticulture Chairman, Donna is currently co-chair of the Tidewater Garden Symposium, a group she has participated in for 12 years. Mary Lawrence Harrell, Nansemond River Garden Club Mary Lawrence, a member of NRGC for more than 30 years, and currently the club’s Horticulture Chairman, enthusiastically plants and nurtures roses for the GCV test collection. She served as a teacher for her club’s Ecology Camp last June, imparting her knowledge and love of plants to the 3rd and 4th graders who attended. Mary Lawrence was the “go-to” person during the design and selection of materials for the club’s Common Wealth Award winning project, the Heritage Garden in Cedar Hill Cemetery, for which she promoted the use of drought resistant and native plants.
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Frances Jones, Williamsburg Garden Club Frances’ expertise is roses, and she is a devoted caretaker of the 75 rose bushes in her garden. She has led programs and workshops focusing on the horticulture and exhibition of roses. Frances is a GCV Rose Committee member and has served as the Rose Chairman for Williamsburg Garden Club for seven years. She consistently wins awards when exhibiting specimens and places much importance on using organic fertilizer and plant foods. Frances wrote a Journal article, “Going Green” about the horticulture of roses and promotes the use of organic fertilizer and plant food in the workshops she leads. Margaret Milam, The Garden Club of Danville Margaret, a Master Gardener, strives to be an expert on all that she grows, including shade loving plants in a city garden and a variety of trees, flowers, vegetables and blooming shrubs on her farm. She is a member of the Guilford Horticulture Society and past chairman of Adopt-a-Spot. She shares her love of horticulture by teaching children from a local church how to plant a vegetable garden and then encouraging them to share the produce with the community. Margaret educates herself on the subject of Uranium Mining in Pittsylvania County. She has written numerous letters on the subject to her congressman, and visited the offices in Richmond during Legislative Day to discuss her concerns. Susan Perrin, The Garden Club of Gloucester Sue’s seven acre garden, which has appeared in Garden Gate magazine, includes unusual cultivars of low maintenance, native flowering shrubs and a vast collection of daffodils. It will be open for the 2010 Historic Garden Week tour. Currently her club’s Horticulture Chairman, Sue has trained local Master Gardeners in landscaping, and has been a guest blogger for the GCV Horticulture blog. She is currently serving as co-chair of the GCV Conservation Committee and has lobbied for GCV-backed issues, as well as for her personal conservation beliefs. Sue, along with local landscapers and horticulturists, has helped to found a local horticulture club that is open to the public. Regular speakers and field trips are an ongoing part of this group. Sue recently accepted a three year position on the GCV Fellowship Committee, a part of the Restoration Committee. Grace Rice, Augusta Garden Club By growing, exhibiting and photographing roses, Grace has educated the public. Her garden has been open for community events as well as HGW. She began with a bare backyard and designed an exquisite garden featuring roses. She composts, and is innovative and creative in her plant choices and planting techniques and is careful to continued on page 12 ... JUNE 2010
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continued from page 11 ... research the best plants for the best location. She has worked to increase the general understanding of, and interest in growing roses throughout Staunton and Augusta counties, for the public as well as garden club members. Currently a member of the GCV Horticulture Committee, Grace has served as Rose Chairman of the Augusta Garden Club for over a decade. Gay Savage, Harborfront Garden Club Gay is dedicated and passionate about horticulture and enjoys growing unusual plants that are native or adaptable to the Virginia coastal climate. Her key interests are natives, perennials and daffodils. She presently serves on the GCV Conservation and Beautification Committee, and has held a number of committee positions at the Norfolk Botanical Garden and in her own club. She has served her community by volunteering many hours on the Master Gardener hotline at Norfolk’s Fred Heutte Center as well as at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens greenhouse. Gay served as her club’s Horticulture Chairman and Harborfront’s members say that she is their reliable source for Latin names and the correct spelling of plant names. Along with her many years of experience in gardening and volunteering, she brings tremendous energy to her fellow club members. Carol Yetzer, Spotswood Garden Club Carol, Horticulture chairman for her club, is also Chairman of the Beautification Committee and a member of Greener Harrisonburg, a local gardening group. Carol enjoys being a mentor to new garden club members and neighbors and readily shares plants. She has been a leader of City Landscape Renewal projects, such as ‘visual impact’ gardens. Carol encourages leaf composting and shares her knowledge of proper planting and pruning of trees. She enjoys working with and training others in good gardening practices and attends lectures and garden tours to expand her knowledge.
Luncheons meetings cocktail parties graduation parties wedding receptions Ease and elegance in entertaining at the Kent-Valentine House. For availability contact (804) 643-4137or director@gcvirginia.org GCV members and friends receive a 25% discount.
