“March brings breezes loud and shrill, Stirs the dancing daffodil.”
Sara Coleridge
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Spring appears to have come early this year, as the fabled groundhog predicted! It’s the perfect time to step back into our gardens and enjoy all that this long-awaited season has to offer, from flowering ornamental trees, vibrant spring-blooming bulbs, and for the Garden Club of Virginia, the beauty and excitement of Daffodil Day and Historic Garden Week.
Join us via Zoom for an Artistic Design Judge’s Workshop highlighting the styles featured in “Dancing with Daffodils," and plan to Zoom in for the March series of Cultivating Conversations to learn more about our Conservation and Environmental Studies Fellowship.
Be sure to mark your calendar now for three member favorites: Flower Arranging School, Horticulture Field Day and the Lily Show.
And don’t miss the fantastic fundraisers planned by our member clubs … what a wonderful way to enjoy the fun and fellowship of GCV friends!
Great opportunities abound. I hope to see you soon!
Warm regards,
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Debbie Lewis
GCV President, 2022-2024
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New!
An Artistic Design Judges Workshop will be held on March 4 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. via Zoom to highlight the design styles featured in the Daffodil Day 2024 “Dancing with Daffodils." In-person attendance is limited to artistic design judges, student judges and Daffodil Day exhibitors. Zoom participation is open to all GCV Members. Register here.
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Horticulture Field Day, Leesburg, June 4-5 |
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Registration for Horticulture Field Day opens soon!
Tour Downtown private gardens and estates in surrounding Loudoun county. Enjoy a boxed lunch in a historic restored barn. Learn from Peggy Singlemann's presentation "Rejuvenating a Mature Landscape," which includes a demonstration on how to sharpen your own pruning tools.
This is a space-limited, members-only event, and fills quickly! Watch for Registration and details later this month.
Photo by Missy Janes
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Mark your calendars for Lilies in Bloom: Dazzle! The schedule will be available for review on the GCV website in mid-March. Registration opens on April 1.
This year’s show will be held at the beautiful St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Richmond and features categories for Horticulture, Artistic Design, and Photography. Mary Zocchi, Past President of the North American Lily Society, Lily Judge and member of the Dolley Madison Garden Club, will speak on “For the Love of Lilies.”
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“Caps and Jackets laid away, Flower Baskets first of May”
Join the Artistic Design Committee for a day of Flowers, Food, Friends and Fun plus shopping at Pharsalia in beautiful Nelson County. On May 2, 2024, we will host a hands on flower arranging workshop led by floral designer David Pippin. Workshop flowers, a container and lunch will be provided. All we need is you and your clippers! Space is limited. Registration will be available for GCV members on April 2, 2024 on the GCV website.
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Native Plant of the Month
The March native plant is a deciduous shrub - the Virginia sweetspire, or Itea virginica. Sweetspire provides interest three seasons a year for you and four seasons for your local wildlife. In May, its small, fragrant white blooms along its long branches and attract pollinators and make a good cut for a spring arrangement or a filler for spring, summer or fall designs. The light green leaves turn a deep garnet red in autumn and are an attractive part of a fall garden.
Reaching 3 to 4 feet in height, this plant is an upright shrub with a rounded form and an open nature. Sweetspire prefers partial sunlight and wet or moist to medium soil. It is very low maintenance requiring little to no pruning and is even deer resistant! It spreads easily and can make a nice hedge or serve as hill cover.
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Cultivating Conversations |
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Please join us on Monday, March 18 at 5 p.m. for Cultivating Conversations. In this session, participants will learn more about GCV’s Conservation Fellowship and hear about research that has been completed on issues related to ecology and conservation in Virginia, thanks to this program. Register here.
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Ticket Sales
State passes – which normally sell for $300 – are now $200 through an exclusive, joint promotion with Flower magazine. Purchase yours now!
