gcv journal march 2009

8/9/2019 GCV Journal March 2009

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JournalTHEGARDENCLUBOFV

IRGINIA

VOL LIV, NO. 1, MARCH 2009


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WWW.GCVIRGINIA.ORG THE GARDEN CLUB OF VIRGINIA

JournalEditorial Board2008-2009

Editor and Chairman: Jeanette Cadwallender, The Rappahannock Valley Garden Club

ExOfficio MembersThe GCV President, Cabell West, The Tuckahoe Garden Club of WesthamptonThe GCV Corresponding Secretary, Meg Clement, Three Chopt Garden ClubThe GCV Director of Public Relations, Lea Shuba, The Hunting Creek Garden ClubChairman, Aileen Laing, The Warrenton Garden Club

JournalAdvertising Chairman, Kay Kelly, The Mill Mountain Garden Club

MembersMason Beazley, The James River Garden Club, The Garden Club of the Northern NeckFleet Davis, The Garden Club of the Eastern ShoreBetty Delk, The Nansemond River Garden Club

Julie Grover, The Blue Ridge Garden Club, The James River Garden ClubMary Ann Johnson, Roanoke Valley Garden ClubSarah Pierson, The Rappahannock Valley Garden ClubLaurie Starke, The Warrenton Garden Club

FROM THE EDITORNothing makes me happier than a new book. This issue of the Journal

introduces us to two. The dedicated work of the Restoration Committee

is highlighted in the newHistoric Virginia Gardens, by Margaret Bemiss

with photographs by Roger Foley. What a pleasure to see the resu lts ofour Historic Garden Week efforts. The second book is Conserving the

Commonwealth: The Early Years of the Environmental Movement in Virginia

by Margaret Peters. Our reviewer hints at the important environmental

work that this book documents . I want to know more about this quest

and legacy. These two books relate to the mission of our club. The

Garden Club of Virginia is recognized for leadership in both conservation

and restoration in our beloved Commonwealth and beyond. May this

issue of the Journal inspire you to carry our torch. Perhaps you have anarticle to encourage GCV members? Let us hear from you. Our next

deadline is April 15.

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.


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MARCH 2009 [email protected] 1

The Garden Club of VirginiaJournal

The Garden Club of Virginia Journal(USPS 574-520, ISSN 0431-0233) ispublished four times a year for membersby The GCV, 12 East Franklin St.,Richmond, VA 23219. Periodicalpostage paid in Richmond, VA. Singleissue price, $3.00.

Copy and ad deadlines are:January 15 for the March issue

April 15 for the June issueJuly 15 for the September issueOctober 15 for the December issueEmail copy to the Editor and advertisingto the Ad Chairman

President of The Garden Club of Virginia:Cabell West

JournalEditor:Jeanette Cadwallender615 Fauquier StreetFredericksburg, VA 22401Phone: (540) 373-7210Email:[email protected]

JournalAdvertising Chairman:Kay Kelly112 Serpentine Rd., S.W.Roanoke, VA 22401Phone: (540) 343-9089Email: [email protected]

JournalCommittee Chairman:Aileen Laing

Vol. LIV, No. 1Printed on recycled paper byCarter Printing CompanyRichmond, VA

ON THE COVER...This issue honors The Virginia Beach Garden Club,

hosts of the Annual Meeting. Club flower, Yellow

Jasmine.

IN THIS ISSUE...

75th Annual Daffodil Show . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . .. 2

Daffodil Notes ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Roots & Shoots . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . 4

Its Show Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Fort Christanna . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . 6

Horticulture Field Day 2009 . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . .. . . 7

Historic Garden Week 2009 . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 8

Mark Your Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Historic Virginia Gardens . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . 11

New GCV Publication . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . 12

Club Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Scenic Hero Awards .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 17

Ex Libris .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Lily Notes ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Rose Notes ... .. .. .. ... .. .. .. ... .. .. .. ... .. .. .. . 20

Democracy in Action .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 21

Contributions ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

O T H E R R E F E R E N C E S . . .Kent-Valentine HousePhone: (804) 643-4137 Fax: (804) 644-7778Email: [email protected]

Historic Garden Week OfficePhone: (804) 644-7776 Fax: (804) 644-7778

Email:[email protected]

POSTMASTER send address changes to:

Executive Director12 East Franklin StreetRichmond, VA 23219


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WWW.GCVIRGINIA.ORG THE GARDEN CLUB OF VIRGINIA2

Celebrate the Northern Neck75th Daffodil Show

April 1 & 2, 2009

White Stone Church of the NazareneWhite Stone, Virginia

Entry Acceptance: Tuesday, March 31, 3 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Wednesday, April 1, 7 a.m. - 10 a.m.

Judging: Wednesday, April 1 at 10 a.m.

Awards: Wednesday, April 1 at 2:30 p.m. This year, a new class is beingoffered for Irish Blooms with a new award: The Gale and

Lockwood Frizzell Award.

Show Open

To the Public: Wednesday, April 1, 2 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Thursday, April 2, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Register: Online atwww.gcvirginia.orgor contact Anne Neuman,[email protected], (804) 333-0511, with questions.

The show is free, but donations will be accepted.

Accomodations &

Special Attractions: The Tides Inn in Irvington is offering a special Daffodil Show

room rate. Historic Christ Church, a GCV garden restoration in

Lancaster County, will be open for touring.