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Lily Notes By Mary Nelson Thompson, GCV Lily Chairman The Franklin Garden Club ew awards have been announced for the Lily Show. Six sterling silver award goblets from Garden Club of Virginia Lily Shows in the 1950s and 1960 were spotted by an alert antiques dealer at an estate sale. The GCV Lily Committee voted to purchase and engrave the goblets, keeping the provenance engraving on one side and the new award information on the other side. The following new awards were established based on the contributions of the honorees to the annual GCV Lily Show: The David Diller Award for the Best Martagon Lily (First Gentleman, Emeritus, of the GCV Lily Committee, noted lily grower, classifier and NALS judge) The Vicki Bowen Award for the Best Trumpet Lily (Noted lily grower, hybridizer, NALS judge and a constant helper with classification at the GCV Shows) The Sara Ann Lindsey Award for the Best Oriental Lily (GCV Lily Chairman, 1976-1984, NALS board member and judge and active member of the Hunting Creek Garden Club for over 50 years) The James A. McKenney Award for the Best Longiflorum/Asiatic Hybrid Lily, (NALS judge and longtime member of the classification committee) The Eugenia Diller Award for the Best Oriental/Trumpet Hybrid Lily, (Chairman Emeritus of the GCV Lily Committee and NALS judge) The GCV Lily Committee Interdivisional Hybrid Lily Award for the Best Longiflorum/Oriental Hybrid Lily These awards will be presented at the 68th Annual GCV Lily Show to be hosted by the Petersburg Garden Club, June 16-17, at Union Train Station, Petersburg, Virginia. Horticultural exhibitors, floral designers, GCV members and guests will be treated to a fantastic display, hospitality and an educational experience. There will be many beautifully restored historical sites, enticing shops and great restaurants, all within walking distance of the show. A special feature will be a tour of the newly restored 1794 McIlwaine House on Wednesday, June 16th. The theme of the show is old movies featuring trains. All aboard please to join us in Old Towne Petersburg for a spectacular event.
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Flower Arranging School Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens Check-in from 9:00 a.m. Lecture begins at 10:00 a.m. $45.00 includes lunch Purchase your ticket through the GCV Web site, or by contacting the registrar, Caroline Parrish, Thornton River Farm, P.O. Box 1, Viewtown, Va, 20106. 540-937-5160, cwcparrish@mac.com.
The Flower Shows Committee is delighted to announce Ron Morgan as the speaker. One of the most sought after and well recognized floral designers in the country, Ron transforms the ordinary into the exquisite with his imaginative use of flowers, fruits, vegetables, and unusual items, Ron currently lives in Alameda, California. He has lived in London and Sydney, Australia where he designed windows for Harrods and David Jones. He has opened retail floral and antique shops, held many flower arranging classes and lectures around the world. Ron has published four books: The Center of Attention, In the Company of Flowers, A Celebration of Clematis and A Glass Act, (how to arrange using only glass containers.) For our lecture he will focus on some of the elements of design: color, texture and space. Seating is limited. Act quickly if you would like to attend. There will be a judges’ exam beginning at 8:30 a.m.
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Lily Show
68TH
ANNUAL
‘All Aboard’ Sponsored by the Petersburg Garden Club Assisted by the North American Lily Society Union Train Station 103 River Street, Old Towne Petersburg, VA Entries accepted:
Tuesday, June 15, 2010 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 16, 2010 8:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. Open to the public: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 2:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Thursday, June 17, 2010 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
A RT I S T I C C L A S S E S Petersburg’s importance in the Civil War was greatly due to the railroads. The Lily Show is being held in Petersburg’s Union Train Station. The Artistic classes are named for old movies featuring trains. Inter Club Class Class 51 A
“Bridge on the River Kwai” World War II railroad bridge to Burma – Mass Line
Class 51 B
“Murder On the Orient Express” Homicide on a luxury train – French Rococo
Class 51 C
“High Noon” The noon train brings a bad man for a big showdown – Western Line Design
Class 51 D
“Brief Encounter” Two commuters, married to others, meet in train station and fall in love – Free Style
All Artistic designs will be judged according to the Garden Club of Virginia Flower Shows Handbook, Revised www.gcvirginia.org
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The 76th Annual “The James Runs Sponsored by the 2010 Artistic Winners Class 238 Inter Club Artistic Classes C. Creative Mass Chatham Garden Club
A. Italian Renaissance Garden Club of the Middle Peninsula
Class 239 B. Late Colonial Lynchburg Garden Club
Best arrangement by an Individual Caroline Parrish D. Traditional Line Garden Club of Warrenton Roanoke Valley Garden Club Quad Blue
For a complete list and photos of Daffodil Show Winners, Grateful appreciation extended to Mary Wynn and Charles McDaniel
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Daffodil Show Through It” Hillside Garden Club
NUMBER OF HORTICULTURE EXHIBITORS: 111 NUMBER OF ARTISTIC ENTRIES: 71 NUMBER OF HORTICULTURE STEMS: 1,861
2010 Horticulture Winners
Gold Ribbon-‘Magic Lantern’ Katherine Beale, Harborfront Garden Club
Test Collection Garden Club of Gloucester