HGW/Artistic Design
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Winter Photo Challenge Deadline Extended to Sunday, March 3
Winter is still on but spring is coming, so please get out and capture scenes from what’s left of it. The deadline for the Winter Photo Challenge has been extended to Sunday, March 3.
Class I: Winter Berries
A close up or a macro color photo of berries in winter. If possible, capture weather such as rain, ice or snow on some of the berries to impart the look of winter.
Class II: Winter Wildlife
Capture wildlife (animals or birds) in a winter setting of bare landscapes or branches. This color portrait should evoke the solitude of winter. Remember only wildlife and no pets, please.
Please send photos that are at least 1 mb to Georgiana Watt at georgianawatt@hotmail.com, one per email. Photos MUST be renamed as follows: Class 1 (or 2), First Initial, Last Name, District #, e.g.: Class1 GWatt D5. Please also include this information in the subject line of your email. Entries sent after March 3 will not be accepted.
Remember that too much cropping of cell phone photos may result in an image that is too small to submit.
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Maintenance Workshop
On Jan. 24, GCV historic site gardeners and garden staff gathered at Kent-Valentine House for a day of informative speakers, timely historic landscape topics, networking and camaraderie. The program was recorded and may be be viewed below:
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Pictured are Glynn Percival, Bartlett Tree Experts; GCV President Debbie Lewis: Restoration Maintenance Workshop Co-chairman Meg Turner; Mary Petres, Manchester Gardening; Joe Lehnen, Virginia Department of Forestry; Tyler Holtzman, Science Museum of Virginia; Restoration Committee Chairman Jean Gilpin; and Restoration Maintenance Workshop Co-chairman Sally Travis.
Photo by Clarkie Eppes
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Bessie Bocock Carter Conservation Awards Finalists
The Conservation Awards Committee announces the finalists for the 2024 Bessie Bocock Carter Conservation Award. Ballots will be emailed to all GCV member club presidents, and should be returned by April 1, 2024, to Ann Heller, GCV Communications Coordinator, 12 East Franklin Street, Richmond, 23219, or communications@gcvirginia.org. The recipient will be announced at the Annual Meeting in May.
The Elizabeth River Garden Club
Eco-Landscape the Wilderness at Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve
Gabriella Garden Club
Preserving Downtown Danville’s Urban Oasis: the HOME Pocket Park Transformation
Hillside Garden Club
Access to Nature and Outdoor Learning on the Cosby Trail
June 1, 2024, Award Nominations Deadlines
Proposals for all awards should be sent to Ann Heller, GCV Communications Coordinator, 12 E. Franklin St, Richmond, VA 23219 or electronically at communications@gcvirginia.org, and must be received by June 1, 2024.
Contact Conservation Awards Chairman Marie Thomas with any questions.
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Whether you are an outdoor gardener, an indoor garden enthusiast, or a parent looking to engage children in plant projects that both beautify and educate, this article on “The Ornamental Garden in March” by Pat Chadwick in the Piedmont Master Gardeners, March 2017-Vol. 2 No. 3, is filled with routine tasks and bright ideas that will inspire and motivate you.
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The Kent-Valentine House, the historic house that serves as headquarters for the Garden Club of Virginia, received the first historic easement in the city of Richmond. Previous owners Granville Valentine Jr., and his sisters, Mrs. Theodore Curtis and Mrs. Wilfred Goodwin, secured the easement in 1971 just prior to selling the property to the GCV.
Managed by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, historic easements allow homeowners to voluntarily protect the historical and architectural integrity of their property in perpetuity. The easement requires that we preserve the architectural elements of the KVH’s exterior and first floor, that we have two magnolia trees in the front yard, and that we open to the public one day a year. The property is also a GCV restoration site.
The Kent-Valentine House will be open on Friday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during Historic Garden Week, free of charge to visitors.