Save the Date!The Garden Club of Virginia's Symposium 2010

February 22 - 24, 2010

The Homestead

For more information, contact:Julie MacKinlay, Symposium Chair

The Blue Ridge Garden Club & The Virginia Beach Garden Club


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Daffodil NotesSuccessful Transportation for Blue Ribbon Daffodils

By Kassie Kingsley, GCV Daffodil Committee

Fauquier and Loudon Garden Club andLeesburg Garden Club

Kathy Welsh, incoming president of the American Daffodil Society, states the

most important actions before putting your blooms in the car take place in

your garden and house. As you pick your blooms, pick blue ribbon candidates

that have good pose, condition, color and vigor. With a waterproof pen, write on each

stem its name as you put them in a tepid bucket of water. In the house, clean your

flower of dirt and straighten its pose and then store in a cool, dark place with no light.The blooms will twist toward light so you must make sure it is dark. If storing in a

frost-free refrigerator, cover the blooms with plastic and mist. A frost-free refrigerator

will wick out their moisture.

The best containers to transport daffodils to shows are old soft drink bottle crates,

says Kathy. Look for them at yard sales.

Organize your grooming box to include filled out entry cards, a misting bottle,

sharp scissors, waterproof pen and a show schedule. Do as much preparation as possi-

ble before leaving home. This makes it less frantic for you. We all have seen the chaos

and panic of exhibitors who leave too much to the last minute.

1. Put your daffodils in glass or plastic bottles, wedging as many as three to a

bottle. A good system is to put a short stem in a bottle with two longer

stems, or to wedge a cotton ball in to make them all snug. This will keep the

blooms from bouncing around and bumping into each other.

2. Place bottles in every other hole of your drink case to prevent daffodils from

bumping into others.

3. Group stems together if making an entry in a class of five or more, or put

the entries in individual cardboard carriers, write up the entry card, the

individual bloom information cards and put all in a plastic bag with the

specific blooms.

4. Mist your blooms, load them in the car away from the sunny side and turn

the A/C on high. Kathy Welsh always drives to shows in a warm coat! If

your drive is long, stop to mist the blooms on the way. Remember, heat kills

daffodils.

5. Arrive at the show early! Serenity is the best way to enter your prizes. If you

have completed your entry card before the show closes, you may be able to

help someone else.

Good luck and enjoy the show!


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Roots & Shoots

Kirk Waller's poem below describes his experience at the Roots & Shoots

Intergenerational Garden at Waddell Elementary School in Lexington where

Kirk is a fifth grader. This is a garden where young children, known asShoots, and older community volunteers, known as Roots, grow vegetables, flowers

and herbs together as "garden friends." In 1996 The Blue Ridge Garden Club was

awarded the Common Wealth Award for Roots & Shoots. Molly Brown, Garden

Coordinator, received the deLacy Gray Memorial Medal for Conservation in 2000 for

establishing the first school garden in Rockbridge County.

Red Autumn Joy Sedum blooms

Over sweet smelling thyme,Overhead a sparrow

Twitters a soft melody,

Spindly legs on a spider weave a web.

A caterpillar

Nestles in bronze fennel,

Damp air surrounds me.

Slowly but surely seeds are sprouting

Heavy pumpkins hide under

Overly sharp leaves,

Overall

The garden is a good

Source of tranquility.

If you would like information about growing a school garden in your commu-

nity, please go to the Roots & Shoots website www.rootsnshoots.info or contact

Molly Brown at [email protected] (540) 463-6454.

The Nominating Committee presents the followingto serve as Directors-at-large, 2009-2011

Charlotte S. BenjaminThe Garden Club of Fairfax

Julie G. GroverThe Blue Ridge Garden Club and The James River Garden Club

Louise F. TayloeRivanna Garden Club


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It's Show TimeBy Charlotte S. Benjamin, GCV Flower Shows Committee

The Garden Club of Fairfax

It won't be long before daffodils show their color, lilies stand straight and tall, and

roses fill our gardens with their perfume and beauty. These three flowers are lovely

hallmarks of The Garden Club of Virginia and rightly deserve their very own shows.

Horticulturists enjoy exhibiting the beautiful specimens they have worked so hard to pro-

duce and arrangers find exciting ways to creatively interpret challenging show schedules.

All of these efforts lead to beautiful shows that are a wonder to behold.

What can you do to support and enhance GCV Flower Shows and your fellow gar-

den club members? At least once a year you are probably asked to contribute in someway to the success of your Inter Club entry. This is the perfect opportunity to gain

additional insight into the art of flower arranging, to work together with club mem-

bers, to grow lasting friendships and to visit different areas of the Commonwealth

Are you up for fun and adventure? If so, consider becoming a first time or Novice

exhibitor. Part of the fun comes from being with GCV members from all over the

Commonwealth. Fun also comes from energizing the right side of your brain when

you see other creative arrangements. After you've exhibited a few times, your comfort

level will grow and you will have even more fun. The adventure part comes in many

forms but the most memorable will be when Murphy's Law kicks in, and it willas

the saying goes, "anything that can go wrong will go wrong." These occasions will

give you the delightful opportunity to laugh and relate stories that begin with the

words, "Do you remember when?"

How you make the daffodil, lily or rose the star of the show is most important. Other

flowers and materials provide supporting roles. Entering a flower show is not just about

winning ribbons. Flower arranging is like any art form. To be successful takes practice.Think of a talented musician who spends hours and hours practicing before a performance.

The payoff is in knowing you did the best you could and that you helped make the show a

beautiful and educational experience for hundreds of attendees.