Miniature Gold Ribbon ‘Spring Serenade’ Karen Cogar, Hunting Creek Garden Club
Intermediate Ribbon ‘Sunset Sonata’ Glenna Graves Spotswood Garden Club
White Ribbon-‘American Classic’ Dianne Spence, Williamsburg Garden Club
go to www.gcvirginia.org and access Daffodil Show. and Hilldrup Transfer & Storage for support of the GCV Flower Shows JUNE 2010
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Daffodil Notes By Lucy Rhame, GCV Daffodil Chairman The Hunting Creek Garden Club ynchburg certainly turned up the heat on April 6 and 7 for the Garden Club of Virginia Daffodil Show this year, quite literally. Hillside Garden Club, under the chairmanship of Melanie Christian and Becky O’Brian, hosted a lovely show at Sweet Briar College. One hundred and eleven exhibitors came from throughout the state to participate. In spite of the 90-degree temperatures, 1,861 stems were entered in the horticulture classes, including 862 horticultural exhibits, of which 16 were club collections exhibits. Overcoming stiff competition, the Garden Club of Gloucester was awarded the Daffodil Chairman’s Cup for the best test collection. But that is not the only silver that traveled back to Tidewater. Ceci Brown of Gloucester was busy winning numerous awards, in addition to the Garden Club of Virginia Cup for the most blue ribbons, 19, in the show. Dianne Spence of the Williamsburg Garden Club won the Helen Louise Broyhill trophy for the best vase of three standard daffodils, ‘American Classic.’ The best standard bloom in the show, ‘Magic Lantern,’ was entered by Katherine Beale of Harborfront Garden Club, who also won the Member Club’s Cup. Karen Cogar Abramson of Hunting Creek Garden Club in Alexandria was awarded the Gale and Lockwood Frizzell Award in addition to the Anne Duvall Miller Massie Perpetual Trophy, which was offered for the first time this year to the GCV member with the best collection of five historic daffodils. Karen also won the best miniature daffodil in the show for her entry of ‘Spring Serenade.’ She celebrated with fellow club members Vicky Alexander, who won the Patricia Mann Crenshaw Award for ‘Misty Glen,’ and Lea Shuba, who exhibited the best Triandrus single stem. The Garden Club of Fairfax rounded out the Northern Virginia showing with Tricia Goins winning the Worshipful Company of Gardeners of London Cup and Charlotte Benjamin entering the best bloom in the small growers’ classes. How did Catherine Gillespie manage to win the Edith Hardison Walker Award and Suzie Bresee win the Jennette H. Rustin Trophy when they were both busy helping others in the workroom all evening? And Glenna Graves of the Spotswood Garden Club, also a busy member of the GCV Daffodil Committee, won the ribbon for the best intermediate bloom with ‘Sunset Sonata.’ The Hillside Garden Club members outdid themselves. Of course none of it would have been possible without the generosity of Hilldrup Transfer & Storage, which transports all the properties to and from each of our flower shows. Putting on a flower show is a tremendous job and thanks go to everyone who worked hard to make it a wonderful experience.
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Rose Notes
By Pat Taylor, GCV Rose Chairman The Boxwood Garden Club fter a long, snowy winter, roses are finally blooming. Roses are heavy feeders and they need three components of nutrients in order to thrive: organic fertilizer, inorganic fertilizer and water to regain what was lost in the winter freeze. It is helpful to incorporate organic fertilizers, such as fish meal, alfalfa meal, blood meal and bone meal, into your rose beds. Organic matter breaks down slowly in the soil and benefits the roses for several months. These ingredients can be conveniently applied by purchasing products such as Mills Magic Rose Mix, Fertrell or Espoma, which contain a mixture of organic matter. Inorganic fertilizer is also important because it gives the plant an immediate boost that lasts for several months. An ideal product is a 10-10-10 or 13-13-13 that contains trace elements (manganese, boron, copper, etc.) in addition to the basic components of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The most immediate source of nutrients can be delivered through Miracle Grow 15-30-15 or Peter’s 20-20-20 added to a gallon of water. Always follow label directions carefully. Your roses would love a tablespoon of fish emulsion added to this water-soluble fertilizer. By broadcasting Osmocote or another slow release fertilizer onto the soil, you can rest assured your roses will be fed even if you are unable to do so. Feeding only slow release fertilizer will not grow show-quality roses, but it is certainly better than no feeding at all. Perhaps the most critical element in rose care is water. Water provides the delivery system that transports nutrients from the soil to the plant’s tissue. Always water your roses the day before you fertilize and spray and then repeat watering the day after. Failure to water both times can result in burned leaves. The rose garden should be top-dressed with several inches of organic mulch. Not only does mulch help to conserve water and prevent weeds, but as it breaks down it also enriches the soil on a continual basis. Please bring your roses to the 72nd Garden Club of Virginia Rose Show on October 6, 2010, in Norfolk. Harborfront Garden Club has planned a lovely rose show to showcase your exquisite blooms and arrangements.
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The Garden Club of Virginia appreciates responsible advertising and reserves the right to accept or reject submitted advertisements. Inclusion in the Journal is not and is not to be construed as an endorsement by the Garden Club of the advertised goods or services.