Photo by Jay Paul
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New GCV Apparel
Show your GCV spirit while you run errands, gather for Historic Garden Week or prepare your blooms for Daffodil Day. The vest ($80) is versatile, flattering and layers well. The hats and visors ($25) are great for when you’re on the go. Available online on our Shop Page and at the Kent-Valentine House.
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Winchester-Clarke Garden Club and the Virginia Cooperative Extension present the award-winning movie, Hometown Habitat, Stories of Bringing Nature Home, on March 10, 2024, at 2 p.m. at the Stimpson Auditorium, Halpin-Harrison Hall, Shenandoah University, Winchester, Va. This event is open to the public and a donation of $10 is suggested. A panel discussion will follow the movie with local environmental leaders.
The inclement weather date is Monday, March 11 at 6.p.m. at the same location.
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The Petersburg Garden Club
presents its 28th
"Splashes of Spring"
featuring an internationally recognized designer of private libraries for discriminating clients
KINSEY MARABLE
“A Library of Garden Books”
of
Kinsey Marable & Co., Charlottesville
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Country Club of Petersburg
10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Social Time, Silent Auction, Raffle, Featured Speaker, Seated Luncheon
Event Tickets $45
For tickets, contact Sally Seward: joboz@aol.com, (804) 586-5868
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The Virginia Beach Garden Club |
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The Elizabeth River Garden Club
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Upcoming Events of Interest |
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American Daffodil Society Annual Show
The largest daffodil show in the world is held once every eight years in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Thousands of daffodils will be on display, accompanied by daffodil floral designs, photography exhibits, a boutique, and all things daffodil.
Show hours:
Thursday, April 10, 2-7 p.m.
Friday, April 11, 9 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Location:
Hyatt Regency Dulles-Luray Ballroom
2300 Dulles Corner Blvd
Herndon, VA 20171
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The 84th Richmond Rose Show
Richmond Rose Society’s 84th Rose Show will be held on May 18-19, 2024, at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Avenue, Richmond, VA 23228.
The show will include horticulture and photography. There will also be a hands-on workshop on making an arrangement with roses on Saturday afternoon.
The Facility opens to exhibitors at 7 a.m. on May 18.
As always, Richmond will provide light refreshments to exhibitors. Exhibitors and judges have free entrance to the gardens.
The show will be open to the public on Saturday, May 18 from 1 - 4 p.m. and on Sunday, May 19 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Entrance to the show is included with regular garden admission (admission is free with your ARS membership card).
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May 25 and 26, Saturday and Sunday
Arlington Rose Foundation
Annual Rose and Photography Show
Merrifield Garden Center-Fair Oaks
12101 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA.
Exhibitors compete in over 40 categories of horticulture and photography excellence. Exhibitors may place entries on Friday, 3-5:30 p.m. or Saturday, 7-10:15 a.m. Judging commences at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
For winning entries, over $1,600 in gift certificates, cash, functional garden products and decorative items will be awarded. Experienced and Novice exhibitors are welcomed.
The show is open to the public at 1-5 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday.
Rose bouquets gifted to new members.
Show chairman: Pam Powers (arfinformation@aol.com)
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Albemarle Garden Club
Linda Walker
The Ashland Garden Club
Sarah Capehart
Jessica Darden
Chelsea Frakes
Kim Jacoby
The Warrenton Garden Club
Candace Faulk
The Williamsburg Garden Club
Alexandra George
Carrie Griggs
Ashley Kirkland
Katie Mulherin
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Quick Links
Restoration Maintenance Workshop Videos
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Joe Lehnen, Virginia Department of Forestry, “Urban Wood Utilization”
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Dr. Glynn Percival, Bartlett Tree Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, “Practical Strategies for Nature-Based Solutions: Boosting Tree Immune Systems to Protect Against Pests and Diseases”
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Mary Petres, Manchester Gardening, Capital Trees, “A Sustainable Approach to Maintaining Healthy Public Gardens”
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Tyler Holtzman, Science Museum of Virginia, “Selecting, Planting, and Maintaining Groundcovers”
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