Where can you find help to become better educated about styles and nuances of

flower designs? The GCV Flower Shows Committee is eager to support and encourage

all exhibitors, from Novice to Advanced. In addition, there are many helpful books

and handbooks available, as well as an annual GCV Flower Arranging School.There are three GCV Shows in 2009. Many of you will go online, register for a

show and sign up for one or more classes. New exhibitors and new energy are vital to

the success of a show, whether Novice, Intermediate or Advanced. Find beauty in the

world around you and appreciate the simplicity of nature. Bring these two concepts

into your arranging, and you will have an exhibit that enhances any show.


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Fort Christanna, Then and NowBy Edie Bell

The Brunswick Garden Club

Fort Christanna, the restored historic site of an Indian fort in Brunswick County

and the winner of the Common Wealth Award, will be dedicated in a public

ceremony on April 25, 2009, and GCV members are encouraged to attend.

The story of Fort Christanna is an example of the richness of Virginia's history.

When Alexander Spotswood became Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1710, he found an

economy suffering from a decrease in the price of tobacco and a frontier often threat-

ened by varying tribes of Indians who fought against each other and menaced the

westward-bound settlers.Governor Spotswood made friends with the Sapponey tribe, which by then included

some of the Occoneechee and Totaro tribes, and concluded a treaty with them. In

1714 he persuaded the General Assembly to grant him permission to establish a fort

for the protection of not only the white settlers but also the "Tributary Indians."

In 1714, on a beautiful wooded hill above a bend in the Meherrin River, the fort was

laid out; below it on the bank of the river, an Indian town was built. Twelve men and an

officer were assigned to maintain the fort and act as rangers over the frontier. The gover-

nor sent Charles Griffen to found a Christian School for the Indian children, and it lasted

under the General Assembly until 1718.

During this period, Fort Christanna was a

center for peace and education, and it

remained a trading post for years.

The fort itself is gone, overrun by the

growth of timber, but it was never for-

gotten in Brunswick County. TheBrunswick Historical Society and the

Brunswick/Lake Gaston Tourism

Association formed a group to restore

the site and record its history. The

Brunswick Garden Club is working to

maintain the beauty of the site and to

set up a teaching and seating area on the

plan of an "Indian town," with cement

"tree" stumps and a lectern. This site

will be for student use, and it is hoped

that Indian tribes will return to this

restored home of their ancestors.


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Horticulture Field Day 2009By Suzanne Aiello, GCV Horticulture Field Day Chairman

Dolley Madison Garden Club

With great enthusiasm, Dolley Madison Garden Club invites you to join us

for a spectacular Horticulture Field Day in historic Orange, Thursday and

Friday, May 28 and May 29.

On Thursday, from 12:30 to 5:30, we will visit James Madison's Montpelier. Two

different one-hour guided tours will be offered simultaneously at 1:00 and 2:15 for

GCV members. Preregistration is required and limited to the first fifty people. The Big

Woods Walk features Montpelier's old growth trees and native flora and the second

tour features the Annie duPont Garden and the Montpelier grounds. The newly

restored mansion will also be open for tours all afternoon. From 3:00 to 5:30 theOriental Garden, an early American adaptation of a Japanese garden, and the Gillette

garden at Bassett House will be open for GCV members.

On Friday, we will meet between 8:15 and 8:30 at the Holiday Inn Express on Rt.

15, in Orange. We will separate into two groups and depart promptly at 8:45 to visit

three fabulous gardens. Mount Sharon Farm, a king's grant in 1724, is located on one

of the highest sites in the Piedmont. The current owners, Charles and Mary Lou

Seilheimer, restored the house and created a series of distinctive garden rooms using

century old boxwood. Retreat Farm is a 570 acre working farm producing natural veg-etables and raising natural livestock. The goal of the owners, Porter and Mariel Goss, is

to create sustainable gardening, respecting diversity and working with nature. Farm

managers will lead us on a tour. The two groups will reunite at Summer Duck Wood

for a garden tour and buffet luncheon, generously donated by the owners, Jamie and

Mary McConnell. Summer Duck Wood is a 1,600 acre hunting park managed for

wildlife habitat. The central stone courtyard is planted with flowering perennials, trees

and shrubs. Two stone pergolas frame a water garden.

Registration forms and more information may be found on the GCV website.Rooms have been set aside at the Holiday Inn Express in Orange for May 28. To make

a reservation, call 540-672-6691 and ask for the Garden Club of Virginia group

block. The rate is $99 until April 29. Orange also has a number of beautiful inns,

some of which are located within walking distance of the quaint shops in historic

downtown. Please Google Orange,Virginia B&Bs for a complete list. Registration is

limited to 120 people. We expect to be fully booked, so please register early.


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8

Follow the Green ArrowHistoric Garden Week 2009

By Suzanne Munson

Historic Garden Week Executive Director

The Garden Club of Virginia and Historic Garden Week were green beforegoing green became fashionable. In recent years, many clubs have providededucational programs for Garden Week guests covering a variety of themes,

including horticulture, conservation, flower arranging and related subjects. Here is asampling of activities offered during our April 2009 tour season; the green ones arehighlighted.