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Club Notes The Garden Club of the Eastern Shore oing green has become a household term for how we use our natural resources. The green movement has fostered a move by manufacturers to develop energy-saving products that reduce maintenance and make it easier to live in our homes. A mandate from members of the Garden Club of the Eastern Shore, the Harborfront Garden Club of Norfolk and other garden club members from our district was simple: Tell us how we can go green. What follows is a synopsis of a talk presented by Duff Kliewer, of Cox, Kliewer & Company, P.C., January 19, 2010 at the Aqua Restaurant at the Bay Creek Marina in Cape Charles. We can improve the energy efficiency of our houses starting with the exterior. One of the advances comes in the form of concrete composite siding, available in a variety of configurations. Roofing has also enjoyed real advances, especially in the form of recycled rubber slates. A secret weapon beneath the shingles themselves is an underlayment that extends the life of wood roof sheathing, especially at the eave edges and around chimneys, where leakage usually begins. Geothermal systems allow the mass of the earth to be used for home heating and air conditioning. These systems use 25 to 50 percent less electricity because they eliminate the condenser and reduce energy consumption and emissions 40 to 70 percent. In-floor heating systems,
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whether based upon liquid-filled tubes or electric tape buried beneath the floor, save significant energy by operating on the principle of radiant heat. Fluorescent lamps are offered in color-corrected versions that approximate sunlight. Their efficiency is approximately ten times that of incandescent lamps. Low-voltage lamps, such as halogen, offer savings too. A real breakthrough is in LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting, first used commercially in traffic, automotive and appliance lighting. Now developed for home and business applications, it is available in a wide variety of forms. Integrated wireless switching and dimming can now be controlled within the home or remotely via telephone, laptop computer or iPod. This enables lighting levels, heating and air conditioning settings, window shading and other electronic systems to be set to desired levels whether you are there or not. Major paint manufacturers have been working for some years to reduce the volatile organic compounds in their products, and several now offer VOC-free products. VOCs produce gases that damage the ozone layer in the atmosphere. New paints do not contain theses gases. Flooring advances now allow us to select elegant, durable and environmentallyfriendly surfaces. Engineered hardwood flooring is offered in species and board widths previously available only at very high prices and with protective finishes that no field-finished floor can offer. De-lustered nylon carpeting is another option. Duff ’s talk was full of practical tips for homeowners and those contemplating new construction. Please contact us for more specific product information. By Tata Kellam with Duff Kleiwer
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GCV Journal 2010 Workshop Aileen Laing, GCV Journal Chairman The Warrenton Garden Club Q. Why should a gardener make a good reporter? A. She’s good at getting dirt on people. Anna Billingsley, Director of Publications and Design at University of Mary Washington, opened her presentation at the March 8 Journal workshop with these lines. Her talk, held at Belmont near Fredericksburg, was entitled, “Cultivating Writers: Tips on How to Prune and Arrange Your Words with Style.” “Whether you write about chrysanthemums, compost or creek beds, the same guidelines apply,” and she gave us twelve useful rules to make our articles both accurate and appealing. 1) Write about that which you know Familiarity with the topic will bring enthusiasm to your writing. 2) Surprise readers Articles on flower shows are expected; the one recently on “Arranging Men” is not. An unusual, slightly quirky topic will pique readers’ curiosity. 3) Write in the third person 4) Keep it short As Thomas Jefferson said, “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” 5) Remember that gardeners are grammarians, too! 6) Deadhead flowery language 7) Provide useful information Glenna Graves’ article in the December Journal (p. 18) is an example of providing useful information in “an easily digestible manner.” 8) Be lively “Concise doesn’t mean boring.” Using the active rather than passive voice lends vibrancy to your writing. 9) Accept that there will be challenges Gardens are famously fluid, and often uncertain, creations. Be prepared to have your statements contradicted by events; you may write that February is the best time to plant and then your area is hit by late storms, or a plant that never grows or blooms for you is a blazing success for others. 10) Meet deadlines 11) Be prepared to be edited View this as a form of pruning designed to make the plant (your article) stronger. 12) Pat yourself on the back when you see your words in print Writing, like gardening, is hard work. Be proud of your accomplishment.
Mrs. Billingsley continued with encouragement to write and to keep on writing. She is an advocate for keeping a journal in which a writer’s ideas can germinate and be kept fresh as they mature. Good writers are also avid readers, constantly introducing themselves to new ideas that often fertilize the kernel of an original thought. A lively discussion followed the talk and everyone left enthused to write for themselves and for the Journal. (Editor’s note: The Journal workshop is held every other year for all GCV members interested in writing for the quarterly publication. Journal representatives from each club are urged to come.)
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Ex Libris Paxton’s Magazine of Botany By Anne Cross, GCV Library Committee The Ashland Garden Club itting on a top shelf in the Kent-Valentine library are 14 volumes of Paxton’s
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Magazine of Botany. They are dull-looking books bound in institutional bindings, but the reader who opens one is in for a rare treat. Each volume is
filled with beautiful hand-colored plates of plants and woodcuts of garden plans, structures and tools. The volumes also include a calendar of work to be done in the garden each month and information about insects and their control. The Magazine of Botany was published by Sir Joseph Paxton from 1834 to 1849.
Paxton, born in 1803, became a garden boy at Battlesden at age 17. In 1823 he went to work at the Horticultural Society’s Chiswick Gardens where he met the Duke of Devonshire. The duke offered him the position of head gardener at Chatsworth and in 1832 made him the manager of his estates. Paxton designed the gardens at Chatsworth and, between 1836 and 1840, built a conservatory there called the Great Stove, at the time the largest glass building in the world. In 1844 he constructed the Emperor Fountain, then the tallest fountain in Europe. In 1849 he built a small glass building to protect the ‘Victoria Regia’ water lily where the lily flowered for the first time under cultivation. The design of the lily house was the basis for the design of the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park. Paxton entered the competition for the design of the building to house the “Great Exhibition of the Works of All Nations” in 1851. He sketched his design on a piece of blotting paper and won the competition. The Crystal Palace was completed in six months. Consisting of iron rods and walls of clear glass it occupied about 18 acres. Disassembled in 1854 when the exhibition ended and rebuilt in Upper Norwood, the Crystal Palace continued to be used for shows, exhibitions, sports events and concerts. In 1936 it was severely damaged by fire and in 1941 it was demolished because it served as a landmark for German bombers. In 1854 Paxton was elected to Parliament and remained a member until his death in 1865. He maintained his close friendship with the Duke of Devonshire to whom the first volume of The Magazine of Botany is dedicated. The Kent-Valentine copies of The Magazine of Botany were given by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Muir Mercer. JUNE 2010
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Common Wealth Award Nominations By Linda L. Consolvo, Common Wealth Award Chairman The Nansemond River Garden Club Congratulations to the 2010 finalists for the Common Wealth Award: Chatham Garden Club, the Garden Club of Gloucester, Harborfront Garden Club and the Hunting Creek Garden Club. The club presidents will vote their clubs’ preferences for this prestigious award at the Board of Governors’ Meeting in October. Chatham Railway Depot Entrance Landscape Submitted by Chatham Garden Club In 2001, the arduous task of saving the 1918 Southern Railway Depot in Chatham was begun, and for the past nine years Pittsylvania Historical Society has proceeded with restoration of this historic icon located on the main North/South rail line of Norfolk Southern Corporation. Renovations to the interior of the depot are expected to be completed in July 2010 and will provide multi-faceted historical, education, and community benefits. In answer to our search for a worthwhile project that will impact our entire area, Chatham Garden Club has committed to fund the initial grading and site preparation for the implementation of a professional landscape entrance design. Further, because we feel confident that once renovations are complete, opportunities to add plant material will present themselves, CGC is researching rare horticultural specimens unique to the period that the train station was a bustling, thriving part of Virginia life. In light of reduced school funding, this incredible resource is expected to host local school trips, which has inspired CGC to explore the additional of a teaching garden. The coveted Common Wealth Award would allow us to aid in the completion of this beautiful entrance design and further our contribution to horticulture, preservation, and education. Community Woodland Walk Submitted by the Garden Club of Gloucester The Common Wealth Award will enable us to complete our plans for woodland walking trails at the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society. These trails would include benches, tables, birdhouses, shaded areas and a variety of native plantings with education signage. This project will provide shelter and sanctuary for not only a vast array of wildlife, but also for the approximately 10,000 yearly community members who visit, volunteer and adopt at the shelter. The Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society is the only animal shelter serving the 751 square mile area of Gloucester, Mathews and Middlesex counties. This facility opened in 2009 with virtually no government funding. Hundreds of community members were instrumental in the planning, funding and building of the new shelter. Under the leadership of the Garden Club of Gloucester, community volunteers joined members in the initial landscaping of the shelter. The club raised more than $8000 over 3 years for this initial work. Together we planted more than 100 mostly native trees, shrubs and thousands of bulbs. The Community Woodland Walk continues our landscaping work at the shelter and would offer a natural retreat to the larger community. We are committed to this project for our community and respectfully seek your support.