Landscapes maintained with organic gardening techniques (Newport News)

Properties, old and new, that incorporate geothermal heating and coolingsystems (Richmond/Tuesday, Chatham and the Dolley Madison Club tourin Madison/Greene counties)

Properties with oyster gardening operations and with environmentallyfriendly landscapes to help protect the waters of area bays (Virginia Beach)

An artistic exhibit of native Virginia plants (Dolley Madison Club tour inMadison/Greene counties)

A discussion by horticulturists about salt-tolerant plantings (Norfolk tour in

East Beach at Ocean View) An invitation to visit the Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden (Leesburg) Demonstrations by talented floral designers and artisans (Martinsville) A horticultural exhibit of materials used in Garden Day flower arrangements

(Fredericksburg) Demonstrations of container gardening (Harrisonburg) A polo exhibition by the Los Tigres Polo Club and showings of the

Warrenton Foxhounds (Warrenton-area tour) A lunchtime fashion show and cello recitals (Petersburg)

Refreshments and a display of handcrafted quilts, "Floral Abundance," at theVirginia Quilt Museum (Harrisonburg)

Displays of prehistoric material from the earliest days of area habitation(Virginia Beach)

Photographs and collectibles from the late-Victorian, Gay Nineties era, onview in homes and in an exhibit by the Bon Air Historical Society(Richmond/Wednesday)

Displays of trains and tableaus by the Ashland RF&P Model Railroad Club(Ashland Club tour in Doswell)

Continuous escorted walking tours of the gardens in Colonial Williamsburg,where participants will learn landscape details, plant selection, color themesand succession planning. Other stops on the Williamsburg-area tour include achildren's learning garden at the Matthew Whaley Elementary School, winnerof The Garden Club of Virginia's Common Wealth Award, and sceniclandscapes in a marina community, with an outdoor space featured recently inBetter Homes and Gardens.

WWW.GCVIRGINIA.ORG THE GARDEN CLUB OF VIRGINIA


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Guided tours of the University of Virginia's beautiful Pavilion Gardens. Besure to check the guidebook for many other special activities associated withthe events in Albemarle County and Charlottesville, including lectures ongardening at Monticello, a discussion of "The University's Backyards: ThePavilion Gardens Beyond Jefferson" at UVA, and the annual "FlowersInterpret Art" program at the UVA Art Museum. Restorations at thePavilion Gardens and Monticello are among The GCV's finest projects, withfunding from Historic Garden Week tours.

Please check your guidebook or theHistoric Garden Week websitewww.VAGardenweek.orgfor furtherdetails. Space limitations precludedescribing the many beautiful gardens

and houses that will be open on morethan 30 tours across the state, but an out-standing season is in store for our guests.

Despite the downturn in the economy, interest inour Historic Garden Week tours appears to be

healthy, judging from traffic to our website.Currently, we are receiving approximately 5,000more annual visits to the site than at this time last

year. The current annual visitation rate is about105,000, or roughly three times the estimated num-ber of guests who attend the tours. Historic Garden

Week will be listed in the "Garden Visiting Aroundthe World" section of the Yellow Book, publishedby the National Gardens Scheme (NGS) in the

United Kingdom. Our friends from England havealways loved visiting Virginia in the spring duringGarden Week, and we hope that this important list-ing will encourage more of them to join us for ourtours this April.

Once again, club members havepulled another one out of the hat, per-forming the amazing feat of producing

yet another fabulous tour program, forthe 76th time in GCV history. As onecouple from Ohio said, after theirtenth visit to Historic Garden Week,"We love coming to Virginia. You justcan't wear it out."

Virginia Beach tour

Leesburg tour, Morven Park

Albemarle tour, Free Union

Gloucester tour, Five Gables


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Mark YourCalendar

Historic GardenWeek in Virginia

April 18-25, 2009

April 17-25, 2010

April 16-24, 2011


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Your Historic Virginia GardensBy Mary Ann Johnson, GCV Restoration Committee

Roanoke Valley Garden Club

From the wetlands of the Eastern Shore to the mountainsides of the Blue

Ridge; from the cobblestones of Old Town to the peanut fields of Southside;

from the rivers of Tidewater to the rolling Piedmont hills the history of

Virginia lives in the houses and gardens of our ancestors. Theirs was a heritage of sur-

vival, determination, hard work and courage amidst great natural beauty.

Preserving that heritage is a mission of The Garden Club of Virginia. With the pro-

ceeds generated by seventy-five years of Historic Garden Week tours, The Garden Club

of Virginia has undertaken restoration projects at historic sites across the state. Thirty

of these sites are described in Historic Virginia Gardens: The Preservation Work of The

Garden Club of Virginia, 1975-2007, a new book organized by the Restoration

Committee. Compiled by Margaret Bemiss and published by the University of

Virginia Press, the book includes contemporary color photographs by Roger Foley, aswell as historic photographs, site plans and a master plant list.

Historic Virginia Gardensis a celebration of the efforts of all Garden Club of

Virginia members. It is evidence of your dedication to those days in April when houses

and gardens across the state are open to the public. Your meeting, planning, advertis-

ing, flower arranging, hostessing, transporting, cooking and overall hospitality culmi-

nate every year in the ongoing preservation of important elements of Virginia history

and beauty. That history is recorded in the pages of this scholarly book with readable

text and descriptive drawings, and the beauty is rendered in exquisite and colorful pho-

tographs. If you cannot visit each place to see the results yourself, through this book

you can visit them from your living room, tour them with family and friends and wit-

ness what your hard work has produced.

Walk through these grounds, take pleasure in the sight of blooming gardens, rest in

the shade of mature trees, feel welcomed to the houses where our nation's founders

lived, planted and prospered. Take your own garden tour through history. And enjoy

the heritage you, as a member of The Garden Club of Virginia, have made your own.