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Butterfly and Sensory Garden at St. Mary’s Home for Disabled Children Submitted by Harborfront Garden Club St. Mary’s Home for Disabled Children in Norfolk has a garden designed to enrich the lives of children residing in this unique facility – Virginia’s only pediatric long-term residential care facility exclusively for children, newborn to 21, with severe mental and physical disabilities. This state-of-the-art facility for 92 residents, one of a few nationwide designed exclusively for providing care in a home-like residential environment, opened in 2005. Two large courtyards with floor-to-ceiling windows enable over 6,000 residents, family, visitors and staff to interact with nature or enjoy gardens from inside. In 2008, Harborfront Garden Club began working with staff and Girl Scout Troop 5067 on a new Butterfly and Sensory Garden in the courtyard near the main entrance. We planted plants from our own gardens, donated plants and $500 in plants we won in a national website contest. We funded the installation of a fishpond – especially popular with the children. Now more plants are needed as well as irrigation, paved walkways to accommodate the wheelchair-bound children and low-voltage lighting to view the garden at night. The physical and emotional demands on the children, families and dedicated staff are significant. Full access to the garden will allow children to experience nature’s wonders while providing respite for all who visit, work and reside at this outstanding facility serving all of Virginia. Outdoor Classroom Teaching Shelter for Huntley Meadows Park Submitted by the Hunting Creek Garden Club Huntley Meadows Park - a 1,500 acre protected natural area in Alexandria, Virginia - is currently working on an Outdoor Classroom project. This project is based on a self-guided trail around the park’s visitor center that would run through several stations that include the following: Native plantings of species from the Chesapeake Bay watershed that attract songbirds and pollinating insects, and are tolerant of shade, drought, flooding and deer browse Amphibian ponds Bird feeding stations Nesting boxes for bees, birds and bats Wildlife brush shelters Teaching shelter Primary goals of the project: increase the park’s teaching space encourage visitors to interact with the natural environment educate visitors about backyard conservation and environmentally sound landscaping practices educate visitors about native plants and local wildlife, especially songbirds, amphibians and beneficial insects such as pollinators The proposed teacher shelter would function as the center of the outdoor classroom, facilitating outdoor workshops and programs. This aspect of the Outdoor Classroom requires the most funding – park staff asks for financial help from the community to make the teaching shelter possible. The nominations for the Common Wealth Award are presented as submitted. JUNE 2010
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Fine Arts & Flowers at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts By Virginia B. Maloney The James River Garden Club rom the light-filled Cochrane Atrium in the spacious new McGlothlin Wing to the galleries of the original 1936 building, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts will abound with more than 70 art-inspired floral designs, many by Garden Club of Virginia members, when Fine Arts & Flowers opens for the tenth time, October 13-17. There will be more art to see than ever before, offering designers fresh and inspiring ways to express their creativity in interpreting the artists’ visions. A large variety of floral materials will be made available by event sponsor Strange’s Florists, Greenhouses and Garden Centers. And, of course, the participating Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs and Garden Club of Virginia members will make the very best use of them. The first opportunity to see the arrangements will be at the Gala Preview, October 13th. Magnificent floral designs, hors d’oeuvres, wine, music and the Jewelry Fair are a combination that is hard to beat. This elegant evening is always a highlight of Fine Arts & Flowers. Highly-respected lecturers will present programs to entertain and enlighten you. On October 14, Hitomi Gilliam will delight you with ARTFLOR demonstrating her contemporary and sometimes abstract approach to design. That afternoon popular favorite Allan Armitage, head of the University of Georgia test garden, will present an illustrated talk about new and unusual plants. On October 15th, Bryan Rafanelli, who has planned everything from dinner parties for 10 to President Obama’s Commander-in-Chief ’s Inaugural Ball, will give away some of his secrets of successful planning. Finally, Rene van Rems, an internationally noted floral designer, will demonstrate floral design concepts and techniques from Europe. ONLINE GARDEN SHOP Two new events may entice you: Shop with us Online Anytime! Flowers after Hours with music and tapas on Friday evening and Flowers in Fashion Flower Arranging Accessories at midday Saturday, an exhibition of Garden Tools & Supplies floral-themed clothing designed and Cut-Flower Seeds modeled by Virginia Commonwealth Locally Grown Cut Flowers University students. You will find Group Programs everything in flower at Fine Arts & Shopping Events Flowers! Entrance to the museum and the Lisa Ziegler floral extravaganza is free, but all special Cut-Flower Farmer and Speaker events require tickets. To purchase your Local 757-877-7159 ticket go to the ticket desk at VMFA, Toll Free 1-888-977-7159 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond, Newport News, Va. lisa@shoptgw.com or call (804) 340-1405. www.shoptgw.com
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Symposium 2010 By Ann Gordon Evans, GCV Symposium Committee The Huntington Garden Club ith the theme “Quality of Life: Past. Present. Future.,” the 2010 Symposium was a huge success. Nearly 400 Garden Club of Virginia members and their guests gathered February 22-24 at the Homestead to enjoy informative speakers, attend seminars and workshops, tour local historical houses, enjoy excellent food and fellowship and shop with the outstanding vendors. Current and past presidents of the GCV and of member clubs were honored. The success of the Symposium was due largely to the chairman, Julie MacKinlay, and her committee members who worked tirelessly for 18 months to offer GCV members and their guests a unique educational experience. The committee made a special effort to price the tickets reasonably and still stay in the black.