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Belmont, Fredericksburg

Grace Arents Garden, Richmond


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Photos by Roger Foley and Layout by Fleet Davis

New GCV PublicationMarch 2009New GCV PublicationMarch 2009

Blandy Experimental Farm, Boyce

University of Virginia, Charlottesville

Historic Smithfield, Blacksburg


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Club NotesThe Garden Club of Alexandria

The Garden Club of Alexandria has

initiated an anti-litter project for

first grade students. Since litter

has become an increasingly serious prob-

lem in our national landscape, the mem-

bers thought that a good place to start to

tackle this problem was locally, by making

young children aware of the consequences

of litter and pointing out their responsi-

bility to keep their environment clean.Club president, Mary Kay Ryan, met

with the principal of MacArthur

Elementary School, and it was decided

that The Garden Club of Alexandria

would make a presentation to the school's

first graders in October 2007 and follow

up with informational videos on the

inter-school television channel during theschool year and an interactive presenta-

tion in the spring.

For the first presentation, the club per-

formed a twenty-minute skit based on the

children's bookThe Wartville WizardbyDon Madden, the story of a man (the

wizard) who is tired of picking up other

people's litter and his funny solution to

the problem. At the end of the skit thechildren applauded enthusiastically.

There were no expenses to the school

system. The Garden Club of Alexandria

has access to several Garden Club of

Virginia and Garden Club of America

grants. The club's plan was to start a

pilot program at MacArthur Elementary

School and, if the program was success-ful, to extend the program to all first

graders in the Alexandria school system.

The program was well received and will

be presented at the thirteen public

schools in Alexandria.


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Club NotesThe Petersburg Garden Club

Petersburg's Lee Memorial Park, a diverse habitat of rare and endan-

gered plant species, an 18-acre lake and 300 acres of green space, has

long been enjoyed by residents. The park has served as an inspiration

to many active members of The Petersburg Garden Club who have worked

hard since 1999 to preserve and protect it.

The PGC sponsored Lee Memorial Park's nomination for inclusion in the

State and National Registers of Historic Places in 1999. Since then, the PGC

has worked to increase education and to ensure the continued preservation of

the park. The Lee Park Committee, formed in 2001, resulted in the forma-

tion of the Willcox Watershed Conservancy, a nonprofit foundation to pro-

tect and promote the lake and its surroundings. Efforts to preserve and to

celebrate this landmark will be featured in "Rediscovering the Forgotten

Garden," an exhibit planned for May 16, 2009 January 10, 2010 at the

Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville.

Petersburg Garden Club members worked with city representatives in a

public/private partnership to accomplish several key goals: to create a master

plan, which was adopted by city council in 2004; to raise funds for restora-tion and conservation; to prepare special exhibits and a lecture series and to

publish an SOL-approved educators' guide. The volunteers sponsored a

strategic plan and facilitated the forming of the nonprofit foundation for its

continued protection.

In a related project, the PGC co-published a book with The University of

Virginia Press entitled With Paintbrush and Shovel, Preserving Virginia's

Wildflowers, which is in its second printing. The book contains original

watercolors by Petersburg ar ti st Bess ie Marsha ll and histor ical narrat ive byNancy Kober and Dr. Donna Ware. The club has a collection, including 326

pressed and dried specimens and 238 original watercolor paintings for

research and exhibition, which is housed at the Virginia Historical Society.

Note cards and limited edition prints were produced to raise funds for this

project, and all proceeds will benefit the Willcox Watershed Conservancy.

Luncheons meetings cocktail partiesgraduation parties weddingreceptions

Ease and elegance in entertainingat the Kent-Valentine House.For availability contact (804) 643-4137or [email protected]

GCV members and friends receive a 25% discount.

KE N T - VA L E N T I N E H O U S E


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GCV Conservation Chairmen present and past. Anne Doyle and MarshaMerrell in the General Assembly building on Legislative Day, heldJanuary 19, in conjunction with Virginia Conservation Network.

Photo by Lea Shuba


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Hylah Boyd and Betty Byrne WareReceive Scenic Hero Awards from Scenic Virginia

By Sarah Pollard Chiffriller, GCV Conservation and Beautification Committee

The Boxwood Garden Club

Scenic Virginia presented its highest honor, the Scenic Hero Award, to two GardenClub of Virginia members, Hylah H. Boyd and Betty Byrne Ware. The 2008 Scenic

Awards Ceremony was held at the historic Kent-Valentine House in November.Scenic Virginia's Scenic Hero Award recognizes a citizen, elected official or organization foreither an extraordinary accomplishment or a long history of work on behalf of scenic con-servation issues. "In the case of Hylah and Betty Byrne, both criteria apply," statedPresident Eugenia Anderson-Ellis during the ceremony. Past Scenic Hero Award winnersinclude Governor Mark Warner, Lady Bird Johnson (posthumous award) and The Garden

Club of Virginia.Hylah H. Boyd of The Tuckahoe Garden Club of Westhampton is the founder, inaugu-

ral President and immediate and past Chairman of Scenic Virginia. She formed the organi-zation in the spring of 1998 following a Virginia General Assembly Session in which thebillboard industry successfully sponsored legislation allowing them to cut publicly ownedtrees in front of billboards on the state right-of-way. At the time she was the StateConservation Chairman of The Garden Club of Virginia.

Betty Byrne Ware is a member of The Mill Mountain Garden Club in Roanoke, whichshe served as president from 1983-1985, and The James River Garden Club in Richmond,

which presented her with the Jeffress Bowl Award in 1992. The Garden Club of Virginiahonored her with the coveted deLacy Gray Memorial Medal for Conservation in 1983after she served on the statewide Conservation Committee from 1977-1983. She served onthe National Affairs and Legislative Committee of The Garden Club of America from1989-1996, winning the Zone VII Conservation Award in 1989.