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The following GCV members and guests were asked to share their thoughts: Tom Brown, husband of Sally Guy Brown, The Garden Club of Alexandria: “I sent an email to my daughter telling her that I was attending the Symposium with 11 men and 380 women. She immediately replied that it could be heaven or it could be not so heavenly. I assure all GCV husbands that it was much closer to the former and not remotely like the latter.” Nick Cadwallender, husband of Jeanette Cadwallender, The Rappahannock Valley Garden Club: “Geology, ecology, biology, hydrology and climatology came to life when the Homestead’s naturalist, Brian LaFountain, cast his spell on a small group of Symposium attendees who had signed up for the Cascades Gorge Hike. Although rain prevented us from walking the gorge, Brian introduced us to the insect, bird, animal and plant life of the mountains through his own spectacular photography and theatricality. It was a hilarious romp through the woods, listening to his bird calls, holding prehistoric fossils and playing Brian’s own brand of trivial pursuit without leaving the warm and dry comfort of the Nature Center.” Lyn Hutchens, The Huntington Garden Club: “I felt enriched by the exposure to excellent speakers and programs and came home saturated with information and beautiful images. I hope that the Symposium will continue every other year.” Karen Jones, The Martinsville Garden Club: “My favorites were the Washington National Cathedral floral designers and the conservation speakers, George Hawkins and Joel Salatin. It was a special treat to see the homes and nearby St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. ” Elizabeth Littlejohn, daughter of Jamie Old, The Huntington Garden Club: “I thought the quality and variety of the vendors were excellent. The speakers were the highlight for me. I really enjoyed the environmental/conservation focus, especially Joel Salatin’s talk.” continued on page 28 ... JUNE 2010
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... continued from page 27 Judy Perry, The Elizabeth River Garden Club: “The Symposium roster of speakers was extensive, covering a myriad of topics that inspired us to become better stewards of our environment, better flower arrangers and gardeners and better friends with our fellow garden club members. The expert planning by the Symposium committee kept us moving from one special experience to another.” Grace Rice, The Augusta Garden Club: “Energy. Electricity. Enthusiasm. Excitement. This described the scene greeting guests to the GCV Symposium. Beginning with the Hot Springs House Tour and a lovely tea at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church through Joel Salatin’s talk on organic farming in Augusta County, there was not a minute wasted. The flower arranging workshop, led by Marion Zimmerman and Louise Rocker was the highlight of the Symposium for me. What fun those ladies are and how easy they make you feel when faced with flowers and an empty vase. This ads an important fifth ‘e,’ Education.” Diane Wilkinson, The Garden Club of Fairfax: “The Symposium was wonderfully organized and the scheduled events went off like clockwork. I came away enthused with many notes. I applaud the Symposium committee and appreciate its good work.” The Symposium is clearly an event that GCV members want to continue. The board has already begun to discuss the next Symposium.
Past presidents of the GCV and member clubs at the Symposium, February 2010, the Homestead
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fearlessflowers.com Arranging Flowers Fearlessly
The first virtual flower arranging workshop! Videos with lots of great ideas for quick, easy arrangements. And a subscription makes a great gift for your flower arranging friends. JUNE 2010
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My Own, My Native Land When the violets are blooming in Virginia, And the breath of spring is in the softer air, When the buds are bursting into apple-blossoms, How my heart is longing, longing to be there! When it’s golden summertime down in Virginia And the moonlight’s dancing on the noble James, O there’s not a land more fair in God’s creation Than fond memory of youthful day proclaims! When the Blue Ridge turns to brown in Old Virginia, And the trembling leaves float on the autumn air, Tho’ the mocking bird has sought fair realms to southward, Than the land of all my dreams there’s none more rare! When the snowflakes soft are falling in Virginia, In reverie, I see, beneath the mistletoe, Fair the face of mine own boyhood’s brown-eyed sweetheart, Whom the angels took from earth so long ago! Springtime’s call and summer’s skies in Old Virginia, Autumn’s glow and winter’s frost are calling me: O when I shall fall asleep, my loved Virginia, Let my dreamland be a little part of thee! —Henri Fortesquire Editor’s note. I found this poem in my late mother’s desk with items belonging to my great-grandmother. The yellowed piece of newsprint is dated October 23, 1922. It lists Mr. Fortesquire as being from Waynesboro. I can find no record of the poet.