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Ex LibrisConserving the Commonwealth:

The Early Years of the Environmental Movement in VirginiaBy Anne Doyle, GCV Conservation and Beautification Chairman

The Garden Club of Norfolk

If you want a wonderfully researched and documented history of Virginia's envi-

ronmental movement, this book by Margaret T. Peters is for you. So much

progress has been made that it is surprising that Virginia's environmental ethic,

defined as her citizenry's awakening concern for the environment, has only taken place

within the past fifty years. In 1960 Elisabeth Scott Bocock, a member of The Garden

Club of Virginia, hosted a meeting in her living room in Richmond to establish the

Virginia Chapter of The Nature Conservancy in order to preserve Virginia's priceless

landscape resources. Present at that meeting were Delegate (later State Senator)

FitzGerald Bemiss and attorney George Freeman.

This meeting led to the formation in 1964 of the pivotal Virginia Outdoor

Recreation Study Commission, to which then Governor Albertis Harrison appointed

FitzGerald Bemiss as chairman and George Freeman as special counsel. The

Commission's stated objective was to improve Virginia's outdoor recreation facilities.

However, the Commission reached beyond its mandate to address for the first time the

entire range of Virginia's natural and historic resources. Its final report, entitled

Virginia's Common Wealth, became the framework of Virginia's public efforts to con-

serve its natural and historic resources. The commission proposed eight legislative bills

to implement its recommendations. All eight were enacted into law. These monu-mental laws included The Open Space Land Act (public acquisition of land for preser-

vation), the Historic Landmarks Commission Act and the cornerstone zoning laws

related to planning and subdivision.

Margaret Peters is to be thanked for giving us this early perspective on Virginia's

ever growing public consciousness of her environment. The book makes it clear that,

in order to continue the progress begun by the Virginia Outdoor Recreation Study

Commission, citizens must give up some personal freedoms and property rights for the

common good; Virginia's leaders in both the public and private sectors must treat the

protection of the environment as a core responsibility; and we must give conservation

the same weight as education, law enforcement and healthcare. Not to do so risks fur-

ther deterioration of the quality of our water, land and air resources.


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19MARCH 2009 [email protected]

Lily NotesAsiatic Lilies: Belles of the Ball

By Mary Nelson Thompson, GCV Lily Chairman

The Franklin Garden Club

Named for the species from which they derived in Asia, Asiatic hybrids are

considered to be among the most popular cut flowers in the world flower

market. They bloom early in the season, are mostly fragrance free and have a

beautiful array of colors. Long-lasting and eye-catching, these lilies are spectacular in

arrangements.

Asiatic lilies usually bloom in June. Having the broadest color range, Asiatic lilies

can be found in shades of plum, lavender, red, rose, pink, peach, orange, salmon, yel-

low, cream and white. Current emphasis on darker colored flowers for weddings has

resulted in hybridizing flowers with deeper shades of brown, wine and even black.

Blooming on strong stems, the flowers can be up facing, out facing or down facing.

Asiatic lilies are easier to combine with other flowers in mixed floral arrangements.

Smaller than the bold, scented Oriental lilies, they are more versatile.

In the 1600s, botanists discovered that the pollination of flowers could change the

look of a flower. During subsequent centuries, thousands of new plants evolved. Thisfueled the enthusiasm for the mania in the world floral markets. Asiatic lilies were

combined with the Trumpet lilies and the Oriental lilies to produce the popular

Interdivisional hybrids found in Division VIII, the Miscellaneous Hybrids.

The hardy Asiatic lily is easy to grow. It is happy in sun or part shade. One can

plant it in mixed borders or massed. A raised bed with good drainage is most crucial

to the success in growing any lily. Soft humus-filled, sandy soil and regular watering

will produce vigorous plants.

Asiatic lilies propagate themselves with ordinary care. Some plants make two to

four new bulbs a year. The clump of bulbs may be gently lifted with a fork and

pulled apart, before carefully replanting. Lily bulbs are not dormant like daffodil

bulbs. That is why it is essential to plant them as soon as possible. Plant them

when the soil is cool, preferably in the late fall. It is best to order the bulbs from a

reputable dealer. However, many a beautiful lily has been grown from bulbs pur-

chased at local retail stores and propagated with care. The beauty of a lily in bloom

becomes the focal point wherever it is planted. It is no wonder raising lilies hasbecome more and more popular.

Learn more about lilies and enjoy their beauty at the 67th GCV Lily Show, spon-

sored by The Petersburg Garden Club, on June 17 and 18, 2009, at the Union Train

Station in Petersburg. Club members and the city of Petersburg are planning a most

memorable event to showcase the annual show and their historic city.


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Rose NotesGoing Green With Roses

By Fran Jones, GCV Rose Committee

The Williamsburg Garden Club

Why not? You can effectively grow roses in your garden by using safe

non-chemical sprays and organic fertilizers. In addition, there are

many rose cultivars available today, classified as disease resistant, that

almost eliminate the need to use harsh pesticides or chemical sprays.

Among the disease-resistant roses are the EarthKind roses, which grow and

thrive with minimal human care. There is a class in our Rose Show for

EarthKind roses. These roses received the coveted EarthKind designation after

being subjected to a research project performed by Texas A&M University. To

eliminate the need to fertilize, it is recommended that a 3- to 4-inch layer of hard-

wood mulch be used on the roses. 'Knock Out', a cherry red shrub, leads the list

of favorites in this group. Also included in the EarthKind collection is 'Else

Poulsen', a bright pink floribunda; 'Perle d'Or', a yellow/pink polyantha; and 'The

Fairy', a light pink polyantha. Approximately ten other shrubs and climbers are

designated EarthKind. Chamblee's Rose Nursery offers a large selection of

EarthKind roses.

Other roses we like to enter in the Rose Show the popular hybrid teas, flori-

bundas, grandifloras, and miniatures are known to develop black spot, mildew

and many insect diseases. Effective spray solutions, such as the Garden Safe brand

and Safer brand, are available for insect and disease control. Black spot, mildew

and other fungus diseases are difficult to control without using a fungicide. To

avoid diseases, fungus-resistant rose cultivars must be selected. For those who pre-

fer hybrid teas, I recommend 'Rio Samba', a very bright red and yellow bicolor,

and 'Sunbright', bright yellow with abundant blooms. These two rose bushes have

been free of insects and black spot in my rose garden for several years.

Gardeners have been using natural organic fertilizers, such as Espoma's Rose-

tone and Bonide's Organic Rose and Flower Food, for long time. Mills Magic

Rose Mix, a 100% natural product, is a popular organic fertilizer used by rosari-

ans, especially those growing roses for exhibition. Mills Magic can be purchased

online from Rosemania.

Keep in mind that roses are like people they enjoy plenty of sunshine, an

abundance of water and want to be fed regularly. Enjoy your roses. They will

reward you with beautiful blooms from mid-May until mid-November.


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GCV: Democracy in ActionBy Anne Harrison Harris, Annual and BOG Meeting Chairman

The Hampton Roads Garden Club

When the membership spoke, the Board listened. The demand seemed simple andstraightforward and targeted the Annual and Board of Governors' Meetings. You askedus to shorten the time commitment for attendees and to reduce the cost to the host

club, while still allowing for a productive business meeting and camaraderie. No simple task!After many meetings and hours of deliberation the Board has approved a plan streamlining the

fat without reducing the fun. This will be accomplished by the following measures: Shortening both the Annual and BOG meetings by one day Eliminating the tote bags Not serving alcohol at lunch Recommending cash bars at dinner

Having no additional speakers (because of the biannual Symposium)This new schedule provides the host club a framework within which to plan its meeting and

allows it total freedom to determine the flavor of the meeting.The resolution of this issue did not come easily. The initial call for change came from the

Strategic Plan and was supported in roundtable discussions at the BOG Meeting. At the request ofthe President, an ad hoc committee, consisting of former and current chairmen of Annual andBOG Meetings, met to suggest a schedule to present to the Board. This schedule was reviewedand polished by the Outlook Committee, who then sent it to the Board for approval. Taking greatcare to preserve GCV tradition while considering modern lifestyles and current events, the Board

approved the schedule at the January meeting.Thank you to the officers who worked so diligently to answer the call for change, and congratulationsto the members who had the foresight to suggest that change. All of GCV will benefit from your efforts.


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Common Wealth Award FundProvides monies to individual clubs for local civic beautification efforts.

Donor: In Memory of:Gabriella Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth Boatwright UpdikeMrs. George Consolvo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bessie Bocock Carter

Melba TrenaryTena Holcombe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bessie Bocock Carter

Kent-Valentine HouseDonor:

Tricia KincheloeDonor: In Honor of:The Blue Ridge Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. P. William Moore, Jr.

The SEED FundSupports Events, Education, and Development.

Donor: In Honor of:Dolley Madison Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cabell Goolsby West

RestorationSupports GCV Restoration projects across the Commonwealth.

Donor: In Honor of:The Blue Ridge Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Don Haynie

The following gifts have been given in memory of Bessie Bocock Carter:Donor:

The Charlottesville Garden Club Rivanna Garden ClubRoanoke Valley Garden Club Winchester-Clarke Garden Club

Mrs. William D. Bayles Mrs. John D. BlackwellMr. & Mrs. McGuire Boyd Mrs. H. Harrison Braxton, Jr.Mrs. John K. Burke Mrs. E. Reed CarterCarter & Burton Architecture, PLC Mr. & Mrs. Richard H. Catlett, Jr.Mrs. Stuart G. Christian, Jr. Foundation for Historic Christ ChurchMr. & Mrs. John E. Clarkson Mrs. Austin T. Darden , Jr.Mr. and Mrs. O. Kemp Dozier Mr. & Mrs. Frank T. EllettDana S. Faulconer Mrs. Henry F. Frierson, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. James C. Hamilton Mrs. Frank L. Hereford

Calder Loth Mr. & Mrs. William M. Massie, Jr.Rick & Chita Middleton Deane H. MountcastleMrs. William C. Overman Mrs. James W. PattersonSuzanne C. Pollard Mr. & Mrs. Charles L. Reed, Jr.Mrs. Peter R. Rossmassler Jack & Terri SchutteMr. & Mrs. D. French Slaughter III Ken & Karen Stepka Mr. & Mrs. George R. Thompson Mrs. Roy M. Tolleson, Jr.Mrs. Nancy Tucker-Wildrick Natalie Bocock Turnage

C O N T R I B U T I O N SReport Period From 10/1/08 Through 12/31/08


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Mrs. Granville G. Valentine, Jr. Mrs. Tony VanderwarkerMr. & Mrs. Mark R. Warner Blake & Rebecca WattsMrs. William N. Wilbur Dr. & Mrs. Morton C. WilhelmMrs. David Wood Mary Denny Wray