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CONTRIBUTIONS Report Period From 1/1/10 Through 3/31/10 The Annual Fund Provides essential ongoing support necessary to maintain GCV operations. Donors The Garden Club of Jacquie Gammons Jill Newton Alexandria Martha Geiger Rebecca H. O’Brian Rivanna Garden Club Pamela K. Gottschalk Joyce Overby The Garden Club of Oakwood Foundation Sarah Holt Pierson Warren County Susan Foster Hamill Ann R. Reed Victoria Alexander Elizabeth B. Hardy Grace P. Rhinesmith Nancy W. Avery Mrs. N. Potter Henderson, Jr. Mrs. James B. Richards, Jr. Margaret J. Ayscue Marguerite Heyworth Rodie Savage Anne G. Baldwin Sarah S. Hodgkin Mrs. Marc A. Shook Mrs. Ronald W. Bevans Chris Howison Scottie Slater Linda C. Blackburn Gay Carpenter Huffman Alice K. Smith Mrs. Bowlman T. Bowles, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Dana Y. Smith Nan Bowman Jamison Misty C. Spong Terry Boyd Cecelia R. Johnson Mary Lew Sponski Mrs. Peter K. Braden Martha Roland Jones Cora Sue Spruill Mrs. George M. Brooke, Jr. Judy Kidd Nadia Stanfield Sally Guy Brown JoAnne H. Kinnamon Randy Brown Mrs. Norman E. Tadlock Jean W. Lane Betty S. Brown Sue C. Taylor Mrs. Malcolm H. Livick Sandy Burroughs Suzanne F. Thomas Cheryl C. Lynch Dianne E. Butler Mary Nelson Thompson Mrs. Charles G. Mackall, Jr. Carey Thompson Helen S. Carter Martha F. Manson Jane D. Cheadle Mrs. Robert F. Turner III Mrs. Stuart G. Christian, Jr. Madeline Hutcheson Mrs. Stephen Wagner Mrs. C. L. Christian III Mayhood Mrs. D. Fleet Wallace Cathy W. Clarke Myra Lynne McDaniel Mrs. H. Conrad Warlick Jocelyn P. Connors Mary Wynn McDaniel Katharine Watson Sarah G. Craddock Brenda McGehee Peyton Page Wells Mrs. Alan B. Croft Betty M. Michelson Martha Wertz Mrs. C.B. de Gavre Elizabeth P. and Lewis N. Mr. and Mrs. Fielding Lucy R. Ellett Miller, Jr. Charitable Fund L.Williams Jr. Catherine S. English Margaret Welch Moffitt Mary Ann Wine Terry Evans Jane T. Moore Mr. Clifton Alexander Millie Faucett Jill B. Mountcastle Woodrum III Mrs. Lockwood Frizell Tommi T. Nevin Mrs. Edward B. Wright III
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Donor In Honor of The Garden Club of Fairfax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Margaret Kincheloe Three Chopt Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charles J. Stick Mrs. A. Wesley Graves VI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joyce Overby Karen Jamison. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nina Mustard Dianne Nea Spence John's Island Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cabell West Cabell Goolsby West. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. and Mrs. E. Armistead Talman Donor In Memory of The Hampton Roads Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C. Marcus Cooper, Jr. Three Chopt Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Howard Hudgins Joan Arenstein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers Kaye Rollins Nazarian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Virginia Burt Gunnell Maria C. Satterfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bessie Carter
The Garden Club of Virginia Endowment Supports the ongoing preservation of the historic Kent-Valentine House, headquarters of the Garden Club of Virginia and Historic Garden Week. Donor The Ashland Garden Club The Garden Study Club The Little Garden Club of Virginia The Tuckahoe Garden Club of Westhampton Di Cook Judy B. Truehart Donor In Honor of The Blue Ridge Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Julie Grover Louise Tayloe The Brunswick Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bettie Guthrie Elizabeth Steele Gabriella Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nancie Motley Elizabeth Whitehead Deedy Bumgardner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dr. and Mrs. E. Armistead Talman Terry E. Buntrock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nina Mustard Mary Ann Johnson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Peggy Talman Jamie Old . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ann Gordon Evans Dianne Nea Spence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nina Mustard Donor In Memory of The Ashland Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Oriana Hargrove Edith Reid The Princess Anne Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Harris Fears Betsy and Peter Agelasto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Palmer Douglas Judith Helen Arenstein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers The Arenstein Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers Nancy and John Baillio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers Mr. and Mrs. Bowlman T. Bowles, Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers
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THE GARDEN CLUB OF VIRGINIA
Deedy Bumgardner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers Nan C. Freed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mrs. Newton H. Ray, Sr. Brooks Godwin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers Mrs. H. Hiter Harris, Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers Dolly and Eddie Horner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers M. Scott Johnson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers Brenda B. McGehee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers Mrs. Benjamin W. Mears, Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers Millicent West Helen Turner Murphy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers Dick and Laura Phillips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Seilheimer, Jr. . . . . . . . . .The Honorable Lloyd Sullenberger Lilburn Talley Louise L. Toms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers Elizabeth P. Varner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Frances Flowers
The GCV Conservation Fund Supports GCV clubs in local and statewide conservation projects. Donor Lucy Gadsby Donor In Honor of The Ashland Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Anne Beals Sallie Sebrell The Blue Ridge Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sallie Sebrell Cabell West The Huntington Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Merry Outlaw Marilyn South The Martinsville Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sallie Sebrell Fayetta Weaver The Rappahannock Valley Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tricia Garner The Williamsburg Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cathy Adams Winchester-Clarke Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Anne Beals Tricia Garner Donor In Memory of Kitty Claiborne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bessie Bocock Carter GCV Conservation Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kathy Chiffiller Dube Lorraine Warren Strickler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Millicent West
Bessie Bocock Carter Conservation Award Fund Donor Elaine Stephenson
Restoration Supports GCV restoration projects across the commonwealth. Donor In Honor of The Franklin Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Hart Darden
JUNE 2010
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The Garden Club of Virginia Journal (USPS 574-520) 12 East Franklin Street Richmond, Virginia 23219
June 16-17 Journal deadline
Lily Show, Union Train Station, Petersburg
THE GARDEN CLUB OF VIRGINIA CALENDAR 2010
July 15
Flower Arranging Workshop, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Sept. 21
Dates and events as posted on the GCV Web site at http://gcvirginia.org. See Web site for further additions.
Periodicals Postage Paid At Richmond, Virginia And Additional Offices