The Garden Club of Virginia EndowmentSupports the general operating and program expenses of the Club including the

ongoing upkeep of the historic headquarters, The Kent-Valentine House

Donor:The Ashland Garden ClubThe Brunswick Garden ClubMissy BuckinghamMr. Andrew B. Carter

Mrs. Austin T. Darden, Jr.Mary Bruce GlaizeMary K. Hubard TrustBetty MichelsonHelen PinckneyMr. and Mrs. W. Randolph RobinsMeredith Stanley ScottTara FoundationThe Junior Virginia Beach Garden ClubMrs. Robert C. Wood IIIMary Denny WrayDonor: In Honor of:The Garden Club of the Eastern Shore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Nelson ThompsonFauquier and Loudoun Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cabell Goolsby WestThe Lynchburg Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cabell Goolsby WestThe Spotswood Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. Betsy EgglestonThe Williamsburg Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Emory BuntrockMrs. Horace (Coco) Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fleet Davis

Ann Gordon Evans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cabell Goolsby West

Margaret E. King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Hart DardenPage Sullenberger

Susan S. Mullin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mina WoodMrs. Charles C. Wentworth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emma Read OppenhimerMrs. John T. West IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Conservation Committee

Dianne SpenceThe Boxwood Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sandra Baylor

Madeline HutchesonDonor: In Memory of:Hunting Creek Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nancy NooneThe Garden Club of the Middle Peninsula. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brockett Muir, MD

Elliott E. Redmon, Jr.The Spotswood Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Col. Kimberly BrabsonThe Garden Club of Warren County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anna BaldwinMargaret R. Bowditch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Malcolm Matheson, Jr. & Emma TompkinsMrs. Austin T. Darden , Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G. Powell DavisNan C. Freed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth B. Updike


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Mrs. Robert L. Galloway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. Frank G. DairdsonMrs. Briscoe B. Guy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Katherine Lancaster Guy

Judge and Mrs. Lapsley Hamblen, Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth Boatwright UpdikeMrs. Robert L. Hopkins, Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sally Sackett Walker AustenMrs. Nancy Tucker-Wildrick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bunn Wyatt

Elizabeth & Keith Walden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Joan DavisThe following gifts have been given in memory of Bessie Bocock Carter:

Donor:Dana H. Adams Mr. and Mrs. Peter A. Agelasto IIIMr. and Mrs. Laurent Boetsch Mrs. Bowlman T. Bowles, Jr.

Ann Gordon Evans Mrs. George H. Flowers, Jr.Nan C. Freed Susan FrenchFlorence Bryan Fowlkes Charlotte FrischkornMrs. James C. Godwin Mrs. Robert L. Hopkins, Jr.

Investment Management of Virginia The James River Garden ClubMrs. David Francis King Mary R. Lowrey Commander & Mrs. Angus Macaulay Mrs. W. Tayloe Murphy, Jr.Mrs. Arthur H. Nash Mrs. Carrington L. Pasco

Judy B. Perry Joan W. RobinsMrs. Charles H. Schutte, Jr. Mrs. Charles H. Seilheimer, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Parke Smith Thomas Jefferson FoundationMr. & Mrs. W. Wardlaw Thompson, Jr. Catherine C. WhithamMrs. Robert C. Wood III

The GCV Conservation FundSupports GCV clubs in local and statewide conservation projects.

Donor:Candace Carter CrosbyDonor: In Honor of:Three Chopt Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. James E. RogersMrs. John T. Siegel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. Armistead M. WilliamsHelen Turner Murphy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Conservation and Beautification CommitteeDonor: In Memory of:

Dr. & Mrs. Robert B. Eggleston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Col. Kimberly BrabsonSandra Eagle

Kathy HooverThe Martinsville Garden Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Betty WhittleBeverley Wellford Rowland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ida Dulany Beverley Wellford

The following gifts have been given in memory of Bessie Bocock Carter:Donor:

Albemarle Garden Club Three Chopt Garden ClubVirginia Lee R. Anderson Mr. & Mrs. Thomas C. Brown, Jr.Mrs. Rudolph Bumgardner III Mrs. George M. CochranMr. & Mrs. Philip B. Glaize, Jr. Mrs. Barbara H. GrantMr. and Mrs. Henley L. Guild Ann Marie Hartwig Mrs. Colin Macleod, Jr. Valerie MatthewsMrs. Benjamin W. Mears, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Alfred P. ScottMrs. H. Hudnall Ware III Mrs. George A. WhippleMr. and Mrs. William Maury Hill Mrs. William G. ThomasThe Presidents of The Garden Club of Virginia


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Albemarle Garden Club presents The Design Forumfeaturing

Bunny WilliamsPoint of View

A presentation and book signingThursday, May 7, 2009 Farmington Country Club 9:00 am

Special thanks to Kenny Ball Antiques and The Shade Shop & Lighting Galleryfor their generous support of this event.

Bunny Williams highly developed sense of style hasestablished her as one of the worlds most renownedinterior designers. During a celebrated 35-year career,marked by accolades from peers and press, Williamshas never lost sight of her primary objective as adesigner: to create relaxed, intimate spaces that areso inviting, her clients neverwant to leave them.

To reserve your seat, please send $75.00 made payable toAlbemarle Garden Club and mail to Brooke Spencer,685 Ivy Lane, Charlottesville, Virginia 22901Questions? please email: [email protected]


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